Why is the devil, Lucifer described with horns, goats hooves, and bat wings and tail?

Question

I am tired of that discription being used. That is a discription of the god Pan except for the tail and wings. I refuse to accept that Pan is the devil, he is the god of shepards, flocks and general good times. Can ANY christian give me the exact bible passage that discribes Lucifer in this manner? I think not. How about it?

I am a witch and am familiar with the Baphomet (a benevolent deity). Also Uncle Bucky's big blue book of Witchcraft, (Raymond Buckland's book). Is not all that informative, I am an initiated witch in the NROOGD tradition. The Witches Bible is far better for info.

I am looking for the exact biblical passage that gives the description.

Answer 1

I know in Revelation 12 the tail mean he deceived 1/3 of the angels in heaven and was cast out of heaven. I think the horns are the many nations he will deceive, never remember read the hooves and bat wings, Oh he is describe as a chesrub, which has wings.

Answer 2

He isn't described in the bible but he has been depicted in many forms. The form you described sounds more like Baphomet than Pan. The Baphomet is an image which supposedly came about during the suppression of the Knights Templar. The Baphomet is thought by some to have been worshiped by Freemasons.

As a Wiccan, I have looked into this and came to the conclusion that either it was wholly made up, or that those who used the image had no idea what it was. Pan is actually a very minor god in the Greek belief system and, is actually considered somewhat of a joke to the Olympian gods. I find it hard to believe that people would choose such a minor deity to visually represent evil.

Answer 3

I believe that the reason why the devil is popularly portrayed as a horned and hooved being is because of Pan and other pagan forest gods. When Christianity was spread through Europe, the early Christians demonized the pagan gods. The Horned God and the Goat God were both very popular fertility deities, so to get the people to stop worshipping these deities, they were turned into devils. Over time, it became part of the folklore that this is what the devil looks like.

Me, I don't understand how he turned red.

Answer 4

The Catholic church began to perpetuate that description as a way to bring the masses over to themselves. It's an amalgam of a Hindu demon and European horned gods.

If you're curious, read Raymond Buckland's "Complete Book of Witchcraft," the introduction. It's very informative.

Answer 5

Everyone should know by now the Bible, or what´s left of it, has been re-written and compilated over the centuries.
There´s no such a thing as a Devil featuring the shape of Pan.
The real "devil" is inside our thoughts and inside our hearts.We need to fight our own demons, instead of believing "Hell" is a far , distant place, somewhere "below", with flames and all ......
For me "hell" is a very cold and lonely place , where I´m not able to feel Love and sympathy.(call me "weird" if you want, I´ve been called that before).
Maybe they just sticked to Pan´s figure and turned his figure from a joyfull God into a scary one because it´s a fact that women went away from home to celebrate ,and went into trances during his (and other pagan gods and godesses festivities) and had sacred, ceremonial sexual intercouse.They needed to keep women at home, quiet as mice, instead of celebrating life.
Well, guess what?
God is a woman too!
BTW: Lucifer was the name given to God´s once fave angel. and it means "Light-bearer or Light-bringer" (latin) so people should avoid talking about "Lucifer" when they want to talk about "the devil" (duh! as if there was only one "devil")
there, i said it.
Thanks.,

Answer 6

I don't think the devil really has horns, hooves, and a pointed tail.

Answer 7

read Revelations 12

Answer 8

to scare you!