[Greek] νόημα (noēma), [Latin] cogitatio, [Latin] sensus, [Latin] intellectus, [Latin] mens: mind, perception, purpose, disposition, design, scheme; 2Cor.2:11, 2Cor.3:14, 2Cor.4:4, 2Cor.10:5, 2Cor.11:3, Php.4:7
It is often helpful to be reminded that the devil can influence us through confusion, disobedience, rebellion, “spiritual dryness”, distraction, worldliness, busyness, sin, and vulnerabilities.
Background information:
Greek Hellenism: This term means thought, concept, the point of the matter, and what is willed.
Plutarch’s Alexander 35: “There was a certain Athenophanes, an Athenian, who was accustomed to minister to the person of the king and to furnish suitable diversion for his thoughts.”
Aristophanes’ Clouds 704: “Now meditate and examine closely; and roll yourself about in every way, and spring to another mental contrivance.”
Homer’s Odyssey 14.273: “But in my heart Zeus himself put this thought—I would that I had rather died and met my fate.”
Aristophanes’ Clouds 743: “Come, then, wrap yourself up, and having given your mind play with subtlety, resolve your affairs by little and little, rightly distinguishing and examining.”
Aristophanes’ Knights 1202: “Please tell me, how did you get the idea to steal it from him…The idea came from the goddess; the theft is all my own.”
Old Testament: This term, used only in an evil sense, means evil plan, attack, evil intentions, and wrath.
Adam and Eve’s expulsion from the Garden (where the Serpent tricked Adam and Eve):
Serpent: “Did God really say, ‘You shall not eat from any of the trees in the garden?” The serpent is already planting seeds of doubt in Eve’s mind.
Serpent: “You certainly will not die!” The serpent is actually calling God a liar. ‘Therefore, you shouldn’t believe what God is saying. You can do whatever you want’!
Serpent: “God well knows that when you eat of the fruit, your eyes will be opened and you will be like the gods, who know good and evil.” The serpent is telling Eve: ‘God is holding you back from understanding wisdom’. ‘God doesn’t want you to know this! Don’t you want to be like God’ and [have infinite dignity]?
Pleasing to the eyes: What could ever possibly go wrong with this??
New Testament: This term, always used in the plural, means purposes, minds, thoughts, and perceptions.
Scripture:
2Cor.2:11: “So that we might not be taken advantage of by Satan, for we are not unaware of his purposes.” (Paul calls for one to have forgiveness and encouragement for an offender. This is necessary so that Satan will not take advantage of this situation (or someone’s vulnerability). Satan may (or could) be at work in causing division and opposition in the Corinthian community. 2Cor.2:7: being overwhelmed by excessive pain [by the devil] ==>satanic activity.
2Cor.3:14: “Rather, their thoughts were rendered dull, for to this present day the same veil remains un-lifted when they read the old covenant, because through Christ it is taken away.” (The Corinthians’ thoughts were rendered dull like Moses veiling his face to protect the Israelites from God’s reflected glory. These dull thoughts (lack of understanding) become a barrier, a veil over their perceptions.)
2Cor.4:3-4: “And even though our gospel is veiled, it is veiled for those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so that they may not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.” (Paul confidently asserts that there is no veil over the gospel. If some fail to perceive its light, that is because of unbelief. This is a blindness induced by Satan, the god of this world. This is a sign that they are headed for destruction.
Php.4:7: “Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (The peace [of mind] of God surpasses and differs from the peace that the world offers. This references Jn.14:27 where Jesus offers us peace that the world cannot give. Jesus tells us to not let our hearts be troubled.)
2Cor.11:4-5: “We destroy arguments and every pretention raising itself against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive in obedience to Christ.” (Paul states that, although we are in flesh, we fight spiritual battles destroying arguments and pretensions against God.)
2Cor.11:3: “But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts may be corrupted from a sincere and pure commitment to Christ.” (Paul fears a repetition of the primal drama of seduction to evil. We can all can be deceived by the devil. CORRUPTION OF MINDS IS SATANIC ACTIVITY!)
Cogitation: This is the capacity to think or reflect. A cogitation is a thought, reflection, or reasoning. A cognition is the process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses. A phenomenon is an observable object or event perceived through the senses.
