Does the devil know what we're thinking?

[surritter]

I’ve heard it said that the devil does not know the future (other than the fact that he will eventually be cast into Hell forever). I can agree that he doesn’t know the future.

I’ve also heard it said that the devil doesn’t know what we’re thinking. Is that true? Catholic theology says that we can be tempted by the devil, so to tempt us I presume he can plant thoughts in our head. So why he can project thoughts into our mind, but can’t see what we’re thinking? It’s just two directions on the same street.

Another related issue – if the devil can’t know our unverbalized thoughts, then if I’m praying to my guardian angel, he can’t hear me either. Or does God permit the GA to know our unverbalized thoughts? I’d hate to think that all this time I was supposed to be audibly speaking to my GA!

 

[Joe_5859]

I’ve heard it said that the devil does not know the future (other than the fact that he will eventually be cast into Hell forever). I can agree that he doesn’t know the future.

I’ve also heard it said that the devil doesn’t know what we’re thinking. Is that true? Catholic theology says that we can be tempted by the devil, so to tempt us I presume he can plant thoughts in our head. So why he can project thoughts into our mind, but can’t see what we’re thinking? It’s just two directions on the same street.

Another related issue – if the devil can’t know our unverbalized thoughts, then if I’m praying to my guardian angel, he can’t hear me either. Or does God permit the GA to know our unverbalized thoughts? I’d hate to think that all this time I was supposed to be audibly speaking to my GA!

I don’t know that there’s any defined dogma in this regard, but I suppose a good book on angelology would address these questions. (You might try the section on angels in Aquinas’ Summa.) I have heard things similar to what you have said.

Here is my take, which is not based on anything. I would assume that the difference between praying to your guardian angel and having the devil read your thoughts is all about permission. God respects our free will. He does not force Himself upon us. Thus, if you give your permission for Him to have your guardian angel (or any of the saints) hear your internal prayer (permission you implicitly give when you pray to them), I have no reason to think they wouldn’t hear you. Having the devil “eavesdrop” on your thoughts is a different matter.

Recall, too, that the devil is a very intelligent creature. He’s probably a master at reading body language, not to mention how familiar he is with our fallen human condition. Thus, I’m sure he can probably guess much of what we’re thinking just by observing us.

As far as the “projecting thoughts”, that’s a good question. Perhaps the devil can do that. Or perhaps we credit him with such things that we really do to our selves because of our concupiscence. I’ll have to think about that one.

 

[larrylec]

C.S. LEWIS did a good job of answering this in the Screwtape Letters. No the devil can’t hear what we are thinging but they can make a good educated guess. And most of the time they are probally right. Personally, I believe that God does permit our guardian angels to hear any prayers which we direct towards them.

 

[Dan_Parker]

I don’t know that there’s any defined dogma in this regard, but I suppose a good book on angelology would address these questions. (You might try the section on angels in Aquinas’ Summa.) I have heard things similar to what you have said.

Here is my take, which is not based on anything. I would assume that the difference between praying to your guardian angel and having the devil read your thoughts is all about permission. God respects our free will. He does not force Himself upon us. Thus, if you give your permission for Him to have your guardian angel (or any of the saints) hear your internal prayer (permission you implicitly give when you pray to them), I have no reason to think they wouldn’t hear you. Having the devil “eavesdrop” on your thoughts is a different matter.

Recall, too, that the devil is a very intelligent creature. He’s probably a master at reading body language, not to mention how familiar he is with our fallen human condition. Thus, I’m sure he can probably guess much of what we’re thinking just by observing us.

As far as the “projecting thoughts”, that’s a good question. Perhaps the devil can do that. Or perhaps we credit him with such things that we really do to our selves because of our concupiscence. I’ll have to think about that one.

I am curious as to why one would pray to an angel. The account that comes to my mind is that Daniel prayed to Yahweh and then God sent Gabriel.
NJB Daniel 9:18 Listen, my God, listen to us; open your eyes and look at our plight and at the city that bears your name. Relying not on our upright deeds but on your great mercy, we pour out our plea to you. 19 Listen, Lord! Forgive, Lord! Hear, Lord, and act! For your own sake, my God, do not delay – since your city and your people alike bear your name.’ 20 I was still speaking, still at prayer, confessing my own sins and the sins of my people Israel, and placing my plea before Yahweh my God for the holy mountain of my God, 21 still speaking, still at prayer, when Gabriel, the being I had originally seen in vision, swooped on me in full flight at the hour of the evening sacrifice. 22 He came, he spoke, he said to me, 'Now, Daniel; I have come down to teach you how to understand.

 

[surritter]

Dan –

Just because something is recounted in Scripture doesn’t mean that’s the only possibility in all times and all places. It reminds me of some Protestants who use 1Tim 5:23 to say that we must drink a little wine when we have an upset stomach and never any other medicine.

So the real question is whether or not you believe that God gives each of us angels to help us in the spiritual battle. If you do believe that, then of course it makes sense to “pow-wow” with said angel even if we detect no response.

If you don’t believe that, then we can try to address that in this thread.

 

[Joe_5859]

I am curious as to why one would pray to an angel. The account that comes to my mind is that Daniel prayed to Yahweh and then God sent Gabriel.
NJB Daniel 9:18 Listen, my God, listen to us; open your eyes and look at our plight and at the city that bears your name. Relying not on our upright deeds but on your great mercy, we pour out our plea to you. 19 Listen, Lord! Forgive, Lord! Hear, Lord, and act! For your own sake, my God, do not delay – since your city and your people alike bear your name.’ 20 I was still speaking, still at prayer, confessing my own sins and the sins of my people Israel, and placing my plea before Yahweh my God for the holy mountain of my God, 21 still speaking, still at prayer, when Gabriel, the being I had originally seen in vision, swooped on me in full flight at the hour of the evening sacrifice. 22 He came, he spoke, he said to me, 'Now, Daniel; I have come down to teach you how to understand.

Why Catholics pray to the angels and saints is another topic for another thread (and a topic that has been discussed many times before). Feel free to start up a separate thread for that topic.