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I've always wondered this about certain thoughts...

Qidus_MichaelQidus_Michael
edited December 1969 in Personal Issues
every so often I think a bad thought about a person, God, or St.Mary etc.. and then immediately I'm outraged at why did I think such a thing????!! I make the sign of the cross or ask God to forgive me but I wonder, if I myself object to these thoughts, where do they come from? Do they come from me or just from satan?

What do you all think is the best way to fix this?

Comments

  • drilago99drilago99
    I go through the same problem too. I can't remember the exact words but HH Pope Shenouda talked about these thoughts. He said that a person begins to say "How can I think these thoughts?" and sometimes even, "I'm in the altar and these thoughts came to me?" Pope Shenouda says that this proves that these thoughts are not yours. They are from Satan. This is why you begin to say "How can I think this?!?!" Hope this helps.
  • Khas.
    [quote author=Agpeya link=topic=12121.msg143322#msg143322 date=1313681687]
    every so often I think a bad thought about a person, God, or St.Mary etc.. and then immediately I'm outraged at why did I think such a thing????!! I make the sign of the cross or ask God to forgive me but I wonder, if I myself object to these thoughts, where do they come from? Do they come from me or just from satan?

    What do you all think is the best way to fix this?

    They come from you, they are thoughts that were pushed into your subconscious by  choice (unknowingly) and then you get those thoughts when your conscious is free.

    To fix it, keep busy and think positively. Pray, ask God to help you.
  • Unknown
    Such thoughts require the discernment of your spiritual father in order to be diagnosed properly. Neither of the above answers should be taken at face value but shoud be backed up with help from your spiritual father. Speak to Him, and ask for his help, and through following hi command, you will not only get the diagnosis as to where the thoughs come from but rather, what you persnoally can do to get away from them.
    -Return Orthodoxy
  • Qidus_MichaelQidus_Michael
    [quote author=drilago99 link=topic=12121.msg143351#msg143351 date=1313701041]
    I go through the same problem too. I can't remember the exact words but HH Pope Shenouda talked about these thoughts. He said that a person begins to say "How can I think these thoughts?" and sometimes even, "I'm in the altar and these thoughts came to me?" Pope Shenouda says that this proves that these thoughts are not yours. They are from Satan. This is why you begin to say "How can I think this?!?!" Hope this helps.


    Thanks, do you remember what book it was?
  • copticuser20copticuser20
    Origen uses the example of Lot to explain Pride and Vainglory (just as an example of a thought). He says:

    They are vain glory and her older sister pride. Beware lest with

    their embraces those daughters constrict you, deprived of sense and sleeping, while you seem neither to perceive

    nor know. They are called daughters because they do not come upon us from outside, but proceed from us.

    Be vigilant, therefore, as much as you can, and watch lest you beget sons from these daughters,

    Thoughts like these come from us but Satan is the one who planted that seed into our head.
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