One of Dana Carvey's characters, shown here on the right, was "the Church Lady" who had a fictional cable access show (cf. "Wayne's World") called "Church Chat".
The character was drawn from life, according to Carvey; ladies of his family's church who said things like "some people only come to church when it's con-VEEN-ient" and rhetorically wondering whether some malfeasance or other-- short skirts or unwed snuggling-- was caused by-- "could it be...SATAN!?"
Of course, it could be, but is more often our own Adamic nature that really needs no supernatural impetus.
Which explains why I, a serious Christian of the Baptist brand, enjoyed "Church Chat" :)
"Of course, it could be, but is more often our own Adamic nature that really needs no supernatural impetus."
I find it very hard to know how to know.
IMB, since the fact that we have a sinful nature is attributable to Satan, all sin is due in a way to his influence.
I don't imagine that Satan is imminently present every time a minor sin is committed, but he precipitated the events that led to it.
Then, too, he has a lot of help. A whole army of angels was cast out of Heaven with him, right? What we Catholics used to refer to as Satanum aliosque spiritus malignos: Satan and the other malign spirits (that wander the world seeking the ruin of souls).
I sometimes hear liberals arguing in favor of abortion on demand, and at such times I have no sense of Satan's presence or any reason to suspect it...but can we say his influence is absent?
As I said, I find it very hard to know how to know what might be direct influence, and what is just the influence of the wrongheaded ideas he introduces into the world.
Talking about it makes me want to say the prayer to the Archangel Michael (which I know Baptists don't do).
Sancte Michael Archangele, defende nos in proelio;
contra nequitiam et insidias diaboli esto praesidium.
Imperat illi Deus; supplices deprecamur: tuque,
Princeps militiae coelestis, Satanam aliosque spiritus
malignos, qui ad perditionem animarum pervagantur in
mundo, divina virtute in infernum detrude. Amen
Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle;
be our safeguard and protection against the wickedness
and snares of the devil; may God rebuke him, we humbly
pray; and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by
the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all evil
spirits who wander the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.