In the beginning, Adam and Eve were not created with the evil nature we see displayed in all of mankind. At the end of the sixth day of creation, God took pleasure in all He had made and pronounced it "very good," including Adam and Eve and the nature or the heart He placed in them. An evil heart cannot possibly be termed "very good." They were a blank slate, one might say, with a slight pull toward the self, but not with the strong, self-centered, touchy, and offensive heart that is communicated through contact with the world following birth.

Following Adam and Eve's creation, God placed them in Eden and instructed them on their responsibilities. He then purposefully allowed them to be exposed to and tested by Satan, who most definitely had a different set of beliefs, attitudes, purposes, and character than God. Without interference from God, they freely made the choice to subject themselves to the evil influence of that malevolent spirit. That event initiated the corruption of man's heart. Perhaps nowhere in all of Scripture is there a clearer example of the truth of I Corinthians 15:33: "Evil communications corrupt good manners."

Comparing our contact with Satan to Adam and Eve's, a sobering aspect is that God shows they were fully aware of Satan when he communicated with them. However, we realize that a spirit being can communicate with a human by transferring thoughts, and the person might never know it! He would assume the thoughts were completely generated within himself.

Following their encounter with the evil one, "the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked" (Genesis 3:7). This indicates an immediate change in their attitudes and perspectives. It also implies a change of character from the way God had created them, as they had indeed willingly sinned, thus reinforcing the whole, degenerative process.

This began not only their personal corruption but also this present, evil world, as Paul calls it in Galatians 1:4. All it took was one contact with, communication from, and submission to that very evil source to effect a profound change from what they had been. The process did not stop with them, as Romans 5:12 confirms, "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned." Adam and Eve passed on the corrupt products of their encounter with Satan to their children, and each of us, in turn, has sinned as willingly as our first ancestors did.

When we are born, innocent of any sin of our own, we enter into a 6,000-year-old, ready-made world that is permeated with the spirit of Satan and his demons, as well as with the evil cultures they generated through a thoroughly deceived mankind. In consequence, unbeknownst to us, we face a double-barreled challenge to our innocence: from demons as well as from this world.

Six thousand years of human history exhibit that we very quickly absorb the course of the world around us and lose our innocence, becoming self-centered and deceived like everybody else (Revelation 12:9). The vast majority in this world is utterly unaware that they are in bondage to Satan—so unaware that most would scoff if told so. Even if informed through the preaching of the gospel, they do not fully grasp either the extent or the importance of these factors unless God draws them by opening their eyes spiritually (John 6:44-45).

Allred

Would you please point to the area of the Universe where god resides?  The Hubble hasn't picked up on him yet.

 If you can give me a second reference (no bible chapter/verses please) that proves any of your statements I will read it.  Otherwise, all this is old, old hat.  I am interested, however,  in hearing what you think a "loss of innocence" constitutes.   Also, who is in bondage?  You're the person who's  compelled to live by the dictates of a book written by cave dwellers.

Lastly, God was pleased on the sixth day with his creation and rested.  Maybe he should have worked on the seventh day rethinking his creation of sin/evil.

Red

It's not my intention to undermine anyone's faith because I believe some people need  faith to get through life's day to day trials.

However, I will defend myself when my intentions are called to question.   Don't assume that you understand the motives of the "people' who blog here.  They're only searching for the truth, just like you. 

I'd have to answer his question with "Why not?" Or, "Why would you bring me here if you're not going to let me in?" 

Sounds like you have an interesting concept of Heaven, though. Would you care to expand on it? I'm always interested in people's vision of Heaven, but the only response I've ever received was from an old poster named Dallas.   

MSgherzi: I agree not all are demon filled and I didnt say they were, but all are controlled by outside forces. Either good or evil in one way or the other they are controlled. Christians are controlled by Christ not a forcefull control, but the world is. Your either with Christ or controlled by evil.

But I'm leaving here to post my own and i'm sorry if I started something in here you didnt like.

"Your either with Christ or controlled by evil."

Christianity ought to drop that big "faith in evil" requirement. Who knows, they might attract some followers...    

Msgherzi

Does god stand at the entrance to the pearly gates all day and tease people with dumb questions when he knows all along he's going to blast them to hell?   Doesn't he have more important things to do, like curing innocent children of terminal illnesses.  Gosh, if he could just find a couple of minutes to wipe out hunger, I'd be satisfied.  Ending war would be nice too.

But, I guess he like playing mind games with his lowly creations.

Well, Spouse #2 figured out early we're primarily here for God's amusement.

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Why should a hypothetical God let me into his hypothetical heaven?  How about "because I tried, in all my human endeavors, to make the world a better place for those around me.  I tried in my imperfect way to feed the hungry, treat the sick, comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable."

I read someplace where a guy recommended doing things like that.  They killed him for it, but he still had a good message until that guy Saul got ahold of it.

We pray for people to do what we want them to do, to get more, more more. The things us humans want is bigger, better, faster, more. More money, more friends, better job, bigger house.. etc etc. But in the end; what does it matter? Can any of these things come with us when we die?

Life isn't about getting what we want--because I know in my experience, what I want for myself is completely shallow and irrelivant to an actual life. I grew up with dreams of "being skinny" and "getting a job". We doubt God because He doesn't give us what we want.. but what happens when we get what we want? (I got skinny, then I got an eating disorder. Hmmm.)  Maybe God knows what He is doing.. and maybe He just wants us to have peaceful lives.

I believe true life to be a simple life, being content with what we have and loving people. That's all.. but its so hard. One of the biggest human flaws (and trust me, IM NOT EXCLUDING MYSELF HERE) is that we have paradise in front of us but we don't see it. We're so focused on what we DON'T have or what we used to have that what is staring us in the face is invisible.

All we have in the end of our lives is the stories that other people will carry with them for their lives.. and possibly their childrens life. All we have is the impact we make on other people. Sure people will remember what I did and what I accomplish, but thats also not what life is truly about.

I can say I walk in faith today not because God gives me everything I want.. quite the opposite. I've lived a life of doubt clouded for a hundred different reasons, and now that I believe life isn't perfect, but its a lot smoother.

Free will is a tremendous gift and I wouldn't want for a moment to shove my opinions down anyones throat.. I am just speaking as someone who has struggled for a lot of different reasons and I just know there is a better way to live.

Maybe the pearly gates are like the entrance to an exclusive New York nightclub. Saint Peter stands at the velvet ropes shaking his head at Mother Teresa, all the popes and Ghandi. Meanwhile, the crowd parts like the Red Sea as Ron approaches. Saint Peter, who by the way, bears a strong resemblence to Al Pacino, looks back at a smoked glass window where a glowing halo nods slightly. Saint Peter winks at Ron before letting him pass through. 

Just one possibility...

I will pray for us all  !!!!

Luke 12:8 "I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before Men, the Son of Man, will also acknowledge him before the Angels of God. But he who disowns me before men will be disowned before the Angels of God!" ...
Luke 12:40 "You must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him!"