deception

Ritually abusive groups also convince children that something evil has been put inside them. For example, a child is made to believe he or she has a "black heart" - seeing the abuser holding an animal heart and then feeling severe chest pain while it is supposedly inserted. In "brain transplants", the brain of an abuser or of a despised animal such as a rate is supposedly put into a child. Children are told that they are demons or monsters or aliens, or internal copies of an abuser whose "seed" has been implanted by rape.Ch29, p324

After a victim is made to participate in an act of evil, the people in charge put a lot of energy into convincing the child or adult that he or she is evil and a perpetrator rather than a victim.p324

It is probable that the most inhuman monsters, even the Himmlers and the Mengeles, convince themselves that they are engaged in noble and courageous acts.

The devil's finest trick is to persuade you that he does not exist.

Perhaps it is true that, by some definitions, Satan is more religious than God. Many of the particularly proud sinners are deceived into thinking that Satan is anti-religious, that he likes seeing people do immoral things simply because he likes immoral things. Doubtful; Satan likes for people to do immoral things so that he can blame them for doing immoral things. The Father of Lies laughs not with his teammates, but at them.

True evil is unlikely to receive an invitation from us, so it clothes itself in just enough truth to make itself look appealing and then it looks to unpeel us.

The worst evil is that most subtle evil. It is the evil that is merely 'base' which is more evil than evil itself. For it is the one closest to righteousness, the one indistinguishable and doused in virtue.

There is a great counterfeiter who adapts himself to every culture, even deceiving true believers at times. He doesn__ charge on the scene clothed in red and wearing a hideous mask but charms his way as an __ngel of light._ This is how Satan operates.

For Satan__ deceptions to be successful, they must be so cunningly devised that his real purpose is concealed by wiles.

It is important to realize that a person with the gift of discernment can often tell the difference between what is of God and what is not. Such a person can often point out false teachings or false teachers__e has an almost uncanny ability to perceivehypocrisy, shallowness, deceit, or phoniness.

Our culture will stand in roaring ovations for the illusionists, escape artists, and magicians. Deception is everything opposite the truth.

We see ourselves as self-sufficient, self-important, and self-sustaining. God sees us as dependent, self-centered, and self-deceived.

Believers need the gift of discernment, or at least respect for the opinions of those who have it . . .believers are to test the various spirits and doctrines that abound.Most of all we are to test them against thestandard of the Word of God.

The underlying principle of all Satan__ tactics is deception. He is a crafty and clever camouflager.

Satan__ method has often been to imitate God.Satan is still using this form of deception, and often his representatives are being disguised as ministers of righteousness.

Thousands of uninstructed Christians are being deceived today.False teachers use high-sounding wordsthat seem like the epitome of scholarship and culture. They are intellectually clever and crafty . . .adept at beguiling thoughtless, untaught men and women.

Some people in orthodox churches in Africa take poverty as a path that leads to heaven, making christianity look unattractive.

How could I have never told anyone what He had done for me? Nothing else had worked. Nothing had been able to break the chains that kept me living on the edge. Nothing....except the gentleness of His touch.