Why the devil is less successful than God - No love

Satan is much less powerful and less successful than God. There's a few reasons. One is just that God knows everything and is so much more honorable than Satan. One strong reason is that Satan does not care about people and that makes him act less wisely in many circumstances.

For instance, it might make sense for Satan to help give his followers technological advancements. For example, in the Book of Mormon, it's the Nephites that first think of two things: 1) armor and 2) walls and towers around their cities. They were inspired by God to do these two things. The Lamanite armies just copied the Nephites after they had seen it. My question is, why didn't the Lamanites think of it first? They obviously weren't as innovative or thoughtful, but why?

One could argue the following: 1) Satan had definitely seen these innovations such as armor and fortified cities at earlier points in the history of the world. 2) Satan can influence people; he does, he influences them for bad. 3) If Satan let his followers know about the innovations, they could have killed off the Nephites more quickly and then none of their posterity would have been righteous and none of the Lamanites in the future would have been converted to the gospel (which did happen; for a time the Lamanites were more righteous than the Nephites). 4) Therefore, Satan had incentives and the ability to inspire his followers to advance technologically.

So why didn't/doesn't he?

Because he doesn't care about people. He doesn't love. This keeps him from thinking about the long-term. He won't ever help people in the short-term so it will help his cause in the long-term. He just wants people to do bad things, period. His lack of love and concern for people keeps him from being as powerful, long-term, as he could be.

It's a lesson for us. Why do we want to become like God - kind, loving, etc.? Because it is the best way to live. Also, over the long-term it's a much more powerful and effective way to live. Satan is hindered because of who he is, a selfish person. As we become more like Heavenly Father and love more, we'll become more effective in life.

Anti-Christ - Satan

Here's a few thoughts about Satan and his role.

I have often thought that the best description of Satan is imitator. Hugh Nibley wrote that anti-Christ means imitation of Christ. I think that aligns well with what Elder Oaks said in Oct. 2004 Priesthood session; an anti-Christ is simply someone or something that teaches salvation can come in a way that isn't correct: i.e., that isn't through Christ. A clear example of anti meaning imitator is the anti-nephi-lehis were people who wanted to be like Nephi and Lehi. Another example is that a type of the Savior was a serpent when Moses held it up on a rod. Therefore, when Satan is called the serpent in the garden of Eden it is referring to him being a false imitation of the Savior. I think this is pretty clearly true. He told them, "if you eat of the fruit, you won't die" - he essentially taught Adam and Eve a different plan of salvation that wasn't correct.

Satan does the same thing today. He gives people many opportunities and alternatives that create a momentary happiness, similar to what the gospel brings, but that is not lasting. Then he gets people to be addicted to those things that bring momentary "happiness", like money, prestige, or things like drugs, sex, etc. It's his way of giving something as close as possible to the plan of salvation without giving it. Satan learns from the Savior's plan also and then just adjusts it a little. I think one of his dirty little secrets is how much he learns from and benefits from God's and the Savior's original ideas. Also, he is completely without love. I think the inspiration to come up with great things comes from God and Satan reacts to these. For instance, in the Book of Mormon, why didn't Satan come up with the armor and great city protection ideas. It's either because he didn't know them and couldn't get the bad guys to use them for that reason (unlikely unless his followers are those who help make ideas happen and not all of them know everything - also unlikely), or it was because he knew armor existed but just didn't care enough about his followers to protect them more than the good guys. Since it is by the "wicked that the wicked are punished", I think it's because Satan has weaker motivations (no love) and isn't nearly as effective as a result.

He is a poor imitator of the truth but does his best and gets a lot of people, unfortunately.

Christ promises "peace in this world and eternal life in the world to come." D.C. 59:23. That's very different than promising success or riches or "happiness". Just a promise that peace can exist despite all the tough things in the world.

I was going to write about the spirit world and the Atonement and unfairness, but that will wait for tomorrow morning.