James was wrong
The book of James in the new testament is supposed to have been written by James, the brother of Jesus. James the Just (his nickname) stayed in Jerusalem with Peter during the early days, until the Romans decided to finally flatten the place.
James (or whoever the idiot was who wrote it) said “Resist the devil and he will flee”
This is just plain wrong. Completely wrong actually.
What a tragic waste of energy and effort and emotion I expended as a teenager all those years ago “resisting the devil” as he tempted me with such awful sin as sexual fantasies and the urge to masturbate. The more I prayed and fasted and resisted, the stronger the “devil” seemed to get!
The more you think about something, the more reality you give it and the more powerful it becomes.
James would have been far more help to everyone if he had written “Look the devil square in the eye and see him for what he really is”
I am so so so so glad to be free of Christianity and it’s awful teachings.
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Jon's New Age Wanderings 
Same here :p
It is interesting that most of religion has always tried to control human sexuality by making it into something wrong or deviant. However, it would appear that attempting to control such a deep seated human instinct and need has only resulted in guilt and fear. e.g. religion sees masturbation and extramarital affairs as wrong but they are still widely practiced.
Interestingly – I have yet to meet anyone who has actually become blind from masturbation and, I am fairly certain that no one will go to hell for masturbating or having an affair!
Hey Jon, LONG time no see. However, I’m back in the blogosphere.
Sex was created by God for people to enjoy, as well as for procreation. If you want to see the Divine power, look at the sex drive. It’s this drive that not only arouses us to get our freaky on, but fuels our creative side and brings us into spiritual ecstasy. Too often our fundagelical friends view this drive as a “demon” that needs to be slain.
Anything that brand xtianity cannot control, it either destroys, or at best, demonizes. With a divorce rate >50% as compared to the secular world, the rise of pregnancies (minus husbands) in the churches, and other sexual issues, religion and its sycophants need not be talking.
Enjoy sex with your fellow! Peace!
John Featherstone
*Please note that I’m not going to give all the scriptures references – but if requested I will.
The book of James is actually pretty true, accurate and the very important – because it lays a foundation in once life.
“I am so so so so glad to be free of Christianity and it’s awful teachings.”
I want to tell you that I am so glad to be free from sin and it’s awful slavery and deception. I am a Christian which simply means you belong to Jesus Christ and follows Him. First I want to tell you that I respect the following,
“What a tragic waste of energy and effort and emotion I expended as a teenager all those years ago “resisting the devil” as he tempted me with such awful sin as sexual fantasies and the urge to masturbate. The more I prayed and fasted and resisted, the stronger the “devil” seemed to get!
The more you think about something, the more reality you give it and the more powerful it becomes.
James would have been far more help to everyone if he had written “Look the devil square in the eye and see him for what he really is.”
What we lack is understanding and the mistake we make is to then just go and say things we are not suppose to say. God says with all your getting, get understanding. Search for wisdom and understanding like for gold. Did you do that?
There is nothing wrong with Christianity and it’s teachings. When I say teachings, I refer to someone that teaches the scriptures in context and through the revelation of the Spirit of God. I struggled with masturbation and lust. Sin eventually produces death. Nothing complicated about it. James said that and it is true. It leaves you like a piece of crap when it is finished with you. It deceives you. It controls you. Lust is never satisfied. If leaves you DEAD. Death that manifest in your soul and eventually your body. “Death” in various sense. Death can refer to fear, guilt, condemnation, shame, unworthiness, torment, sickness, disease, etc. and eventually physical death. Paul told Timothy to flee from youthful lust. You see, lust is never satisfied. The pleasures of sin are only for a season – it doesn’t last. Why does God want you to stop lusting? Because He wants you to have a special sanctified marriage. He wants you to be satisfied with your precious wife and only cherish her. He wants you to love (physically) her only and make the best of your relationship. To give her all you have and not to share it with anyone else. To PROTECT your love for her, you relationship. And so on…
One night I went on my knees and closed my eyes and God poke to me audibly in my spirit. He said, “*He called me by name*… you struggle with sexual immorality. I will help you with it. You are who you are in the Spirit.” Now for me it meant a lot who thought that when I have sinned, God is really mad at me, very disappointed, and that I can;t just go to Him and talk to him, I can’t approach Him in my spirit, how dare I… God above all gods. Instead of telling me everything the devil tells you afterward you sin, instead of discouraging me… He tells me what I struggle with and gives me the solution. That is who God is. Jesus said there is no commendation to those who are in Him. God will tell you what you are doing is wrong (for your own good and other), but He will also tell you how to get free – but here is the key I want you to get. Now I will be honest. After that I still struggled with it for a long time, because the irony is that I never allowed God to help me, I tried to help myself. What do I mean by helping myself? Well. You basically try to overcome sin in your own wisdom, your past experiences, your own laws, your own ways , your own mental and physical strength, etc. which doesn’t really do the job and only wears you out and frustrates you.
