Is Mormon Satan anachronistic?

[Hagoth]

The contradiction that this individual [satan] is the most cunning deceiver EVER, and that he [it?] is so stupid he will allow himself to be detected in such a rudimentary stupid fashion, is ridiculous.

Consider that D&C 129 is contemporaneous with Joseph's initiating people into the Nauvoo Endowment where we see secret handshakes being used to test messengers. In that context is makes more sense, it is still ridiculous that handshakes are being used, secret or not, but within the historical context (or more accurately my limited understanding of the historical context) it reads like Endowment teachings leaking out and becoming part of the open canon. It is also a great way to make the initiated feel extra special, those who have been inducted now posses esoteric knowledge, that it's not just normal handshakes he's talking about but the super secret ones they've been taught as part of the endowment.

Read D&C 129 and replace 'shake hands' with 'demonstrate the tokens of the priesthood' and it dovetails rather nicely with the Endowment. Though maybe I'm putting an unjustified spin on things, anyone who knows the historical context better is welcome to school me.

I have wondered if this was what kind of handshake JS was talking about. So I would also be interested in the context of this.

I guess the implication is that there is some cosmic force that compels him to make the attempt because he hasn't received it properly but is eager to do so? Still silly.

[Mad Jax]

I always understood the hand shaking thing as Satan not having a choice--he was so compelled to try to deceive that he would do it anyway possible. But then I got out of the Sunbeam's class and moved to Star A. It stopped being that easy to understand.

What's funny about the idea that he has to deceive is you can just ask him if he's a teapot. The angel that says, "Yes." is Satan.

The contradiction that this individual [satan] is the most cunning deceiver EVER, and that he [it?] is so stupid he will allow himself to be detected in such a rudimentary stupid fashion, is ridiculous.

I don't understand how to accept this. The revelation of JS in this regard is absolutely insulting! It treats people [read LDS members] as ignorant children without half a brain. I find this condescending attitude truly irritating. Bednar is good at this--being a condescending pr!ck. That is why he pisses me off so much.

The method in the bible is just as stupid. "By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world." (1 John 4:1-4)

I find it likely that any being such as Satan or his angels would likely be willing to say whatever the believer needed to hear.

[moksha]

A Mormon and Satan walk into a bar. Satan orders a Kahlúa and cream. The Mormon orders a root beer. They both stand at the bar sipping their drinks. Finally, Satan looks over at the Mormon and asks, "So how did you get your horns?" The Mormon looks a bit sad and his bottom lip starts to quiver. "One of the Elders with a higher set of keys took a liking to my wife and now she is his."

"Tough break", said Satan. "You should have given him that tried and true handshake test ahead of time. If your hand came away all sticky then you would know you were in for some trouble."

[Rob4Hope]

A Mormon and Satan walk into a bar. Satan orders a Kahlúa and cream. The Mormon orders a root beer. They both stand at the bar sipping their drinks. Finally, Satan looks over at the Mormon and asks, "So how did you get your horns?" The Mormon looks a bit sad and his bottom lip starts to quiver. "One of the Elders with a higher set of keys took a liking to my wife and now she is his."

"Tough break", said Satan. "You should have given him that tried and true handshake test ahead of time. If your hand came away all sticky then you would know you were in for some trouble."

OH MY H#LL! I got that joke!

I'm so lost man...I'm so lost!!!!

[Rob4Hope]

What's funny about the idea that he has to deceive is you can just ask him if he's a teapot. The angel that says, "Yes." is Satan.

The contradiction that this individual [satan] is the most cunning deceiver EVER, and that he [it?] is so stupid he will allow himself to be detected in such a rudimentary stupid fashion, is ridiculous.

I don't understand how to accept this. The revelation of JS in this regard is absolutely insulting! It treats people [read LDS members] as ignorant children without half a brain. I find this condescending attitude truly irritating. Bednar is good at this--being a condescending pr!ck. That is why he pisses me off so much.

The method in the bible is just as stupid. "By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world." (1 John 4:1-4)

I find it likely that any being such as Satan or his angels would likely be willing to say whatever the believer needed to hear.

Jax, one of the things that has always alluded me, is open to WILD interpretations, and is construed to mean just about anything you can imagine is this "spirit of..." stuff. Some say "spirit of Christ", others say "spirit of God", or in this phrase "spirit of the antichrist".

WHAT THE H#LL DOES "spirit of..." mean? And this is where it gets crazy...or IMHO, the blind leading the blind. You can put just about ANYTHING in this and there will be someone who will agree.

I think the LDS culture uses such phrases to enthrone power. Someone like JFS would say, in a typical cavalier manner: "I've studied for years, and in my humble opinion, as the prophet of almighty God which I am, may I offer a solution to this?...." He would then give his opinion, offered humbly I might add with the power of being THE PROPHET OF GOD..I might add, to the world that should accept from this HUMBLE MAN,...who is THE PROPHET OF GOD!!!!!!!!,...humbly...the answer.

We should accept what he sais...right? We should kiss a$$....right?

What a dead end...what a dead dead end.

[Mad Jax]

Couldn't have said it better.

[Hagoth]

The method in the bible is just as stupid. "By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world." (1 John 4:1-4)

Uh... John needs to sit down with Matthew and iron this stuff out a little better:

Matthew 8:28 And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.

29 And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?