Video of counterfeits found in China along with a story by Elder Cook and a quote by President Oaks. Learn how Satan uses counterfeit tactics to gain followers.
VIDEO
If you have ever visited a foreign country, you may have seen first-hand some of the best counterfeit products on the market. Items that closely resemble popular, brand-name merchandise but at a closer look, are just fake imitations. China is very well-known for counterfeiting everything from jewelry to electronics, from designer handbags to designer jeans. Sometimes it is hard to tell if a fake is real or not but then there are other times when a fake is so obvious, it is humorous.
Counterfeit is defined in the dictionary as “made in exact imitation of something valuable or important with the intention to deceive or defraud.”
One of Satan’s greatest tools in which he uses to gain followers is by counterfeiting things that are good and of eternal value.
Elder Larry R. Lawrence pointed out some of Satan’s counterfeits today. He said, “one of Satan’s counterfeits for faith is superstition. His counterfeit for love is lust. He counterfeits the priesthood by introducing priestcraft, and he imitates God’s miracles by means of sorcery.” He continues by pointing out that, “Marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God, but same-sex marriage is only a counterfeit. It brings neither posterity nor exaltation.” (The War Goes On)
Satan does all he can to deceive us into thinking that good is evil and evil is good.
STORY
Elder Cook shares the following:
One of the most cunning aspects of the adversary’s efforts to thwart our Father in Heaven’s plan of happiness is
his deceitful teaching that there is no evil influence or devil (see 2 Nephi 28:22) and his attempt to redefine evil as good and good as evil, darkness as light and light as darkness, and bitter as sweet and sweet as bitter! (see 2 Nephi 15:20).
This is sometimes called a paradigm shift—“when the usual way of thinking about or doing something is replaced by a new and different way,” thus portraying things to be exactly the opposite of what they really are…I had a provocative meeting with an internationally recognized advertising expert a few months ago. We were discussing the influence of evil and the consequences of bad choices.
He envisioned an interesting hypothetical account of Lucifer meeting with an advertising agency. The adversary described his dilemma: he and his followers had rebelled and rejected the Father’s plan and had come to understand that they could not prevail against God. Lucifer understood that while the Father’s plan was about joy and happiness, his own plan resulted in grief and misery. The problem, Lucifer explained to the ad executive, was how to attract followers.
It was determined that Lucifer’s only hope of success was to achieve a paradigm shift or values inversion—in other words, to characterize the Father’s plan as resulting in grief and misery and Lucifer’s plan as resulting in joy and happiness.
This hypothetical meeting serves a useful purpose. The truth is, not only do the enemies of the Father’s plan attempt to undermine the doctrine and principles of the plan, but they also attempt to mischaracterize the blessings that flow from the plan. Their basic effort is to make that which is good, righteous, and joyful seem miserable. (For Elder Cook resource, click HERE.)
(Image used for nonprofit educational purposes only, no copyright infringement is intended)
QUOTE
“Be not deceived” (Galatians 6:7) by the counterfeit happiness that Satan tries to sell. Don’t buy it. It is not real, it does not last.
“Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” (Galatians 6:7) Buying into Satan’s counterfeit happiness leaves you with exactly what Satan wants you to have – painful feelings of heartache, regret, and emptiness.
President Dallin H. Oaks has said,
“…If we indulge in drugs or pornography or other evils that the Apostle called sowing to the flesh (Galatians 6:8), eternal law dictates that we harvest corruption rather than life eternal. That is the justice of God, and mercy cannot rob justice. If an eternal law is broken, the punishment affixed to that law must be suffered. Some of this can be satisfied by the Savior’s Atonement, but the merciful cleansing of a soiled sinner comes only after repentance (see Alma 42:22–25), which for some sins is a prolonged and painful process…”
President Oaks also reminded us that:
(For resource, click HERE)
A great game that goes along with this is Chain Reaction. It emphasizes how our choices lead one to another. Click HERE
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Yours Truly,
P.S. This blog post was used in Episode 24: The Master of Deception podcast. Listen to it on Itunes or on my blog by clicking HERE.
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