Earthly View
In 1955 a young couple, I’ll call Adam and Eve, met. They fell in love and got married in the Salt Lake Temple. Adam successfully completed a mission. He spent his career working as a teacher in a junior high. Eve, like a good LDS mom, stayed at home and raised a family of five children. They went to church, they read the scriptures, had family prayer, Adam and Eve frequented the temple together etc etc. They did the things you and I try to do. They were a “good” LDS Family. They held the typical LDS callings in Relief Society, High Priests etc etc. Eventually the kids left home and started their own family. Adam and Eve had 19 grandchildren. They enjoyed one another on Holidays and frequently visited each other’s homes. They seemed to be doing everything right. Since a child Adam learned about his personal armor of prayer, scripture study, …. to protect himself (See: Your Personal Armor). Over the years Adam refused to engage in any major sin. Sure he had some challenges. For example from time to time Adam looked at a little porn and masturbated. Nothing major. In fact he never even had to talk to his bishop or wife about his sexual behavior –until the incidents with the little neighbor girl, Angelica. Six-year old Angelica loved Adam and Eve like her own grandparents. They had been neighbors and best friends most of her life. Adam was 81 years old. One day in Sacrament Meeting… his eternity changed. And he found himself a few weeks later in the Bishop’s office confessing his inappropriate touching of Angelica. His guilt and shame became overwhelming. He just had to tell.
Satan’s View
In 1933 Adam was born of “goodly parents.” The moment Adam turned 8 years old Satan -the Prince of Darkness, assigned Adam his personal devils – Abaddon, Loki, and Sedit. (See: You Have A Personal Devil). They were among the best of Satan’s angels. Satan was aware of Adam’s great potential for building God’s Kingdom from the years they spent together in the preexistence. Although Adam had forgotten these years, Satan had not. From time-to-time Satan assigned Special Forces to assist Adam’s personal devils. As a teenager the Alcohol Special Forces tried and tried to get Adam to drink. He wouldn’t. Later Special Forces of Contention, Lieing, Dishonesty, etc etc each tempted Adam, but failed. In those days, Adam made sure to put on his complete Armor of God everyday. When Adam was 21, Abaddon the chief personal devil, consulted with the Lust Special Forces. They agreed to use The King David of Old method. (See: To Look Upon) After hundreds of years of use the Special Forces had perfected this strategy. Lust would surely lure Adam to the dark side. The Special Forces engineered “accidental” viewing of porn on days that Adam was particularly discouraged and bored. It took a few years but it began to work. By age 24 Adam began “seeking out” occasional porn and masturbating a little. Satan’s forces were encouraged! Satan reminded Abaddon to take their time with getting Adam to commit “The Big Sin”. See: The Safest Road To Hell is Gradual. Adam’s personal devils and Lust Special Forces were patient, waiting for days when that he failed to put on all his personal armor …. One day in Sacrament Meeting … it happened. Angelica was sitting on Adam’s lap singing the Sacrament Hymn. She was snuggling up against his chest like she always did. The moment had arrived. It was time. Abaddon whispered the thought into Adam’s ear (See: 2 Nephi 28: 22) “Touch Angelica’s private under the song book. No one would see.”
He did.
Satan looked up and laughed, and his angels rejoiced.!!! (See: Moses 7:26) (For a moment I imagined I heard them.)
Satan is making war … He is working under such perfect disguise that many do not recognize either him or his methods. There is no crime he would not commit, no debauchery he would not set up, no plague he would not send, no heart he would not break, no life he would not take, no soul he would not destroy… (The Message of The First Presidency of the Church, Improvement Era, 1942)
Dr. Rick’s View
Adam’s attorney called me to make the referral. He noted 81 year old Adam had four 1st degree felony sex charges. (A 1st Degree felony is the same as murder.) I joked with the attorney saying, “Wow the prosecutor must have been having a bad hair day to place those serious charges.” I read the court papers about how Adam had touched Angelica a couple of times, once in church. I thought to myself, whoever this guy is, he is probably going to go to prison for a very long time. I had my first appointment with Adam and Eve. I was surprised they were elderly. They were both so kind and considerate They just came from the Bishop’s office. They informed me how they’ve been praying and reading the scriptures since the charges were filed. Over the next few days I completed the standard sexual testing. I became acquainted with Adam and Eve. When asked about his inappropriate touching Adam explained “I don’t know what came over me. The thought just came into my mind and I did it.” He admitted he had been masturbating around that time of the offenses and was viewing a little porn. His wife of over 50 years was shocked to hear he had these secrets. Finally, it was time for the last interview. I needed to go over the results. It didn’t look good. I thought to myself, “How am I going to tell Adam and Eve, that Adam was likely going to die in the Utah State Prison?” I couldn’t do it. Way too painful. 🙁 I rationalized saying, let the attorney do it. So I encouraged them to continue their prayers and to have faith. By now, Adam had lost 35 pounds. He wasn’t sleeping or eating. He had already been excommunicated from the Church for his charges. He was riddled with guilt and shame. Eve’s heart was broken. She had recently been prescribed an antidepressant to help her deal with the emotional pain. Their first court date was in a couple of weeks. At one point in the interview Eve’s eyes swelled with tears. She looked at Adam tapped him on the leg saying “Why did you do this to me?” Adam hung his head with no response.
There are no words powerful enough to represent the pain and despair Adam and Eve were now experiencing.
My soul was touched.
I’ve had a lot of powerful experiences in my 35 year mental health career. I’ve dealt with plenty of murderers, rapists, child molesters, suicides etc etc most of which have been Mormons. I’m sober today as I am reminded once more of the power and effectiveness of Satan and his Special Forces. (See: Satan Exposed)
In referring to the perils of our day, I do not intend to inspire fear, but soberness. Being sober means being earnest and serious in assessing your circumstances and careful and circumspect in weighing the consequences of your actions. Soberness therefore yields good judgment, as well as measured conduct. No wonder then that prophets counsel young men to be sober. (Alma 37:47; Alma 38:13; Titus 2:6) Remember Mormon’s observation that what made Helaman’s 2,000 stripling warriors so effective in battle was not just their courage, strength, and trustworthiness, but their “soberness.” (Alma 53: 20-21) Mormon valued such a trait because he was blessed to possess it himself. It was Mormon who was entrusted with the sacred records of the Nephite nation at only 10 years of age because he was a “sober child” and “quick to observe.” (Mormon 1:2) And it was Mormon who, at age 15, was “visited of the Lord” and “knew of the goodness of Jesus” because he was of a “sober mind.” (Mormon 1:15) (Winning the War Against Evil, Elder James Hamula, Conference October 2008)
CHALLENGE
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” 1 Peter 5:8
I wish this wasn’t true. 🙁
Abaddon, Loki, Sedit and Satan’s Special Forces
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