In Vaishnavism, Vishnu and Siva represent two parts of a single equation, like milk and yogurt. So, Vishnu is the source of everything, and Siva is the destroyer, to make a fertile soil for the next cycle of existence. Siva seems to me to be a lot like the Devil: He carries a trident, possesses mystical powers, associates with ghosts and demons, etc., etc. But he's just part of God, like an expansion. Does this make sense to anyone else?
2006-07-04 18:50:42 · 29 answers · asked by Benjamin M 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
That's an interesting way to look at it... I never thought of that. It makes sense to me, there has to be good and evil. We all know God can be capable of doing evil things...so why not. Why can't he be both, and I don't think it wouldn't be a bad thing necessarily. hmm I'm going to be thinking about this for awhile. ( I believe in God and I don't think it's offensive either)
2006-07-04 18:57:39 · answer #1 · answered by James P 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
I can't speak for other religions i.e. Vaishnavism??
But in Christianity, God is good.
Destruction isn't necessarily a good thing, unless you're talking about a physical characteristic. But destruction of spiritual qualities is not desirable nor is it possible. You can't destroy honesty. You can't eliminate love. You can't do away with joy. Truth is always true. These are all spiritual qualities. Maybe someone can TRY to suppress the expression of these qualities, but the qualities in and of their own self, can't be destroyed.
So much for the destruction theory. Destruction is a human nature issue, not a godly issue.
We need to understand that God is omnipotent, omnipresent, and all-loving, all good. Good, because it is a godly quality, is indestructible and will supercede evil, or bad qualities. Jealousy, envy, hatred, anger, are all negative energies, but have no inherent power of their own. Being desctructive by nature, evil's only power is to SELF-destruct.
Jesus called the devil "a liar and the father of it". Evil can only pretend to have power. IF the devil REALLY had power, why didn't he just push Jesus off the ledge, when he was trying to tempt him?? He could have done away with him and been free to do as he wished. But all he could do was to TRY to fool Jesus. And Jesus didn't fall for the lies of the liar.
No, God is not both good AND evil. That is the human condition. God is better than man. God is god-like, not man-like.
So, to answer your questions:
No, I don't think the devil is God in disguise.
No it doesn't make sense. God isn't both good and evil. That polarity issue is a human fault, not an attribute of God.
2006-07-05 02:25:36 · answer #2 · answered by woodsygirl 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are 2 different persons. God is God and the devil is the devil. What and where ever you got those Siva and whatever are incomparable to these situation. What do you think of this topic comics? Your so shallow and doesn't know a thing about what you are talking about. And you don't make any sense at all!!!!!
God is the source of all good and the devil is the source of all bad things, OK.
God does not do disguises, He doesn't need it. And why? What He wants is you to know the real God, Himself. What you are thinking is a sin against God, did you know that? Now repent and pray.
2006-07-05 02:16:32 · answer #3 · answered by Kath 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Of course. That is similar to gnosticism where the god of the universe (the creator) and Satan are the same one. When god has a bad hair day he turns into Satan and gets angry and throws his toys around like a child (ie does floods and plagues). All the bad things that happen are just god’s evil side. Judaism makes much more sense than Christianity because their god reflects the reality (Yahweh is a god of war and destruction), the Christian god makes no sense because he’s supposed to be nice & kind but the reality says it’s not so.
2006-07-05 02:04:11 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
My, my you really need to read the Bible. Don't know where you came up with vishnu and siva. Sounds like hogwash to me.
God made the devil. The devil was an angel. Read the Bible
2006-07-05 01:56:29 · answer #5 · answered by luv2so2 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no, what you are saying makes no sense to me. The Devil is very real, and tempts us to do evil all the time. He loves it when we mess up, drink and do drugs, hurt others. God is the opposite of the Devil, but He is more powerful than the Devil. God is all about love. In the end days God will defeat the Devil and throw him into a lake of fire forever.
2006-07-05 01:58:25 · answer #6 · answered by winkcat 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Devil and God are necessary dualities. If only one existed we couldn't know or appreciate the other. How would we know that it was light. if it never got dark?
I have often wondered why God puts up with the Devil. Perhaps because the Devil might be God's evil twin.
2006-07-05 01:58:02 · answer #7 · answered by RON C 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Very different kind of question. The devil is of God, but does not possess the spirit of God in any way. Remember he was God's top angel and got too big for himself, believed his own PR and thought he was greater than God! He went way too far and got himself booted out of heaven forever and into the pit of hell. Poor fool! We must not be so easily led by every whim and doctrine we find. Know God and you will not even have to question who the devil is. Trust me, he is NOT God. Amen.
2006-07-05 01:56:10 · answer #8 · answered by the Goddess Angel 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In Wicca, they believe in the dualiity of each god and goddess. Each can be both good and evil, depending on their moods.
But Christians believe in the totality of God's goodness and the totality of Satan's evil.
Hard to figure out at times, since if God were omnipotent as it is said, then why would he have created Satan in the first place, if he knew what would occur later?
2006-07-05 01:56:46 · answer #9 · answered by da_lizard_of_ozz 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes! And the fact that some of the most heinous people on the face of the Earth have professed their loyalties to "God", I think there's a crack in the facade that is too apparent to ignore. Satan very well could hold his services on Sunday.
2006-07-05 01:53:58 · answer #10 · answered by rattwagon 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