Speaking to a worldwide convention of demons, Satan told his followers, “As long as Christians remain close to God we shall have no power over them, so this is what I want you to do:

1) Keep them busy with the nonessentials of life, and invent innumerable schemes to occupy their minds.

2) Tempt them to spend, spend, spend, and borrow as much as they can.

3) Persuade them to work long hard hours so they can afford their lifestyles.

4) Make sure that couples are too exhausted to be intimate with each other so that they will be tempted to find intimacy elsewhere.

5) And keep them from spending time with their children so that when family life breaks down their home will offer no refuge from the pressures of work.

6) Over stimulate their minds: Entice them to play music whenever they drive, and to keep their TV, DVD, CDs and their PCs going constantly in their homes so they can’t hear God speaking to them.

7) Fill their coffee table with magazines and newspapers. Pound their minds with the news 24 hours a day. Invade their driving moments with billboards. Flood their mailboxes with junk mail, sweepstakes, mail order catalogues, and every kind of newsletter and promotions, offering free products, false hopes and get-rich-quick-schemes.

8) Don’t let them go out amongst nature to reflect on God’s wonders. Send them instead to amusement parks, sporting events, concerts, and movies.

9) When they meet for spiritual fellowship tempt them to get so involved in gossip and small talk so that they leave with troubled consciences and unsettled minds.

10) Involve them with so many good causes they have no time for God. And keep them so busy working in their own strength, sacrificing their health and family, that they will never experience God’s peace or his power working through them

Has the devil been successful at his scheme? You must judge for yourself. (Anon)