The Mechanics of Temptation

[Stravinsk]

Have you ever wondered about something in your life that is sinful, but why that particular thing tends to keep being a temptation for you? You know it's wrong - but something inside you craves it. And then in a moment of clarity you realize that what you are craving isn't wrong, it's what it's being associated with that leads you to sin.

It's like evil marketing - but tailored to you. The billboard sign shows a picture of a man and women in a joyful, happy embrace in a park. In the background is a table with Diet Coke prominently displayed. In the foreground bottom corner is a direct plug for the product.

Your logical brain knows that the product itself is complete nutrition-less crap. It's artificially flavored carbonated sweet water. But your logical brain wasn't operating when you saw the billboard or television commercial, it was just passively accepting information. So unless you already have some specific well thought out reasons *not* to drink soda - and particularly diet soda - you might not think twice about picking up the product at the grocery store.

Now the sin I'm talking about isn't a beverage - but more an untruth I associated with something. This got me to thinking about the Genesis story and forbidden fruit. Was it fruit itself that was bad? No - the other trees had fruit that was good to be consumed. But this tree had a "do not eat from" command attached to it. So why did Adam and Eve eat?

Marketing the forbidden fruit through lies about it.

Your thoughts?

 

[Lamb]

They ate because Satan influenced them by saying, “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

From then on, like all humans we want to be "like God". We don't trust that God is enough and we have to add to it and in that way we make ourselves to be gods.

Temptation since Adam and Eve turns us to self. Repentance, the gift of the Holy Spirit, turns us back to God.

I agree that in temptation what we think is the obvious isn't always the case and we don't want to admit things about ourselves that are true.

 

[Josiah]

A few personal, worthless thoughts....


1. ADAM and EVE. I find that whole thing very interesting but largely incomprehensible. It DOES seem that for them, an outside temptation was needed.... and yes, it seems to be related to pride. I think it was St. Augustine who made the point that PRIDE is at the root of all sin, the desire to be our own God (Lord of self, above all and everything) - and I think that's a good point But why sinless ones would CHOOSE sin is a point of mystery to me.


2. ME. I think all humans have sin as a part of our nature. It's systemic but not biological (no hope for generic engineering here, lol). There's a DISEASE at work (and it means we're DEAD). It leads to that self-centeredness, that desire to displace God; pride, ego, hate, disregard, etc. In classic theology, this is called "Original Sin". "Temptations" simply are things that appear to bring it out, work it out, cause SYMPTOMS to occur (what in classic theology is called "actual" or "actualized" sin). Say I have a cold.... The cold MAY cause me to cough and/or sneeze and/or have a runny nose and/or feel weak and/or a nearly endless list of ailments ... all SYMPTOMS of the disease (symptoms that MAY not be present at all at any given time and may reveal itself in a nearly endless variety of ways). I see TEMPTATION as simply something that appears to encourage the symptoms.

James tells us that God "tempts" no one but we entice ourselves. Peter tells us that Satan is often at work in this area. I think sometimes just the fallen world around us can do this. But if blame is to be made, we should start by looking in the mirror. And I think we CAN do things to at least lessen this. If we have an issue with sexual things and spend our time at porn sites, well...... If we have a problem with food but spend our time in a bakery, well.... If we have a problem with booze but stop at the neighborhood tavern each day on the way home, well...... Does this make us more well? Nope. Can this reduce the symptoms? Sometimes. The best we can do, IMO, is be "Recovering Sinners" - maybe getting a fair handle on the symptoms but we still have the disease, rather like "Recovering Alcoholics."


My half cent.


- Josiah

 

[Cassia]

Satan pointed out what he thought to be lies within the marketing "You will not die" casting a new seed in the mind's eye "Instead it will make you wise". A new marketing tool set forth, but equally false marketing because it substituted God's belief system for the devil's belief system. Did satan actually believe his own falsehood I wonder. I doubt it and I doubt that Diet Pepsi would, but that's because of the elevated view from that tree's fruit. Tough question

 

[Wilhemena]

The marketing companies are quick to hide the bad side of their products exposing the glorious facade that is spotlighted and Satan was the master of deception who could lure without revealing all the facts and alas, there was no warranty for Adam and Eve to rely on after they broke their bond with God. Now, God had the real ace up his sleeve, didn't he when he revealed his plan to get back at Satan and show him who will have the last laugh.