[RnMomof7]

I think it is almost a cop out” to say the devil made me do it.

There is only 1 satan, he is not omnipresent. We are fully capable of sin without Satan’s involvement . Our fallen nature loves sin and it is very creative in ways to accomplish it .

Men love their sin .. it is not until we are saved that we begin to hate or sin and no longer be a slave to it..

Does he still “think” he can defeat God ...probably but saying that God and Satan are “locked in a battle ascribes to Satan powers and authority he does not have..we are not duelists that believe that there are two competing gods

God is also the God over Satan...

[ejonesie22]

Do men act on their own wickedness, certainly, do they hide behind “Satan” (the Devil made me do it) as an excuse, of course, but that does not negate the presence of real evil out there nor the fact that the Evil One challenges and interferes with the faithful and creates roadblocks especially when we are trying to serve God. If there was no action by the evil one there would be only the Christian faith, no hearts would have a place to turn other than that. And the creation of entire false religions is something the Evil One specializes in.

There has never been a question that there is only one God, and Satan does not reach his level of power, however the battle is at the soul by soul level, free will is in play both for Satan as the rest of creation, and he has influence as is told to us in the very words of the Bible itself.

[ArrogantBustard]

There is only 1 satan, he is not omnipresent.

That assertion is contradictory to the Gospels, which in several places speak of many devils. In one instance, the very name of the demons indicates a huge number.

I'd suggest re-reading the Gospels.

Some of these passages (in which Jesus or the Apostles cast out demons) are even used as Sunday Mass readings in the Catholic Church.