I ask because I have been viewing some of the questions that are on this thing. And I see that we ALL believe that there is a Super Natural being. We call Him different names but hey. I say Tom you say Tim. We saw the same thing, but from different seats. But my point is. Do these same people believe in the Devil. Because God is on Our side, if We ask Him to be. The Devil is out recruting, handing out flyers, sending demons in every house , every school, place of business, church, mas, temple. He wants things like this, to stir up everyones mind about their Belief. Making us second guess ourGod, but never thinking about him. The greatest trick the devil ever pulled, was convincing everyone he didnt exsist. So if you believe there is a Devil, who you gonna get to help defeat him. Because You can't!!!.
Thanks for you answers.
GB
2006-09-29 06:21:49 · 18 answers · asked by derek h 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Thats right. Im with ya ... How can anybody believe in a Devil but not a God
honestly do they think the Devil is as strong as God? He is not God or even on God's Level .. but people are so fooled and think the Devil is cool or fun or a party animal... Thats just sin over their eyes.. its the easy answer.. if they have to admit there is a God then what ...... That means effort.. change..... I pray for anybody who can admit the devil is real yet still deny the saving grace of Jesus...
2006-09-29 06:26:39 · answer #1 · answered by Christal 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
I like your approach to this, because unlike other christians, you seem to have used your braincells.
But I think in one point you went wrong: your "devil" was created by your church (I don't know when exactly, I am estimating between 800 and 1300 yeas ago), probably to have a opposition to their "only" god. They needed an opposite to their god, so to speak, to make their god look better. The more evil your opposite is, the better you are looking.
Now, they were combining several of the older deities (gods) and mixed them together. Pan was once the greek version of the celtic and saxon "Green Man", the protector of wildlife, inventor of the flute named after him, poet and lyrist. There was nothing evil about him at all. He had a goat foot, and that was copied into the (then new) "devil" picture.
The "horned one" also is a very old picture of older deities. Nothing bad or evil at all, it just personified the male aspect in nature. I have no idea how the church came even up with the idea to make that "evil", but they did. They needed an evil opposite.
Now, only the abrahamics (jewish, christians, moslems) believe in a devil. And only for them he (it?) exists.
Now, please don't get me wrong! Of course there is evil in the world, and among us people. Yes, unfortunately. BUT: that is not a kind of devil, that is within ourselves.
In my faith we are responsible for what we are doing, good and bad. If I would do something bad, it would be my own responsibility.
I could not say "But that wasn't me, the devil made me kill my neighbour" (or so...). I have the choice to do right or wrong, every day again, and I am solely and completely responsible for my choice. There is nobody else to blame. No demons, no devils, no gods, nobody but me.
I am extremely annoyed about christians who make "the devil" responsible for their evil deeds.
2006-09-29 13:45:48 · answer #2 · answered by albgardis T 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's advertised at God v. Satan. In reality it's God "needs" Satan. And I'm not saying this to be mean or flippant. Our world is a dichotomy. Light/Dark. Good/Bad. Female/Male. And on and on and on.
You cannot have a monotheistic "good" without something equally bad to counter it otherwise without comparison, the religion would not reflect the world we live in. Without that, no one would pay any attention.
There is nothing in this world that is all good or all bad. But, and this I find most interesting, given the fear that is instilled at the mere mention of Satan's name to the faithful, is he not being afforded the same or similar power to God? And if this is the case, then does that not automatically make your monotheism polytheistic?
In fact, I've come to the conclusion that the faithful give Satan more power than God. You have to be saved. You have to work at your relationship with God. Yet, by your own words, "The Devil is out recruiting, handing out flyers, sending demons in every house , every school, place of business, church, mas, temple." It seems to me that Satan is far busier and works a lot harder to get everyone's attention. Given that the faithful need God to defeat Satan, why isn't God working a lot harder to recruit people to his side let alone defeat this supreme evil one?
He's not because he needs Satan. So do the faithful. Without this evil entity, there would be no need for Christianity.
2006-09-29 13:39:52 · answer #3 · answered by gjstoryteller 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I do not believe in god or the devil. I don't think anything is so black and white. I can appreciate the attraction,; no questions -- no concerns about what is right and wrong. Credit good things to god, blame bad things on the devil.
But it doesn't ring true for me personally. I believe in shades of grey.
The "higher" power is all of us, because the total is greater than the sum of it's parts. So there's good, evil and everything inbetween, just like people.
2006-09-29 13:29:43 · answer #4 · answered by maeves_child 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
No, you're mistaken. We absolutely DO NOT "all believe that there is a Super Natural being." As to whether or not there is a devil, you might want to check out the link below, which refers to a Christian theologist's estimate that the number of demons is somewhere over 133 million (about half the number of angels).
2006-09-29 13:29:43 · answer #5 · answered by yahoohoo 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Since the "Devil" that you know from the christian teachings is an entirely christian invention, many non-christians do not believe in the "devil". Other religions have their bad or evil spirits, but usually in story form only... and not to be taken literally.
2006-09-29 13:40:19 · answer #6 · answered by Vita 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
For that to scare me I would have to believe in the devil too.
Can I scare you by telling you the monster from Alien is going to get you?
Same thing
2006-09-29 13:31:50 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I follow Jeus too - of course I believe int he devil. He is out and in the "game" of tearing down our churches. The Devil is out to get you with every means possible. I pray daily that God will open the eyese of those who are blinded by the devils lies.
2006-09-29 13:31:27 · answer #8 · answered by sfinva 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I believe in God...not the one Christians believe in...but I don't believe there's a devil. Is there evil, yes, but there has to be because you can't learn anything without it.
2006-09-29 13:34:21 · answer #9 · answered by emmie8750 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't believe in the devil. I believe the Buddhist teachings that say our Earthly state is the true hell, and the devil is the evil in us which makes us yern for more.
2006-09-29 13:28:12 · answer #10 · answered by the BUNNY 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