Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Liquidrage · 10-18-2002, 05:51 PM

I don't understand the common useage of Satan.

God creates everything.
Eventually angels.
But angels don't have free will.
So how could Satan eventually choose to be "bad"?

From another angle...

It is commonly said that all evil comes from the temptations of Satan.
But then, who first tempted Satan?

Maybe someone can invoke Quantum Mechanics, improbability and a Bong to show that Satan used a leap in quantum states to travel back in time and tempt himself.

Marduk · 10-19-2002, 07:03 AM

It’s no different than any other Religious dogma, if you actually stop and think about it for a little bit, it makes no sense at all.

sighhswolf · 10-19-2002, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Liquidrage:
<strong>I don't understand the common useage of Satan.

God creates everything.
Eventually angels.
But angels don't have free will.
So how could Satan eventually choose to be "bad"?

From another angle...

It is commonly said that all evil comes from the temptations of Satan.
But then, who first tempted Satan?

Maybe someone can invoke Quantum Mechanics, improbability and a Bong to show that Satan used a leap in quantum states to travel back in time and tempt himself.</strong>

I really think a lot of this contradiction and seemingly incoherent crap about Satan and Lucifer
is nothing more than a poorly designed effort to reduce the multitude of pagan gods to monotheism.
In egyptian mythology their gods were both bad and good and through proper appeasement even the bad or evil gods could be placated into being forces for good.
So the gods served dual roles and there were many of them.
Christianity decided that there was only one god,
and he was the author of everything good.
He could not serve a dual role and still be the image the early church fathers wanted to present to their followers.
Enter the need for a bad guy....and a poorly conceived one at that.

Wolf

Boro Nut · 10-21-2002, 03:29 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jove:
<strong>Problems with Satan</strong>

Problems with Satan? Don't make me laugh. You want to try living next door to the bugger.

Boro Nut

The Naked Mage · 10-21-2002, 02:48 PM

Lucifer and Satan are not the same person.

Lucifer - AKA the Morningstar - was a "rival" deity worshipped by a "rival" clan that the Hebrews (surprise!) wiped out.

And the whole Satan being cast out of Heaven spiel isn't in the Bible. The credit should go to John Milton for the innovation.

Incidentally, no connection was ever made between Satan and the "serpent" in the Garden in Genesis. One gets the impression from Job that Satan is not truly God's enemy, but rather, a cohort.

Marduk · 10-21-2002, 03:03 PM

"And the whole Satan being cast out of Heaven spiel isn't in the Bible. The credit should go to John Milton for the innovation."

aaah, but it is in the Book of Enoch (my favourite) which once was part of the Bible but didn't make the final cut.

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10-18-2002, 05:51 PM	#11
Liquidrage Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Tallahassee Posts: 1,301	I don't understand the common useage of Satan. God creates everything. Eventually angels. But angels don't have free will. So how could Satan eventually choose to be "bad"? From another angle... It is commonly said that all evil comes from the temptations of Satan. But then, who first tempted Satan? Maybe someone can invoke Quantum Mechanics, improbability and a Bong to show that Satan used a leap in quantum states to travel back in time and tempt himself.

10-19-2002, 07:03 AM	#12
Marduk Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: the 10th planet Posts: 5,065	It’s no different than any other Religious dogma, if you actually stop and think about it for a little bit, it makes no sense at all.

10-21-2002, 02:48 PM	#15
The Naked Mage Veteran Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: The Execution State, USA Posts: 5,031	Lucifer and Satan are not the same person. Lucifer - AKA the Morningstar - was a "rival" deity worshipped by a "rival" clan that the Hebrews (surprise!) wiped out. And the whole Satan being cast out of Heaven spiel isn't in the Bible. The credit should go to John Milton for the innovation. Incidentally, no connection was ever made between Satan and the "serpent" in the Garden in Genesis. One gets the impression from Job that Satan is not truly God's enemy, but rather, a cohort.

10-21-2002, 03:03 PM	#16
Marduk Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: the 10th planet Posts: 5,065	"And the whole Satan being cast out of Heaven spiel isn't in the Bible. The credit should go to John Milton for the innovation." aaah, but it is in the Book of Enoch (my favourite) which once was part of the Bible but didn't make the final cut.

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