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Satan’s Good

To open the April general conference of this year, Gordon B. Hinckley said the following:

My beloved brothers and sisters, on behalf of the worldwide membership of this Church, I extend to our Catholic neighbors and friends our heartfelt sympathy at this time of great sorrow. Pope John Paul II has worked tirelessly to advance the cause of Christianity, to lift the burdens of the poor, and to speak fearlessly in behalf of moral values and human dignity. He will be greatly missed, particularly by the very many who have looked to him for leadership.

Given that there seems to be much good in the Catholic Church, can Satan lead someone to join that church? More specifically, can someone decide to leave the Mormon Church to join the Catholic Church, claiming the Spirit led them to that decision? Or would that decision be a result of influence from Satan?

Given that “all things which are good cometh of God” (Moro 7:12), can Satan influence someone to do something that is good, but may be perceived as less good?

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Kim Siever

Queer Mormon poet with radical political views. I have been married 27 years, and we have 6 children. Sunday school president. Served in the Utah Provo Mission.

16 thoughts on “Satan’s Good”

  1. This is very similar to the classical ethical argument of stealing from the rich to help the poor.

    I think this is one of those moral quagmires which eventually turns into a ‘I am more righteous than you because I’m willing to damn more people than you are’ arguments.

  3. Hey Jeff, I thinkt Gordon must have been speaking as a man when this came out.

    I’m sure you’ve still got the party-line correct.

    ;)

  4. The Book of Mormon says Satan leads people “carefully down to hell.” So as a general principle, I’d have to say that Satan does lead people from good to less good. Eschewing something good for something less good is what he wants us to do, step by step by step.

  5. I think it’s possible that someone disaffected in the Church of Jesus Christ, not getting much out of it, might be led of the Spirit into the Catholic church or some other Christian church, and have it be an improvement of his personal gradient.

  6. I like the “personal gradient” idea. If one moves from atheism to Catholicism, one has moved up and chosen the good. If one moves from Mormonism to Catholicism, one has moved down; therefore, it was not good for them. Merely good distractions, if taking you away from the most important thing you should be doing, are not good, but bad for you.

    I do acknowledge the point though that an inactive member, who due to some hang up with the church is unable to move directly back into full activity, may use some other form of Christianity as a stepping stone to a full return to activity in the LDS Church. Although, I would never recommend it, because although in some ways they are moving closer to what they should be doing, in other ways thy are moving away from what they should be doing.

  7. I am suprised, but not too shocked to read some of the things I have read on this site.

    You are taking things out of context and then running with it.

    You would do better by reading from the scriptures instead of speculating so much.

    Please, do not let your heart and mind be troubled on so many things that will not bring you any closer to your Saviour.

    Thank you. Peace.

  8. I am not not a Mormon.

    Mormon was a prophet, he recieved inspiration from the One who I also follow. I am a Christian, I follow my Saviour, Jesus Christ.

    I am personally not pleased when people (who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ) refer to themselves as being “Mormons”.

    If people had any feelings for the Saviour they would first think and not say that they are Mormon, or refer to Mormomism.

    I often wonder how Mormon feels every time this term is used. I wonder if he is pleased with this?

  9. You would do better by reading from the scriptures instead of speculating so much.

    Are you suggesting I don’t read the scriptures at all, or that I need to do it more?

  10. Kim – Are taking the path that the book Mormon Doctrine takes that the Catholic Church is evil?

    Would President Hinkley consider the doctrine of the Catholic Church being evil not to be sound doctrine similar to the curse of cain not being sound doctrine?

    I personally believe that there are many good and righteous people in many different faiths who are striving to live a good life and return to live with God. I also believe many of these people live a far more righteous life than many LDS do. I think when judgement day comes, many LDS will be surprised at the judgement they receive.

  11. one may commit the most abominable activities, but because he is in devotional sevice he is rightly situated

  12. I agree with Bill. Many will be greatly disappointed on judgement day. We should all be serving Jesus.

  13. I have to agree with Anonymous in # 12.

    Hope those in the know can laugh at that one.

  14. “We should all be serving Jesus”…by hating homosexuals, denying evolution, buying guns and keeping Mexicans out of our country.

    …if only life were that simple.

  15. I say Mexicans need to come to our country. Since they have the best food on the planet, they should be here so I can taste it. Mmmmm.

    Sorry, I digress. Back to the topic at hand.

  16. Was it Jesus or Rupaul who said, “I love everyone, and your next!”

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