You see, your whole debate in your question was true. It is a waist of energy, effort and emotion. You do get awful sexual fantasies and urges to masturbate. The more you try to resist it or not think about it the stronger it does become. The moment you close your eyes your mind has a tendency to lust. You have tormenting thoughts and pictures. One day you do it on purposes. The other day you didn’t and it just came anyway. One day you manage to keep out a bit but eventually you gave in. One day you curse yourself and gets fed up with yourself and gets mad and say, “Screw this, I don’t care anymore.” The other day you get mad at the devil. Then one day you have peace until it comes and your day is completely ruined. The next day you get mad at God and tell Him that the Christian life is impossible to live and that you just can’t carry its burdens anymore. And so on… Can’t you see something? Can’t you see that us as humans are really hopeless? Can’t you see that the harder we try to the more we fail? Can’t you see that religion doesn’t help you in any way, but only put you into a box, put you into bondage, wears you out, and has no power at all? Can’t you see how there is no love, no acceptance, no upliftment, no good, nothing lasting and no progress? Can’s you see that there is no victory? But let me tell you something – you said, “James would have been far more help to everyone if he had written ‘Look the devil square in the eye and see him for what he really is.’” You can do that and please do that. You can say to him, “You are a liar, you are a sinner, you are a deceiver, you are a killer, but you are defeated in Jesus’ name!” Faith is not confessing beautiful and wonderful scripture. Faith is real. Jesus Christ is real. What you believe is real. Your solution is Jesus. Jesus said that if HE makes you free from sin you are free indeed. You should remember that James said, “Submit to God,” and then resist the devil… you can resist the devil until you are blue in the face – if you don’t first submit to God he will not go. (-:
First submit to God… Didn’t God tell me, “I will help you”? If you think that you are the only person that struggle with these things… whether you are saved or not saved – NO ONE is exempt from temptation, trials, hardships, etc. It is common to all men. The deference is that the believer has Jesus and the unbeliever doesn’t. Romans 8 says that if anyone does not have the Spirit of God he is NONE OF HIM (Jesus). Ouch… If you really repented (acknowledged your sins and is willing it up) and confesses Jesus as Lord, believing that God raised Him from the dead… You have the Spirit of God in you. He didn’t leave you. If your not serving God today… God can soften your heart again to come back to Him. You see, God gave you His Spirit SO THAT you can live above sin, above sickness, above disease, above death, above religion, above fear, to be stable THROUGH trials, persecution, tribulations, etc. To have the presence of God in you and not to search for it. To talk to God and hear His voice. Because the Holy Spirit in you is Holy, leads and guides you into ALL truth, He teaches you ALL things, He is your comforter, He has the power.
