2 Nephi 28:22

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Reference Search: 2 Nephi 28:22

22 And behold, others he flattereth away, and telleth them there is no hell; and he saith unto them: I am no devil, for there is none—and thus he whispereth in their ears, until he grasps them with his awful chains, from whence there is no deliverance.

Quotes for Discussion

No devil—No hell

In 1929 George Herbut Betts published the results of a fifty-seven doctrinal question survey he sent out to 500 ministers and 500 theological students. The questions were structured to gain either “yes,” “no” or “uncertain” answers. Two of the questions were: “Do you believe that hell exists as an actual place or location?” and “Do you believe that the devil exists as an actual being?” Concerning the existence of hell, 53% of the ministers said “yes,” 34% “no,” and 13% were “uncertain.” The theological students’ responses were: 11% “yes,” 76% “no” (they did not accept the reality of hell), and 13% were “uncertain.” Regarding the existence of the devil, 60% of the ministers surveyed said “yes,” 38% “no,” and 7% were uncertain. Only 9% of the theological students said they believed in the reality of Satan, while 82% denied his existence, and 9% were uncertain (Guide to Religions 237). These statistics show Satan’s success. With the passing of time, younger theologians are listening to the flattery and whispers, “there is no hell,” and “I am no devil, for there is none” (2 Nephi 28:22).

Dennis L. Largey, The Enemies of Christ, 2 Nephi 28

I doubt if there was a Christian minister in all the world who would have said there was no devil at the time the Book of Mormon was published in 1830, and yet when a questionnaire was sent out by the Northwestern University School of Religion in 1934 to five hundred Christian ministers, of the five hundred, fifty-four percent, or two hundred and ninety-five, said there would be no judgment day….Twenty-six percent or 130 of the five hundred ministers were opposed to the Deity of Jesus. What in the world could the devil, the enemy of all righteousness, desire more than to make our young people think that chastity is outmoded? To accomplish this, he must make them believe there is no devil, and that there is not hell or judgment day. Thus “he whispereth in their ears, until he grasps them with his awful chains, from whence there is no deliverance.’ I read an article in the newspaper at the close of the war [WWII] indicating that in Germany there were thirteen thousand illegitimate babies whose fathers were American boys!

LeGrand Richards, Conference Report, Oct. 1949 [salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1949], 51-54

Yes, the devil is decidedly a person. He is also clever and trained. With thousands of years of experience behind him he has become superbly efficient and increasingly determined. Young people often feel and say, when governing hands are outstretched to them, “I can take care of myself.” In fact even more experienced adults cannot afford to be sure of their resistance to Satan. Teenage girls or boys certainly need to be properly fortified and protected if they are to cope with the efficient, highly-trained, superior powers which are ever alert to opportunities for temptation.

It is a smart, young or old, who will accept advice and counsel from experienced people who know the pitfalls, the crumbling walls, and the cracking dams which bring on destruction.

Spencer W. Kimball, The Miracle of Forgiveness, 1969, 21-22

Edited August 4, 2010 by pam