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BOOK WEBSITE: https://ygodallowsevil.com



Here's how the book ends:



"Perhaps more than anything else it is fear of deception that prevents people from turning to God in faith. As to this final, most critical issue, Søren Kierkegaard had the following to say:



'Indeed, one can be deceived in many ways; one can be deceived in believing what is untrue, but on the other hand, one is also deceived in not believing what is true; one can be deceived by appearances, but one can also be deceived by the superficiality of shrewdness, by the flattering conceit which is absolutely certain that it cannot be deceived. Which deception is more dangerous?... To cheat oneself out of love is the most terrible deception; it is an eternal loss for which there is no reparation... In the temporal world a man may succeed in getting along without love; he may succeed in slipping through life without discovering the self-deception; he may have the terrible success, in his conceit, of becoming proud of it; but in eternity he cannot dispense with love and cannot escape discovering that he has lost everything.'"



What are your thoughts on this quote? Was it a good way to end the book?

I like it. The quote is a powerful way of reiterating that our choice in this life to accept or reject God’s offer of divine love will forever determine our capacity to experience love with him in eternity. Most importantly, the quote reiterates that the acceptance of this offer is accomplished in the same way that we accept the offer of entering into loving relationships with people during this life—namely, we place at least some level of trust in them (i.e., we place FAITH in them; we BELIEVE in them). Without this step, love cannot occur.

I also like that Kierkegaard isn’t shy about stating the consequence of arriving into the direct presence of God in a state of faithlessness: those who do so have forever locked themselves out of entering into a loving relationship with God. As a result, they have “lost everything.” Ending the book with these words certainly leaves the reader with something to ponder.

I really loved this ending, and for some reason, it reminded me of a quote from my catechism: "What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and suffers the loss of his own soul?" Looking at it, there are many similarities to this: "In the temporal world, a man may succeed in getting along without love; he may succeed in slipping through life without discovering the self-deception; he may have the terrible success, in his conceit, of becoming proud of it. But in eternity, he cannot dispense with love and cannot escape discovering that he has lost everything."

This is a clear indication that wraps up everything about the book—how terrible it would be to face God's presence without embracing a loving relationship with God and the people encountered throughout life. It is compared to losing everything, and from the catechism, it sounds even scarier because it specifically concerns your soul. This is a powerful ending that stirs unavoidable reflection in readers. It's structured extremely well, and with this, we wonder what we must do not to lose everything and what we must do to gain everything in eternity.

I like the quote, it is very intriguing. I found Søren Kierkegaard's words very touching. He raises an important part of reality (Deception) which can be overlooked. The bible also states that even the elect would be deceived, if it were possible Matthew 2:24.

Truly deception is very dangerous. I can just imagine realizing later in life that what I believed my whole life was untrue and I was very adamant about it. Soren Kierkegaard asks the question: which of the deceptions is more dangerous?... and also gives an answer “ To cheat oneself out of love,is the most terrible deception”.

When I read all kinds of deceptions that he mentioned, it propels one to do a reality check about one’s own life and beliefs, because self deception sounds like the worst of all. It would be best for one to surrender any kind of deception to Jesus in love upon discovery, in so doing, a window of hope opens up and the pain of self infliction can be healed. But in spite of it all, love and faith still conquers if allowed.

Since all facts and arguments in the book were covered and explained in detail, Yes I do agree that it is a good way to end the book.

It is true that we can be deceived into believing what is untrue. It is also true that we can be decieved into not believing what is true. So what do I make of this? We should not worry too much about being deceived. With time we all learn who really loves us, who we can have faith in, how we can reciprocate love, and what our truth is. We must be quiet, and listen to our thoughts and follow that great quest for meaning that we all have. Be true to ourselves ( love ourselves) and be true to others(love others) Don't worry about deceit. Have faith. If someone decieves you, let them know that you know, and move on. Keep it simple. Illiterate people who cannot read this book are capable of loving and following God.

I think it’s true that there are various ways in which a person can be deceived, but I disagree with the end of the quote slightly. However, I do think it is fitting for the book.