Now you can be a Christian and still be a slave to sin, still be stuck in in religion, dead works, etc. Still feel condemned (though you aren’t). Still be sick and diseased. Still struggle with everything you struggled with before you got born again. Still have hurt and pain in your heart. Still be broken. Still not even know God, understand God. Still not bear all the fruit of the Spirit. Still not love like Jesus love. Still not… why? Because salvation is spiritual and it takes time and patience to RENEW your MIND from all the wrong things you were taught, you negative past experiences, the lies of the devil, your old ways of thinking, doing things, the way you used to operate, your beliefs, etc. All that needs to be renewed through the word of God. Read Romans 12:1-2. It takes time to learn how to use your faith and to allow God to heal you. Jesus said My yoke is easy and My burden is light. But in the core of your heart, in your spirit, there was a change!
We need t understand that we are still human on this earth. That is why the bible speaks about walking according to the FLESH. The term “flesh” has various meanings, but it doesn’t only refer to your physical body, but also you reasoning, feelings, etc. That is why Romans 8 says to be spiritually minded is life and peace. What does it mean? It means that the Spirit of God inside of you influences your thoughts, desires, heart, and body. I will be honest you with. As a Christians I was very aware of the devil. But later I became so aware of God that I don’t talk to the devil (in sense of rebuking him the whole time, etc), I don’t resist him every morning I wake up and night I go to sleep, I don’t talk about him, I don’t focus on him, I don’t study him… but I talk to God, hear Him, I testify about Him, I’m aware of His presence, I rest in Him, I love Him and FOCUS on Him. That the key. To shift your focus unto Jesus and His perfection, His love, His power, His glory, His majesty, His ability, His wisdom, His perfect obedience, etc. The moment you try to do something without the grace (love, favor, forgiveness, spiritual power) of God you will eventually fail or it will not last when the test comes. Walking according to the flesh is to do things without drawing from the grace of God. That is why Jesus said, He that was tempted just like us, we can come boldly (because you don’t always feel like going to God, but Jesus shed His blood for you, stands in the gap and covers you) before the throne of grace and obtain mercy and grace in the time of need.
The second key is to not give up. Jesus said pray, pray and pray. Read the parable of the unjust judge and the widow, “Man ought to always pray and not to give up.” Sin will not have dominion over you for you are not under the law but under grace.” You can reason with God when you sin. You can go to Him and get cleansing and wisdom. You should get that if you already DESIRE to be free from a sin even if you do it over and over, if you are WILLING, if you are FRUSTRATED, etc. it is all signs that you are on your way to victory. Don’t stop praying! God WILL show you the way. Don’t give up. Let God wash your emotions and feelings. He embraces your feelings. Let Him reveal His love to you more and more. Let HIM SHOW you what ACCURATE church to go to. Let Him root you into a body of believers.
Well… I don’t struggle with that tormenting thoughts and pictures and imaginations and desires anymore. Does temptation still come? Yes… but does it become less and less? Yes… does it loose its power over me? Yes… Jesus says when Satan comes he will find nothing in Him. When God sets you free… Satan will come and the he can’t find anything in you anymore to stir you, deceive you, or whatever made you do that sin.
Get of the demons thing. Yes you have a need of deliverance, etc. It’s normal and Biblical. But most of the time it is not a devil we need deliverance from but our thinking that needs to be changed.
I properly can say a lot more and make it simple… but I want you to know that Jesus said, “Without me you can do NOTHING.”
Love you!
Grace and peace
MM
Hi MM,
Wow! you should write a book! That was I think the longest comment I have EVER got from a post, so congratulations!
I have carefully read your comment and it brought back many memories of my days as a Christian. You reason in a very similar way to the way I used to, and I understand your points.
Given the evangelical passion that is so evident in every line of your comment, I have long since learnt the complete and utter pointlessness of egagaing in any type of discussion or debate as this always proves fruitless.
Therefore, I wish simply thank you for taking the time to give such a thoughtful and comprehensive answer, and I am genuinely happy for you that you have found satisfaction in Christianity.
All the Best MM!
Jon
As I read what you wrote above I think you have captured what James intended now. Resisting is to see the devil for what it/who it is and, because of how pathetic the lies are, choosing to pursue truth instead. I really like your paraphrase and think it shores up James.
hey am a teenager & still confused
is masturbation immoral?? my Christian leaders say its an evil act.