Is the Devil a Myth?Wimberly, C. F. (Charles Franklin)
Religion
Is the Devil a Myth?
Wimberly, C. F. (Charles Franklin)
Devil; Good and evil
There are many freaks of hypnotic influence which illustrate vividly the
power of sin--and back of the sin, the sin Personality. We have seen
subjects placed under hypnotic sleep, and they would remain in this
condition for twenty-four hours. The demonstration was made in a large
department store, facing a stone-paved street, which roared day and night
with cars and heavy traffic. Hundreds of people swarmed about the sleeping
man, laughing and talking loudly. Not until the hypnotist came and touched
the subject did he arouse from the heavy slumber.
A still more remarkable demonstration is reported to have been
accomplished in an Eastern city. We give as authority the _Associated
Press_. After the subject was placed under the hypnotic trance, he was
dressed like one being prepared for burial, then put in a coffin, hauled
to the cemetery in a hearse. The "corpse" was then lowered in a grave of
the proper depth, the grave filled to the ground level. The air tube from
the coffin to the top was large enough to enable a light to be reflected
on the face of the sleeper. "Buried alive," said the report. He was left
in the grave several hours.
If superior mind force can accomplish such marvellous feats on human will,
what may we expect from supernatural mind force with a burning ambition to
subdue? The columns of our _dailies_ are filled with reports of the doings
of men and women that cannot be explained on any other hypothesis. Think
of the insane, unreasonable, illogical risk in all manner of sin--for
what? A momentary taste of some "forbidden fruit." We hear that
self-preservation is the first law of our being; but how often this law is
utterly ignored for sensuous gratification. Those who do these things are
unable to understand their insane conduct until it is all over. "Oh, I can
see it all now," is the despairing cry so often heard. Of course, the
hypnotic spell is removed. How easy it is to sit and philosophize on the
actions of people. "Why would any sane person do such a thing?" A sane
person would not; the why of all these human twists is very simple when we
are willing to admit the literal teaching of God's book concerning our
indefatigable Enemy. "The apostate angel and his followers by pride and
blasphemy against God and malice against men became liars and murderers by
tempting men to do sins" (Jude 6, R. V.).
Why did the Prodigal Son do such an insane, sinful act? Why? Well, he came
to himself, but not until the harm was wrought. Why have ten thousand
prodigals since that day been guilty of the same insane conduct? The
answer is obvious. Why did Judas sell his Lord?--He who had been so highly
honoured: chosen, ordained, sent out? "Satan entered into Judas;" there
you have the whole truth. By and by, Judas came to himself; then remorse
and despair not only caused him to return the money, but destroy himself.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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