Satan’s deceptive approach to claiming human souls is akin to authoritarian disinformation campaigns which target hearts and minds in the cognitive domain. In both contexts, there is a war going on outside and inside of the self which no human is safe from. You can run but you cannot hide forever from these threats. Combatting Satan and disinformation requires keeping it real by embracing the truth. In both cases, the long term consequences for the individual soul and collective humanity hang in the balance.
The biblical portrayal of Satan offers a profound understanding of the motivations and tactics driving disinformation campaigns, particularly when considering the historical and ongoing presence of anti-Semitism. Satan emerges throughout scripture as a figure of deception, division, and a relentless pursuit of power, exhibiting a particular hatred towards God’s chosen people, the Jews, and towards Jesus Christ, who is the embodiment of God’s divine truth and love for Christians.
In the Old Testament, Satan’s adversarial role is evident in his temptation of Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3), leading to humanity’s fall from grace and separation from God. This act of deception sets the stage for a long history of conflict and distrust between humanity and the divine. Further examples of Satan’s influence include his role in Job’s suffering (Job 1-2) and his attempts to thwart God’s plans for the Israelites (Zechariah 3).
The New Testament further emphasizes Satan’s hatred for Jesus and his mission to bring salvation to humanity. The temptation of Christ in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11) illustrates Satan’s attempt to corrupt Jesus and lure him away from his divine purpose by offering worldly power and dominion. This act reflects Satan’s desire to usurp God’s authority and establish his own reign of darkness and deceit. Additionally, Satan’s influence is seen throughout the Gospels in the actions of those who oppose Jesus, culminating in his crucifixion.
Further, the New Testament portrayal of Satan provides more compelling understanding of the motivations and tactics employed in disinformation campaigns. Most notably, Revelation 12:9 depicts Satan as the “deceiver of the whole world,” underscoring his rebellion’s ability to manipulate and mislead us on a global scale.
Across various Christian scriptures, Satan continues to be portrayed as a complex figure whose strategies to mislead humanity are characterized by deceit, division, and a lust for power. In John 8:44, he is identified as a “murderer from the beginning” and the “father of lies,” highlighting his association with violence and deception. Mark 3:23-27 further emphasizes Satan’s role as a divider, seeking to sow discord and break apart nations and communities, and separate people from the truth and God.
To this extent, 1 Peter 5 reminds the faithful to be “self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”
The psychological implications of the Satanic archetype as a disinformation paradigm are multifaceted. He represents the shadow self, embodying the darker aspects of human nature that we often repress or deny, including envy, hatred, the desire for power and control, and the willingness to transgress moral boundaries. Disinformation campaigns exploit these vulnerabilities, appealing to our fears, biases, and prejudices to manipulate our beliefs and behaviors. Succumbing to disinformation in this context is akin to giving into the temptation to sin through the Devil’s deception.
In this regard, 1 Peter reminds us of the value of information literacy and self-awareness when assessing the validity of information in a globally-conscious context. He also reminds us that resisting giving in to temptation despite the suffering in the world is something which unifies “God-believers”.
Furthermore, the recurring theme of anti-Semitism throughout history can be viewed as a manifestation of the Satanic archetype converging with disinformation. Satan’s hatred for the Jews, as God’s chosen people, fuels a narrative of “othering” and scapegoating, blaming Jews for societal problems and portraying them as a threat to national identity and security. This aligns with Satan’s role as a divider, sowing discord and conflict between groups.
The identification of Jews as Jesus’ crucifiers negates Jesus’ command to “forgive them for they know not what they do” in alignment with his clear message and mission (Luke 23:34-38). As a result, anti-Semitism based in the perception of Jews as the murderers of Jesus defies his commandment to forgive those who judged him wrongly; and is as a result an anti-Christian practice by definition.
Disinformation campaigns often utilize these anti-Semitic tropes and conspiracy theories to manipulate public opinion and justify discriminatory policies.
Satan means “adversary” and specifically in context the adversary of God. His name is self referential to his role. In this adversarial arrangement where Satan challenges God, it seems evident that because they were the people chosen by God to bring his message to mankind, Satan hates Jews. As God’s only son who he was also unable to lead astray, Satan clearly hates Jesus; and it results in his efforts to tempt Christians into anti-Christian behavior through the seduction of sin as represented in the temptation to embrace anti-Semitism.
From despotic leaders like the Pharaoh, to Nebuchadnezzar, Herod, and the “many antichrists” (1 John 2:18) observed by Christians throughout history, a common thread between Jews and Christians has been their opposition to wicked and tyrannical rule as a core aspect of the culture of monotheism, and a narrative of rising above worldly oppression. In this sense, the disinformation apparatuses of modern authoritarian regimes also suggest an inherent connection to the Satanic archetype, and an opposition to the core values of Judeo-Christian societies. Like the leaders of authoritarian countries, Satan is symbolic of the tyrannical autocrat who tempts us to partake in beliefs and behaviors which are contrary to our individual and social best interests.
By understanding the biblical foundation and psychological implications of the Satanic archetype, we can better recognize and deconstruct the tactics employed in disinformation campaigns and their connection to historical and ongoing anti-Semitism; as well as their relationship to the concept of sin in general. The emphasis on deception, division, and the pursuit of power serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of succumbing to the shadows of human nature and the importance of upholding truth, unity, and compassion in the face of manipulation and hatred.
(Context and Disclosure of AI Tool Use: The above text was constructed using a forensic semiotic approach to narrative and analysis of disinformation. The title draws inspiration from Charles Peirce’s concept of “Abduction”, and specifically in the forensic semiotic context as articulated by Marcel Danesi. The title is thus a play on words, with multiple meanings relating to the context and analytical method. This narrative was constructed using a large language model based on training by Michael Hotchkiss using content themes from n01r.com and applying computational forensic semiotics methods in Gemini Pro 1.5. It represents the author’s true feelings, beliefs, and expertise in disinformation research.)