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Daniel: Scaughdt — do you remember Jesus healing the muted man who was possessed by the demon? The Pharisees had suggested that Jesus’ power came from Satan … Hence, how can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand … And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Only then he can rob his house … I tell you the truth. All the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them, but whomever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; He is guilty of an eternal sin.
Scaughdt: Ummmm … Dan, the particular passage from the Bible you primarily reference here (Matthew 12:26-31) actually helps my case, not yours. First of all, as far “Satan driving out Satan” is concerned, it is important to remember that Satan’s realm is ruled by fear & anger & sadness (well, fear actually – seeing as how sadness & anger are merely different crystallizations of fear), whereas the Kingdom of Jesus’ Father is founded solely upon perfect Love (i.e. a Love that has reached “completion” or “fullness” – i.e. a Love without any blemish or any condition whatsoever; see Matthew 5:48 + 1 John 4:18 + John 5:22 + Luke 6:36 etc etc etc) … As such, the very passage you mention here has Jesus essentially saying that all those who champion his perfect, selfless Love are literally undermining Satan while they do so – and that all those who are limiting God’s Love (say, by interpreting Scripture in such a way as to damn homosexuals and other “heathens” to Hell forever) are actually assisting Satan in his less-than-lofty goals – and that these are the people who are in effect “blaspheming the Holy Spirit”! … As such, I think it might very well behoove you & yours to re-read this passage again while looking in the mirror – and doing so in light of Jesus’ actual Gospel and his actual ministry, instead of your currently errant beliefs thereof … After all, you can’t plunder any Strong Man’s home if you tie up the wrong Strong Man before trying to do so! … And indeed, at least according to Jesus Christ, we can’t attain any measure of true Wealth by tying up or plundering anyone at all.
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