Rene Descartes: This French philosopher posed this famous philosophical quotation: “Cogito ergo sum”. This means “I think, therefore I am”. He attempted to prove his existence as a thinking being, by thinking.
Understanding: “Houston, We have a problem!” Gender Ideology and LGBTQ ideology
This is a post-modern belief system that one’s experiences and “rights” [to determine one’s gender and marriage relationship] can be determined by oneself, but not by God.
Subjective reality rather than objective reality [what God has done] determines what gender is.
The intentional and unintentional blurring of the masculine and the feminine seeks to confuse one’s understanding of what it means to be masculine (man) and feminine (woman). What is a man? What is a woman?
What was once considered disordered (homosexuality) has NOW become normalized and even celebrated.
One’s chosen gender and sexual behavior is now openly permitted, allowed, and celebrated in this secular culture. In some situations, one is even allowed and encouraged by some [parents] to physically alter one’s body with puberty blockers and gender reassignment surgery (transgenderism).
These attitudes are encouraged as these notions are couched in personal exploration, freedoms, liberties, and rights.
If you criticize or oppose this, you are deemed intolerant. Many often cannot see these issues and the potential societal consequences.
Conclusion:
Phenomenon, phenomenology, cogitation, intellect, intellectual, mental, sense
I am not surprised that this term would be commonly used in the Classical and Hellenistic Greece era. This term was certainly “food for thought” for philosophers. I can imagine that Plato and Socrates would have a field day using this term. It does seem very plausible that man would write of gods putting thoughts into their minds. (The gods made me do it!)
In the Old Testament culture, you can clearly see that the serpent is causing mischief and creating confusion with Adam and Eve.
The proverbial moral genie has already been left out of the bottle in society as it pertains to the changes (and harms) to marriage, life creation (abortion), sex/gender. However, Paul states that forgiveness remains available to each one of us.
Our society is now redefining marriage, altering God’s life creation (abortion), becoming any gender we want to be, and changing gender/sex. It is as if we are already becoming like God!
We currently have many gods in our age: wealth, power, technology, fame, material stuff, etc. (We have become like little pagans each worshipping our own little god(s)!
Update: Ever since Vatican II, Pope Paul VI has claimed that the “smoke of Satan” has entered into the Church. A cardinal who personally knew Pope Paul VI stated that “the smoke of Satan = liturgical confusion and chaos. Does this sound familiar today with Pope Francis’ papacy in the Church?
Pope Francis’ document Dignitas Infinita claims that man has infinite dignity. Man does NOT have infinite dignity! One can only wonder if this is intentional deception or just shoddy theology. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SATAN WOULD SAY TO ADAM AND EVE!
The LGBTQ community is being deceived in thinking that homosexuality and same-sex unions are OK in the eyes of God. Their are not being told by clergy of the sinful nature of this lifestyle. This will lead to the eternal detriment of many souls. Now many are confusedly believing that the Church now approves of same-sex unions. One can only wonder if this failure to follow Jesus’ teachings to sin no more (Jn.8:11) is unintentional or intentional.
Rather, the Modernists are doubling down in stamping out Tradition and traditional practices. The Modernists are not blinded in efforts to push their Modernist ideology to “renew” and “reform” the Church in the image of man.
However, the Modernists are confounded as to why the problems resulting from Vatican II’s efforts continue (churches closing, decreased Mass attendance, lack of belief in the Real Presence, poor catechesis, etc.). Their thoughts continue to be rendered dull as how to overcome and solve these problems. They respond to this by more “renewing” and “reforming.” [Rinse==> repeat]
The aftermath of Fiducia Supplicans has created an inflection point in what type of Church we should have. Do we want a Church that blesses sin?
God does NOT cause confusion! On the other hand, Satan causes confusion and takes advantage of vulnerable people.
Each one of us will face judgement before God. [What many may NOT realize]: Many who will have to answer [before God] as to why they felt THEY KNEW BETTER THAN GOD about one’s preferred gender, marriage relationship, or even mortal sins. Awkward! What would you say to God?
Post peractum cogito ergo sum!
(I think, therefore, that I have finished this post!)