Satan is author of deceit
E-mail story
It's easy. Send a link to the story you were just reading to a friend. Just fill out the form on this page and we'll send it along.
Your name and e-mail address are transmitted to the recipient. Otherwise, it is considered private information; see Privacy policy.
A "snipe hunt," a practical joke in which the unwitting victim is directed to hunt non-existent "snipes" by beating bushes with a stick to cause them to fly into a cloth bag, was used as an analogy by Bishop Richard C. Edgley, first counselor in the Presiding Bishopric, in his priesthood session address.
He told of such a joke gone awry that, in his college days, he and his friends attempted to pull on an acquaintance, who turned the tables on them.
"But there is another 'snipe hunt' going on all around us, and we may be the naive victims," he warned. "It is not a practical joke, and it will not end with a good laugh and a little warm fellowship. Satan is a great deceiver, liar and enemy to all that is good, including our happiness and well-being. His great desire is to thwart our Heavenly Father's plan of happiness and make us 'miserable like unto himself.' (2 Nephi 2:27.) Being the very author and perpetrator of deceit, he in effect would invite us to join him in his snipe hunt, to fill our bags with excitement, fun, popularity and the so-called 'good life.' But his promises are illusionary as the nonexistent snipe. What he really offers are lies, misery, spiritual degradation and loss of self-worth."
Certain clues serve as a guide as to what to avoid putting in one's "bag," he said. He added that these include: "Everybody is doing it," "Nobody will know," "It is not really hurting anyone," "It won't hurt just this once," "So what?" "You can repent later and still go on a mission and be married in the temple," and "Christ atoned for your sins; He will forgive you."
"When such justifications are given either outright by others or subtly by the whisperings of the tempter, you are warned. Don't listen. Don't experiment. Just don't do it."
Though men who hold the priesthood may come from humble circumstances or feel insignificant or incapable at times, "because of this priesthood, we are empowered," Bishop Edgley declared. "We are royalty. And we have the power to discern between Satan's snipes and God's true principles of happiness. Because we know who we are and because we are endowed with the Holy Spirit and empowered with His priesthood, we have the power to just say, 'No, Satan, I will not be a victim of your deceitful, vicious and often deadly snipe hunt.' "
