Jonsey3333

It reminds me of the claim many Christians, Muslems, and Jews make that all other religions are the work of Satan (or their eqivalent). They have faith in that, but why do they lack faith that Satan is behind their own relgion? For example, how can you KNOW that Satan didn't write the Bible?

-Mike

Tercel

They presuppose it of course! -Just ask Theophilus...
Slightly more seriously:
But how can you ever know anything? How do you know that the world exists and is not simply an illusion placed in your mind by Satan? How do you know that Satan isn't thinking for you? Ah, the slippery slope of Epistemology...
The answer is probably that you presuppose that the above is not true. There are enough problems with beliefs without considering the case that a deity might be tricking us! Same with your suggested possibility.

On the other hand I suppose it could be rationally argued on evidential grounds that Satan didn't write the Bible because of Christian religious experience: No doubt Pentecostals will be quick to inform you that their experiences are wholesome, fullfilling etc which it is rather difficult to attribute to Satan. Also it is doubtful that Satan would command us to love each other and God and not to murder or steal or practice witchcraft or case out demons etc, and it certainly seems unlikely he'd write a book where he's the bad guy who gets wasted... but I suppose you never know...

Or from a pragmatic point of view: If the Satan of the Bible wrote the Bible then it seems that the Bible is actually correct (well, inductively from Satan's factual existence anyway) and thus it doesn't really matter who wrote it.

Tercel

David Gould

I can think of many reasons why Satn might write an appealing theology that is however subtly incorrect and that will lead its adherents to Hell.

As Satan, you are not going to attract too many followers if you make them feel all 'ooky' every time they commune with you, or if you order them to kill their neighbours.

Instead, how about ordering them to follow a set of contradictory instructions that can be interpreted in many different ways and that does not lay out a single clear path to salvation at all?

Of course, this argument presupposes that God is powerless to prevent Satan subverting his message.

I think the following rule applies: if something can be explained by either conspiracy or stupidity, pick stupidity every time.

The Bible was not subverted - it was simply poorly written in the first place...

saint

What if there isn't only one God and Satan. Maybe there is a set of Gods (think greek/roman mythology) vying for the love and affection of human kind, with Satan, and other angels, wanting just as much worship as God himself (thinking of God as Zeus). In which case if Satan did write the bible he depicted himself as God, and the real God as Satan. Anyway I think this is better discussed in the thread "Satan and the Bible" (located in the philosophy forum)

Thank you for clarifying my definition. I feel the same as you about the suspension of judgement for Santa Clause and the Easter Bunny, but just as God you can not prove that they do not exist to someone with unwavering belief in them.

Jesus Tap-Dancin' Christ

False. The people who told me that there was a Santa Claus, and an Easter Bunny, told me that there really wasn't.

saint

What's false? The fact that theists don't believe in Santa or the Easter Bunny? I agree with that statement. My question is WHY they don't put the same credulity in other stories of deities as they put in stories of their personal deity. For example why do some Christians have faith in God and not in Angels? When the bible explicitly describes both of them.

Jonsey3333

Remeber: cut and paste. That's how any Bible-based religion works.


By the way.... I'm thinking about starting up a Christian Athiest denomination, based off Psalms 14:1 "There is no God." Anyone wanna join?

-Mike

Thor Q. Mada

Good thinking, yes, there is a good chance that if god exists, organized religion is the making of the devil. Look at history and tell me who is wrong, and read the bible of which Nietzsche rightly said: "one does well to put on gloves while reading the bible. The presence of so much uncleanliness almost forces one to do this", and look at faith of which Ambrose Bierce said:" belief withhout evidence in what is told by one who speaks without knowledge of things without parallel.