Why does it seem that God never intervenes in Human Suffering

[9-10ths_Penguin]

If your God exists then why does He allow children to starve and pedophiles to exist. It is one of the most frequently asked questions of atheists and one that they think dismisses the existence of God. On another thread and another topic I recieved this post that caused me to think that maybe it is not something that Christians know or believe. Maybe it was lost with the creeds?



I believe that the answer is so obvious that we do not consider it. You first have to consider why you are here, what is this life all about and what happens to us when it is all over? Why are we here?
Coming here allows you to:

• Receive a physical body.
• Exercise agency and learn to choose between good and evil.
• Learn and gain experience that will help you become more like your Heavenly Father.
• Form family relationships that may become eternal.
• To be tried and tested in the flesh to see if we will have sufficient faith if God to keep His commandments.

Your life didn’t begin at birth and it won’t end at death. Before you came to earth, your spirit lived with Heavenly Father who created you. You knew Him, and He knew and loved you. It was a happy time during which you were taught God’s plan of happiness and the path to true joy.

One thing that makes this life so hard sometimes is that we’re out of God’s physical presence. Not only that, but we can’t remember our pre-earth life which means we have to operate by faith rather than sight. God didn’t say it would be easy, but He promised His spirit would be there when we needed Him. Even though it feels like it sometimes, we’re not alone in our journey.

So what is faith? To have faith is to “hope for things which are not seen, which are true” Hebrews 11:1). Each day you act upon things you hope for, even before you see the end result. This is similar to faith. Faith in God is more than a theoretical belief in Him. To have faith in God is to trust Him, to have confidence in Him, and to be willing to act on your belief in Him. It is a principle of action and power. That is the test that we are here to take. The test of our faith. To make choices that reflect upon that faith in Christ. If we had a perfect knowledge of Him then we could not be tried and tested by our faith because a perfect knowledge and faith could not exist together, there is either one or the other. There is a Mormon scripture that discribes this very well

Alma 32: 17-21

17 Yea, there are many who do say: If thou wilt show unto us a sign from heaven, then we shall know of a surety; then we shall believe.

18 Now I ask, is this faith? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for if a man knoweth a thing he hath no cause to believe, for he knoweth it.

19 And now, how much more cursed is he thatknoweth the will of God and doeth it not, than he that only believeth, or only hath cause to believe, and falleth into transgression?

20 Now of this thing ye must judge. Behold, I say unto you, that it is on the one hand even as it is on the other; and it shall be unto every man according to his work.

21 And now as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true.

And that is the reaso why God cannot intervene and prevent the children from starving or take away the temptations of the pedophile. As soon as He does then the whole meaning of our existence will no longer be tenable and we would all be subjected to Satan. It is not that God turns His back on those who are suffering, I am sure that He weeps for them and longs to do something to alliviate their suffering, however, He cannot do that without destroying the entire Plan of Salvation by taking away the essential ingredient of faith.

Now, that is my belief. As I believe that God is a personage of infinite knowledge, I believe, so the entire Plan of Salvation is perfect with every single eventuality being covered. What do you think?

Would it be fair to take these conclusions from your argument?

- God has optimized human existence to prepare humans for something after earthly death, not for the minimizing of human suffering.

- God is incapable of achieving this goal with less suffering than humanity experiences im reality.

That is a very good question, however, as I said, the plan of salvation is perfect so God made provisions for that. There were those in the pre-existence that fought so hard for God and were so valiant that a lifetime in mortality was not required for them. Those are the same souls who we think leave this earth prematurely, were so valiant that a lifetime in the flesh was not necessary, therefore, these children will by-pass the judgement bar and go straight to the highest Kingdoms of heaven to live with God. In answer to you statement, children who die early do not need time, they have already proven themself and their time here is long enough to reflect just how valiant they were.

But they didn't prove themselves so valiantly in "pre-existence" that they could bypass mortal existence altogether?

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Two interesting quotes ...

1. Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you. - Saint Augustine
2. It is not your responsibility to finish the work [of perfecting the world], but you are not free to desist from it either. - Rabbi Tarfon

The Augustine quote strikes me as strange coming from a Christian, since the Gospels describe Jesus rebuking people with that attitude, calling them "you of little faith".

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

The Augustine quote strikes me as strange coming from a Christian, since the Gospels describe Jesus rebuking people with that attitude, calling them "you of little faith".

