Dialogue with the Devil

Last updated on: January 16, 2015 at 7:34 am by Fr. Dwight Longenecker

Dialogue with the Devil 2015-01-16T07:34:35-05:00 Fr. Dwight Longenecker

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Temptation of Eve

Some time ago a blogger wrote an “open letter” to me inviting me to engage in discussion on a topic where we disagreed.

To avoid specifics and get down to the core issues, let’s say the topic was the pastoral care of remarried divorced people in church.

So I went to the blog and read the open letter. It came across as rational, polite, sensible, compassionate and most of all spiritually sensitive and “listening to where the Spirit is leading the Church.”

In other words, it was all sweetness and light. The blogger lovingly invited me to participate in a discussion. I was invited to “listen carefully” and “walk with them on a difficult journey”

The fact of the matter is, the blogger was living in an adulterous relationship and wanted the church to change the rules for him.

Beneath all the sweetness and light was hard hearted rebellion and the subtext was one of bitterness, hatred and rebellion.

However, it was all cloaked over with a thick layer of sickeningly sweet double talk. It reminded me of one of those revolting birthday cakes you can get where the butter frosting is an inch thick and is all done in lurid colors and flashy effects. Yucch.

Thinking about it further, I was reminded of the dialogue with the devil that Eve had in Eden. The snake was a sneak. He came along, as usual, displayed as an angel of sweetness and light.

Everything he said was reasonable, sensible, attractive and he played the “God is a big nasty disciplinarian” card like a pro.

When confronted with the temptation to enter into this kind of “dialogue” I opt out. I don’t go there. It’s not worth my time and effort. Nothing is accomplished by it. Nothing.

Except the seduction of more and more of God’s faithful people.

One cannot even criticize the method of dialogue. How can you do so when the person who is enticing you into dialogue is simply reeking with reasonableness, sweetness and smiles? You can’t. If you say anything about their style they put on that wounded, disappointed look–the sort of hang dog expression you get from the dog when his feelings are hurt. If you answer bluntly and efficiently you are charged with being harsh and uncaring. If you come at it with a sense of humor and poke fun at yourself and them and the whole charade they pull the self righteous act saying, “I’m sorry that you feel that this is a joking matter. We invited you to have a serious and caring Christian discussion and you have become flippant.”

See? It goes nowhere.

I’m reminded of the response of Ransom in C.S.Lewis science fiction novel Perelandra to the demon possessed Professor Weston. Weston is attempting to engage the woman on the planet in this kind of dialogue. In the end Ransom simply punches the guy. He resorts to physical violence because there is no other way to penetrate the constant barrage of lies, lies, lies.

Of course I’m not advocating that we punch a heretic like St Nicholas did, but we sometimes need to be blunt in our conversation. Speak the truth simply and boldly and then walk away.

I’m not dialoguing with the devil and I advise you not to either.

Image via Bing

Uncategorized

Previous Post

January 15, 2015

Atheism or Catholicism - You Choose

Next Post

January 16, 2015 Myth and Magic in the Mundane

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Anglican Matters Apologetics Architecture Blobble Study Book Reviews Brideshead Caitlin O'Rourke Catholic Art Catholic Culture Church Politics Chust for Nice Contemporary Culture Duane Mandible Ed Blanch Film Reviews Fr Harvey Nicolaitan Frank Viola Mantilla the Hon More Christianity Mrs Brady Catholic Old Lady Mystery of the Magi Norman Anderson Queen Hillary Saints and Supernatural Spirituality The Inklings The Vicar Theology Todd Unctuous Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz