Satan, The World, Peace, And Trauma?

[quest4piece]

Hi, my personal story consists of trauma from a system of thinking, I'd rather not go into too much detail. I'm questioning my belief in Satan as I was presented in traditional Christianity. How does one mesh the, error proned, paranoia filled presentation of the world that evangelical Christianity promotes with real trauma and abuse from systems of people? I do still believe in spirits, but to say 99% of the world serves a dark demented spirit seems way too extreme, yet darkness is in the world too? How can I reconcile Hope and Darkness without paranoia?

[JosephM]

Hi quest4peace,

 

Perhaps there is nothing to mesh or reconcile. Unless of course one buys "the presentation of the world that evangelical Christianity promotes". Personally i don't buy it. To me, the world is not broken. It is as it is ...... balanced with both light and darkness. Paranoia is a thought process believed to be heavily influenced by anxiety or fear often to the point of irrationality and delusion. Fear is in my view an emotion induced by a perceived threat. I'm not talking about the fear that is more of an instinctive shrinking back from danger but rather the psychological condition of fear which is divorced from any concrete or immediate danger. It is always of something that MIGHT happen rather than that which is happening at the moment. We cannot cope with something that is only a mind projection. It seems to me, as long as one identifies with with these projected thoughts that are future rather than NOW, fear and anxiety will reign in your body. Perhaps the short solution is to watch your mind...or to dis-identify with it as your true 'self' and perhaps identify more with the watcher of its thoughts.. In essence bring your thoughts to the light.of consciousness. In the words of one teacher.. the goal of most all religions is to 'die before you die'. In doing so, where is fear , anxiety or paranoia.

 

Just some related thoughts on your post.

 

Joseph

[PaulS]

I mesh it quite simply (for me). There is no Satan, no demented spirit out to 'get you' or cause you to not connect with God. Satan, the Devil, 'Evil' are human constructs and attempts to explain why bad things happen to good people. They just do!

[soma]

I feel there are only two forces love and fear. It is sad that Christianity spreads fear and not love because to have a personal relationship with Christ consciousness fear must be released.