No one seems to know exactly who said it first. Some say Augustine, some say Ignatius of Loyola, some say Benedict, etc. It's probably just a general saying that people have been repeating in various forms over the centuries and then later stuck it in the mouth of someone long dead, it seems.

 

[Serenity7855]

Seeing wrong doings in a broader and creative light still individual or not makes people the source of the problem. Since god is life, we are a part of life. Whatever we do, we are hurting "the heart of god (ourselves, our environment, others)."

Since god is life, suffering exist within "him"; and, we have to acknowledge that. Satan, in my opinion, sounds like attributing responsibility from oneself to personified evil.

We are all influenced by the environment in which we live. Satan's influence is just as real and as carnal human beings we surcomb to those temptations of the flesh. So, although it is true that by our own choices we either allow the influences of Satan to cause us to err or we recognise his hand in it and reject him, without those enticings we would not have erred so some responsibility must be shared by him.

Rather than blame it on satan (who is probably getting angry at humans blaming him for stuff), put the blame on ourselves.

Because Satan is the instigator of the sin. He is the one trying to get us to make bad choices and knowing the consequences when we do.

If it all comes from Satan, what is the need to repent?

Our repentance is for a remission of sins. Our sin is allowing Satan to control us.

Can you control what Satan does to you? Or is sin something that comes from you that you can control; and when you sin, it's you that takes responsibility for those sins and you that has to come up to god and apologize.

That is true, however, I also recognise that I know when I sin and I could just not sin but I choose to. That is my sin. That is why I repent, because I am weak even though I am fully aware of the fact that it is a sin. However, without the enticings of Satan I would have never had that choice.

Putting Satan in the picture is like blaming my evil sister for stealing cookies I'm eating in front of her. Then I go apologize to my mother and say "mom, I am sorry, I stole the cookies. My sister told me to." Regardless if she told or influenced me to (tempted me as Jesus was tempted), I was the one who took the cookies. My sister has no part in this whatsoever.

That depend on the actions of your sister. If she did not know that you stole the cookies then she played no role in your sin. If she knew but did nothing to prevent you from committing the sin then her sin is a sin of omission. If she coerced, influenced and tricked you into stealing them she would be an accessory after the fact and would be complicate in your sin and, therefore, should be of equal guilt.

It's natural for people to blame god. I have every right to because it is a natural response to negative reactions.

So, are you saying that it is natural to blame God but it is a cop out to blame Satan?

Like my cookie example, if my mother yelled at me and told me to sit in the corner, I have the choice to blame her for her anger.

I would disagree. I would want to blame her because I had been caught sinning so it would be out of embarrassment for letting her down that I would be angry with her. In reality, and after calming down, my level headed opinion would be that she was acting in my best interest.

When I used to go to Mass and confession, sometimes I see people upset others are mad. It's natural. When one goes to confession (or repents) it takes a lot of effort and strength to say "I'm sorry" to someone you angered

.

I cannot accept that being mad and upset is natural. It is a reaction, that I will give you, however, in my world it is a bad reaction that needs to be checked. It is a sin that requires repentance, restitution and forsaking. I rarely get mad and upset anymore. It is non-productive and benefits no one. I have a reasonable control over my reactions. I have found that by being in controls give you a better perspective and judgement and therefore a better chance of resolving the issue.

You are blaming god and you are apologizing.

This may sound far fetched to you, however, I do not blame God for anything. I blame myself and accept full responsibility for my actions. I read once that when you are wrong, don't argue about it, but admit it quickly and apologise. That is now what I do. None of us are perfect, least of all me, and we all make mistake so what is wrong with owning up to your own and admitting that you make mistakes.

It's not the blaming god that's the problem in christianity, in my opinion. It's avoiding repentence. I can blame my mother all I want. That wont do a thing. If I forgive or apologize to her, that means a whole lot more. We (Christians) just have to come to a point that blaming is like crying and any other action of hurt. I don't know if your god is angry for anyone blaming him. I mean, if I were a mother, I wouldnt be angry at my child for blaming me; but, that's me. I just wouldnt put that blame on satan, just myself

I wouldn't put the blame on Satan either, however, I would recognise the part that he has played in it and hopefully learn from it so as to never do it again. I would also recognise that it was my choice to sin and my choices are mine to be accountable for. I just wouldn't blame God. I wouldn't even consider my sin to be His fault



]

 

[Unveiled Artist]

I disagree with Satan being a role in anyone's sins whatsoever. (Well, it's hard to imagine there is a personified evil to begin with)

That is true, however, I also recognise that I know when I sin and I could just not sin but I choose to. That is my sin. That is why I repent, because I am weak even though I am fully aware of the fact that it is a sin. However, without the enticings of Satan I would have never had that choice.

Why would you need Satan to give you the choice to sin? I don't believe Satan exist and I sin (made a transgression). Satan isn't the opposite of good. Evil, if you like, exists a part from him. I just see him in the background saying:

"Look at those people. They think I'm influencing them to sin. They brought it on themselves."

And he is right, we (hypothetically putting myself in this -we- example for convenience in point) did do this to ourselves. In the Garden of Eden, Satan didn't pick the fruit from the tree. He didn't guide Eve's hand to get it. They took the knowledge because they were childlike and believed it. They had no way to compare what he said and analyze it to see if it was coming from god. They were ignorant. However, they were the ones that sined. Satan had nothing to do with their action.

We have control of our thoughts when we learn how to pray, meditate, and so forth. It is from us and from our minds not an external influence. If my mother hit me, yes, she would be at fault. However, how I interpret it is: I can either listen to my sister say "oh, but she still loves you" or my brother "you should have hit her back"

or I could have taken the action of my own, analyzed it myself, and find the rational behind the woman I love hitting me. It's not from Satan. It's from ourselves.

If she coerced, influenced and tricked you into stealing them she would be an accessory after the fact and would be complicate in your sin and, therefore, should be of equal guilt.

If I were able to analyze and control my actions, her coercion would have no affect on me. If it was not my choice that I sinned because she influenced me to, then I have no free will to make decisions. If she wasn't present, I still have the choice to steal. If she coerced me, I have that same choice. There is no difference. Once I take the cookie, that is what matters not her coercion and not my blaming my action on her or my mother.

So, are you saying that it is natural to blame God but it is a cop out to blame Satan?

I wouldn't blame either. One because god is life. So, whatever we do, we blame ourselves. We can blame others and say they are at fault; maybe they are. However, the blame I'm talking about is making someone else at fault for my own actions not saying they are guilty of theirs.

I wouldn't blame satan either. He, if you like, is just a personifed evil. If I needed someone external to put my sin on, and it helps me to be with god, so be. That's not how I see it.

It's natural to blame god (your parent) for something they did to you even though you are in the wrong. It's basic psychology.

Likewise,

It's natural to blame Satan for something you (people in general) did wrong. You are shifting the sin responsibility from yourself to another. Like a child saying "ah aaah...no, I didnt steal the cookie" points to his sister "my [evil] sister did."

Neither of them did anything.

I would disagree. I would want to blame her because I had been caught sinning so it would be out of embarrassment for letting her down that I would be angry with her. In reality, and after calming down, my level headed opinion would be that she was acting in my best interest.

You would want to blame her? I disagree. It's natural and probably an automatic reaction to blame my mother. The nature of an apology is also to stop blaming her (because I personally don't want to) and myself by accepting the responsibility and consequence of my actions. It's child psychology. As adults, it doesn't change. We have to learn there is no other when we do things.

I cannot accept that being mad and upset is natural. It is a reaction, that I will give you, however, in my world it is a bad reaction that needs to be checked.

That is basic psychology not a religious theology, though. There are many forms of it such as Flight or Fright response. Depression or anxiety coming from abuse. Anger built up naturally from being indoctrinated by a faith that disallows free thought outside its own principles (like pushing against a wall closing in on someone).

I don't understand how anger is a choice. How you react to your anger after you already recognize you have it is a choice. However, it takes time, patience, and to many support from others to help them control their anger to where they recognize the natural tendency to be mad and deal with it in a healthy manner.

I find that more productive and correct then blaming it on Satan.

I wouldn't put the blame on Satan either, however, I would recognise the part that he has played in it and hopefully learn from it so as to never do it again.

By recognizing the part he played, is already acknowledging he has something to do with your actions. So when you blame yourself, you blame Satan. The whole shabang.

