MugaSofer comments on Welcome to Less Wrong! (5th thread, March 2013) - Less Wrong

27 Post author: orthonormal 01 April 2013 04:19PM

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Comment author: MugaSofer 15 April 2013 10:32:33AM -2 points [-]

Well, the usual method is to simply check if they're consistent with earlier messages. Which is great until you remember that the Devil can quote scripture to his purpose.

The canonical method, on the other hand, is to check if the messenger professes Jesus as Lord, since as we all know demons can't do that, so by process of elimination it must be an angel (and therefore true.)

No, I don't know what you're supposed to do if it's a hallucination.

Comment author: [deleted] 15 April 2013 04:00:30PM -1 points [-]

we all know demons can't do that

Can't they?

Comment author: MugaSofer 19 April 2013 02:30:04PM -1 points [-]

Nope. Well-known fact.

Seriously, that's official doctrine, that is. Actually, come to think, don't some demons call him Lord in the NT?

Comment author: CAE_Jones 19 April 2013 03:06:19PM 2 points [-]

Jesus goes so far as to discourage both humans and demons from telling people about his Messiahship; demons tended to be pretty quick to start yelling about how he was the messiah/could torment them /etc. Legion is the most memorable case, but I seem to remember an incident from earlier on in Jesus' life when he had to silence a demon that was revealing his identity (maybe it was in Luke?).

Comment author: MugaSofer 19 April 2013 05:21:16PM *  -1 points [-]

And yet, I've read that piece of, um, advice in books by at least one actual exorcist; a pretty high-level one at that. It appears to be the official Thing To Do in response to a questionably divine visitation.

Yes, I read books on exorcism. Don't judge me.