Does Satan (The Devil) Actually Exist?

[Veritass]

I almost had to go with #1, "He is the lack of God," except for the use of "he."

God is the sum of everything in the universe, created inside an Infinite Intelligence that makes it all work together, biased on the side of an Infinite Love that makes it all work together for the highest good.

Evil is the absence of good, the turning away from goodness. There is no force for cold, only a lack of heat. There is no force for darkness, only a lack of light. There is no force for evil (Satan), only the lack of goodness.

 

[Kozmos]

Of course the Great Satan is the USA. /joke

 

[puglover]

I believe there was a first causer of evil, who dragged humanity into his fall. His name was Lucifer, or Satan, and he still works today.

 

[GenMarshall]

Oh there is such a thing as Satan who was a fallen angel who tried to challenge and rebelled against God. Now he is in the center of the Earth where he belongs .

 

[puglover]

Now he is in the center of the Earth where he belongs .

He is? When did that happen?

EDIT: 6K postcount is mine! Bwhahahahahahaha!

 

[Tycoon101]

I almost had to go with #1, "He is the lack of God," except for the use of "he."

God is the sum of everything in the universe, created inside an Infinite Intelligence that makes it all work together, biased on the side of an Infinite Love that makes it all work together for the highest good.

Evil is the absence of good, the turning away from goodness. There is no force for cold, only a lack of heat. There is no force for darkness, only a lack of light. There is no force for evil (Satan), only the lack of goodness.

Oh. I made myself a mistake. I don't believe that God or Satan can be confined to a gender either, 'twas just a typo.

God vs Satan. He-Man vs Skeletor. All the same to me.

Archetypes, fantasies, simple metaphors to explain away more complex ideas.

I don't believe in good or evil, only human actions exist, and our reaction.

So are humans above other animals? Are they any better than animals if they cannot say that there is right or wrong? If I kill someone, is that just a human action? Should I be prosecuted for the murder, or can I just say that "I'm a human, humans should be expected to kill."?

Oh man... First real thread I start, and it spawns another.

Thank you for giving me the idea in the first place.

 

[El_Machinae]

Of course the Great Satan is the USA. /joke

Man, I'm really enjoying your recent conversion.

I don't believe in Satan, though I believe in the abstract concept of evil. Not that it exists as a force or power, but as something that can be logically defined. Much like pi can be defined.

To me, the Christian concept of Satan is illogical; if only because the guy who knew God best of all decided to turn on Him. Heck, the average Christian knows God less well, and does not actually turn on God. I know very few believers who do so.

 

[El_Machinae]

Should I be prosecuted for the murder, or can I just say that "I'm a human, humans should be expected to kill."?

Absolutely, I am also human, and should be expected to prosecute! Unless you think that prosecuting is a non-human action?

 

[Tycoon101]

Absolutely, I am also human, and should be expected to prosecute! Unless you think that prosecuting is a non-human action?

But where did humans first formulate their ideas of law? It was religeon I believe, so why should we listen to a rule code that is based on religeous teachings?

They may make sense outside of religeon, but we need to think them over if all religeons are deemed to be nonsense.

 

[ironduck]

Oh there is such a thing as Satan who was a fallen angel who tried to challenge and rebelled against God. Now he is in the center of the Earth where he belongs .

Well, uh, ok..

Does that mean he's encapsulated in solid iron? Kinda like being in cryo-freeze, only it's really really hot and compressed..

 

[puglover]

To me, the Christian concept of Satan is illogical; if only because the guy who knew God best of all decided to turn on Him. Heck, the average Christian knows God less well, and does not actually turn on God. I know very few believers who do so.

I don't know about you, but I turn on God every day. I think I can do better, that he's wrong, or I ignore his warnings all together. Satan was just prideful, decieving himself in his mind. Such pride is in our nature, it is not something alien or illogical for a rational being to act upon it.

 

[Kan' Sharuminar]

Oh there is such a thing as Satan who was a fallen angel who tried to challenge and rebelled against God. Now he is in the center of the Earth where he belongs .

I was under the impression he and his brethren fell though Chaos for some time before becoming part of Hell, where they drew their plans against us. Earth is quite seperate.

Or so Milton says

 

[El_Machinae]

But where did humans first formulate their ideas of law? It was religeon I believe, so why should we listen to a rule code that is based on religeous teachings?

They may make sense outside of religeon, but we need to think them over if all religeons are deemed to be nonsense.

Would evidence that even animals punish those who don't conform to social structures help this argument? i.e., animal communities have rules, too, and they have a punishment system too.

 

[superisis]

You did have the option of believing in God but not Satan, so I picked other.

 

[Tycoon101]

Would evidence that even animals punish those who don't conform to social structures help this argument? i.e., animal communities have rules, too, and they have a punishment system too.

Fine then. Since we have found a suitable starting point for our law, let us follow ALL the animal rules!

Now the President can sleep with anyone he wants!

 

[Kan' Sharuminar]

Fine then. Since we have found a suitable starting point for our law, let us follow ALL the animal rules!

Now the President can sleep with anyone he wants!

I don't think that's quite what he meant.

 

[Masquerouge]

Fine then. Since we have found a suitable starting point for our law, let us follow ALL the animal rules!

Now the President can sleep with anyone he wants!

He can't?

 

[Tycoon101]

He can't?

Look at the monster that we made of Clinton for... Oh, never mind. Too many young CFCers here.

But still, it makes sense, the Alpha Male gets whomever he wishes.

 

[El_Machinae]

Fine then. Since we have found a suitable starting point for our law, let us follow ALL the animal rules!

Now the President can sleep with anyone he wants!

You'll notice that I said that the animal society punishes people who don't conform to the society's rules. So - you're absolutely able to try to become President and sleep with anyone you like (which, btw, was a GREAT example) - but don't expect society to accept your behaviour, or even succor you.

 

[Kozmos]

Somehow I doubt Bush is the Alpha Male.