If you take Satan out of the picture, then you may find it easier to take the blaming out. One because you are not a supernatural entity that christians feel will exist and coerce them god punishes him latter. You have more control over your mind, body, and spirit. You have more connection with god when satan is not at all a part of the equation from your sinning to your prayer.

 

[Thief]

If you're referring to Christ, he chose not to make his message clear to people and he did it on purpose - Matthew 13:10-11, Matthew 13:34, Mark 4:34, John 10:6, etc. So that's his fault. Apparently God likes to play games.

and He plays to the death.....referring to the Carpenter....and Moses....and several others....

 

[Thief]

Sure, why not? God is a punk and needs a swift kick in the seat of his gigantic pants.

I will stand back and watch.....

good luck....

 

[viole]

.
Your life didn’t begin at birth and it won’t end at death. Before you came to earth, your spirit lived with Heavenly Father who created you. You knew Him, and He knew and loved you. It was a happy time during which you were taught God’s plan of happiness and the path to true joy.

I do not recollect anything of the sort.

Ciao

- viole

 

[viole]

That is a very good question, however, as I said, the plan of salvation is perfect so God made provisions for that. There were those in the pre-existence that fought so hard for God and were so valiant that a lifetime in mortality was not required for them. Those are the same souls who we think leave this earth prematurely, were so valiant that a lifetime in the flesh was not necessary, therefore, these children will by-pass the judgement bar and go straight to the highest Kingdoms of heaven to live with God. In answer to you statement, children who die early do not need time, they have already proven themself and their time here is long enough to reflect just how valiant they were.

You mean a miscarriaged embryo soul thing proved itself so valiant and that is why it died so quickly?

So, if a woman takes the day after pill, and kills that one day old embryo, that means that the embryo was valiant?

Are you sure?

Ciao

- viole

 

[Demonslayer]

I will stand back and watch.....

good luck....

I tried...his butt was way too high up and I just fell over and looked silly.

 

[Acim]

I tried...his butt was way too high up and I just fell over and looked silly.

Pictures.... or it never happened.

 

[Demonslayer]

Pictures.... or it never happened.

Oh I see how it is, for THIS claim we require evidence!!

 

[Skwim]

That is a very good question, however, as I said, the plan of salvation is perfect so God made provisions for that. There were those in the pre-existence that fought so hard for God and were so valiant that a lifetime in mortality was not required for them. Those are the same souls who we think leave this earth prematurely, were so valiant that a lifetime in the flesh was not necessary, therefore, these children will by-pass the judgement bar and go straight to the highest Kingdoms of heaven to live with God. In answer to you statement, children who die early do not need time, they have already proven themself and their time here is long enough to reflect just how valiant they were.

It's amusing how some believers make up stuff as they go along so as to make it all work out.


.

 

[Demonslayer]

It's amusing how some believers make up stuff as they go along so as to make it all work out.

If you think about it in terms of spontaneous creativity, it's pretty impressive.

 

[Skwim]

If you think about it in terms of spontaneous creativity, it's pretty impressive.

What I find interesting is that knowing themselves that they made it up, they then go ahead and believe it to be true.


.

 

[Demonslayer]

What I find interesting is that knowing themselves that they made it up, they then go ahead and believe it to be true.

If you can believe in zoo-boats and chatty shrubbery, it suggests a healthy ability to suspend disbelief.

 

[Taylor Seraphim]

That is a very good question, however, as I said, the plan of salvation is perfect so God made provisions for that. There were those in the pre-existence that fought so hard for God and were so valiant that a lifetime in mortality was not required for them. Those are the same souls who we think leave this earth prematurely, were so valiant that a lifetime in the flesh was not necessary, therefore, these children will by-pass the judgement bar and go straight to the highest Kingdoms of heaven to live with God. In answer to you statement, children who die early do not need time, they have already proven themself and their time here is long enough to reflect just how valiant they were.

A lot of rhetoric without real or scriptural evidence.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

The Augustine quote strikes me as strange coming from a Christian, since the Gospels describe Jesus rebuking people with that attitude, calling them "you of little faith".

It makes sense to me.

 

[Serenity7855]

I disagree with Satan being a role in anyone's sins whatsoever. (Well, it's hard to imagine there is a personified evil to begin with)

Well, that is your belief, that is fine. I believe that Satan exists because the scriptures tell me that he exists "And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, who deceives the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him," (Rev. 12:9).

Why would you need Satan to give you the choice to sin? I don't believe Satan exist and I sin (made a transgression). Satan isn't the opposite of good. Evil, if you like, exists a part from him. I just see him in the background saying:

Satan does not give you the choice to sin, that choice is all yours and only you can be held accountable for it. What Satan does is provide the opportunity in which you are faced with the choice to either sin or reject the temptation.

"Look at those people. They think I'm influencing them to sin. They brought it on themselves."

When we came into this world we did so with a pure heart and mind, without sin. As we grew older the world gradually contaminate and defiled our thoughts and desires, systematically removing that innocence from us and replacing it with the values and morals of the world. The world where Satan presides. We were not given to sinning until we were confronted with sin. We did not know what sin was until Satan, and his third of the host of heaven, presented it to us in a appealing and tempting way. Your sins are of your own doing but without the Satan there would be no choice to make. For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility. Without opposition there can be no sin. If you do not have hatred to oppose love how do you know what love is without an opposite to gauge it by. Likewise, if there is no hatred in opposition to love then there can be no love. Satan provides the opposite for us to choose. He is as essential in the Plan of Salvation as Jesus was. Without him nothing would make any sense. When we stand back and observe these sets of opposites as a group, we notice that they form the purposive structure of human existence, and its total negation, which underlie the gospel in all its aspects. Within this structure all humankind collectively and individually face the grand possibilities of their existence, that is, they face life and death, happiness and misery, as the caretakers of their own lives. If there were no opposition in all things, then ethical opposites affixed to God’s law (e.g., righteousness and misery, wickedness, good and evil) could not be brought to pass. If ethical opposites could not be brought to pass, then all things would be a compound in one (an absence of opposition in all things). And if opposition in all things is absent, then that which would exist would be dead, having no life neither death, corruption nor incorruption, and so on.

And he is right, we (hypothetically putting myself in this -we- example for convenience in point) did do this to ourselves. In the Garden of Eden, Satan didn't pick the fruit from the tree. He didn't guide Eve's hand to get it. They took the knowledge because they were childlike and believed it. They had no way to compare what he said and analyze it to see if it was coming from god. They were ignorant. However, they were the ones that sined. Satan had nothing to do with their action.

Again, without opposition in all things, sin does not exist, nothing exists for there is no negative to prove the positive. The opposite is manifested in Satan and his enticings intended to draw you away from God. His is an essential ingredient in our choices because without him there would be no choice, therefore, sin would not exist and we would be as Adam and Eve was before the fall. Without Satan Eve would have never taken the fruit. She would have remained as she was for eternity, as would Adam, and mankind would have never been. The fall is a necessary part of the Plan of Salvation as without it the plan would not be tenable. That means that Satan was a necessary part of the Plan of Salvation because without him there would be no opposition, no trying and testing in the flesh, no fall, and none of us.

We have control of our thoughts when we learn how to pray, meditate, and so forth. It is from us and from our minds not an external influence. If my mother hit me, yes, she would be at fault.

Satan influences our mind, that is how he primarily tempts us but making suggestions to our conscience. It is and external influence, both from God and Satan.

Would she?

Proverbs 23:12-14
13 Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.

14 Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.

 

[Serenity7855]

Continued

However, how I interpret it is: I can either listen to my sister say "oh, but she still loves you" or my brother "you should have hit her back"or I could have taken the action of my own, analyzed it myself, and find the rational behind the woman I love hitting me. It's not from Satan. It's from ourselves.

To reason it out first, using your own intelligence and knowledge, is the right thing to do, however, Satan has still presented you with alternative to choose from. The temptations to hit her back was given by your brother. Satan has still played a key role in your decision as without him there would be no decision to make and your mother would have never hit you. There’s a fine balance between agency and inspiration. We’re expected to do everything in our power to resolve any issues or to come up with, what we consider to be, the right choices ourselves and then to seek an answer from the Lord, a confirming seal that we’ve reached the right conclusion. To expect the Lord to guide us and direct us in everything we do is slothful and takes away our free agency to act according to the dictates of our heart.

If I were able to analyze and control my actions, her coercion would have no affect on me. If it was not my choice that I sinned because she influenced me to, then I have no free will to make decisions. If she wasn't present, I still have the choice to steal. If she coerced me, I have that same choice. There is no difference. Once I take the cookie, that is what matters not her coercion and not my blaming my action on her or my mother.

As I said, the choice is always down to you. The provider of the choice is God and Satan, Righteousness and Wickedness. You cannot make a choice without this. But she will have to stand accountable for her own sins, if to strike you is a sin.

I wouldn't blame either. One because god is life. So, whatever we do, we blame ourselves. We can blame others and say they are at fault; maybe they are. However, the blame I'm talking about is making someone else at fault for my own actions not saying they are guilty of theirs.

That is correct, you are accountable for your own transgressions and not the transgressions of others. You have allowed yourself to accept the enticings of Satan and have sinned.

I wouldn't blame satan either. He, if you like, is just a personifed evil. If I needed someone external to put my sin on, and it helps me to be with god, so be. That's not how I see it.

No, you shouldn't blame anyone for your choices, however, it is wise to recognise that evil exists to cause you to sin thus eventually becoming the property of Satan. If you sin then it is not because you are evil. It is because evil exists and has influenced you. You are not evil by nature. That is something that you have acquired here, in this world. It is the result of Satan and his followers tempting the righteous.

It's natural to blame god (your parent) for something they did to you even though you are in the wrong. It's basic psychology.

I cannot agree with that, because it is something that I have never done or considered to do.

It's natural to blame Satan for something you (people in general) did wrong. You are shifting the sin responsibility from yourself to another. Like a child saying "ah aaah...no, I didnt steal the cookie" points to his sister "my [evil] sister did."

I do not blame Satan either, I am accountable for my own decisions, therefore, it is I that is at fault.

You would want to blame her? I disagree. It's natural and probably an automatic reaction to blame my mother. The nature of an apology is also to stop blaming her (because I personally don't want to) and myself by accepting the responsibility and consequence of my actions. It's child psychology. As adults, it doesn't change. We have to learn there is no other when we do things.

Instinctively yes, however, that does not mean that my instinctive reaction is right, it clearly is not. Again that is my choice.

That is basic psychology not a religious theology, though. There are many forms of it such as Flight or Fright response. Depression or anxiety coming from abuse. Anger built up naturally from being indoctrinated by a faith that disallows free thought outside its own principles (like pushing against a wall closing in on someone).

I am no psychologist but I am introspective enough to know that anger is a negative so I avoid it as best as I can. I am not your every day person though. I take medication that makes me laid back and non-aggressive. I genuinely do not get angry at my own misgivings, not even with myself. If I err then I know that I am imperfect and prone to making mistakes so I just put it right, as best as I can, learn from it and try not to do it again. I have a moral code that I have indoctrinated myself with and rarely contravene. As soon as Satan tries to tempt me I automatically put my defences up and walk away. It has become an integral part of my persona.

I don't understand how anger is a choice. How you react to your anger after you already recognize you have it is a choice. However, it takes time, patience, and to many support from others to help them control their anger to where they recognize the natural tendency to be mad and deal with it in a healthy manner.

If you can control your anger than it is a choice. If it was not a choice then we would all get angry when things do not go our way. We don't, therefore, some of us have chosen not to become angry.

I find that more productive and correct then blaming it on Satan.

Satan is a means to an end. He is a necessary evil. He cannot be blamed for our sins, however, he will be held accountable for his own. His own sins included tempting mankind into sinning. He is needed though to give us opposition in all things. Without him we would be

By recognizing the part he played, is already acknowledging he has something to do with your actions. So when you blame yourself, you blame Satan. The whole shabang.

I cannot agree with that. I am slightly overweight, is it my wife's fault for feeding me too much food. Should I blame her the next time I look in the mirror and see that I am fat. By your logic that is what I should do. I am responsible for being overweight, even though she gives me the food, I do not have to eat it all, that is my choice, no one else is accountable for my decisions. I do not blame Satan, that is how I expect him to be. I know what he is capable of yet I still allowed myself to surcomb to his temptations. That is my fault, not Satan's, he is doing what he thinks is right for him. He is doing what I know he does.

If you take Satan out of the picture, then you may find it easier to take the blaming out. One because you are not a supernatural entity that christians feel will exist and coerce them god punishes him latter. You have more control over your mind, body, and spirit. You have more connection with god when satan is not at all a part of the equation from your sinning to your prayer.

If we take Satan out of the picture then there is no sin. You have to have a wrong in order to be right.