Do you think that many people worship Satan without even realizing it?

Question

What is Satan besides a metaphor for our infatuation with the five senses, power, lust, greed, etc.???

I don't think you have to perform "Satanic Rituals" in order to be completely under Satan's boot.

I think most of us are completely helpless when it comes to obeying our perverse minds. Anyone who puts money, sex, ego, posessions, social status, etc. as a priority are practicing Satanists.

And that includes me, and in all likelihood, YOU.

All we have is God's grace to save us from our own downward tendencies. . .left on our own, we'd run smiling to hell.

Answer 1

In ancient Jewish tradition Satan is simply an angel doing the work that God assigned to Satan to do.

The word Satan means challenger. With the idea of Satan challenging us, or tempting if you will. This description sees Satan as the angel who is the embodiment of man's challenges. This idea of Satan works closely with God as an integral part of Gods plan for us. His job is to make choosing good over evil enough of a challenge so that it becomes clear to us that there can be only one meaningful or logical choice.

Contrast this to Christianity, which sees Satan as God's opponent. In Jewish thought, the idea that there exists anything capable of setting itself up as God's opponent would be considered polytheistic or setting up the devil to be an equally powerful polarity to god or a demigod.

Oddly, proof for The Christian satan/devil mythology is supposedly found in the ancient Jewish texts that were borrowed to create the bible. One can’t help but wonder how Christians came up with such a fantastically different interpretation of Gods assistant Satan in their theology.

Other hints about Satan’s role in human relations can be seen if you look at the name Lucifer. It’s meaning in the original tongue translates as Light bearer or light bringer. Essentially the bringer of enlightenment. The temptations of the Satan idea bring all of us eventually into Gods light. Hardly the Evil entity of Christian mythology.

Love and blessings
don

Answer 2

Absolutely! Most people today don't even realize that Satan is real let alone realize the extent of his influence on the world. However the Bible itself says Satan is the ruler of this system of things which is obviously no surprise to you._ Revelation 12:9. He can be likened to a criminal who tries to erase his fingerprints from the scene of the crime, yet we know a crime was committed. Similarly Satan would not want people to know he's behind the problems in the world.
Since Satan was hurled to the earth in 1914, after Jesus became enthroned as King in heaven, we have seen an increase in lawlessness, crime, wars, the moral breakdown as well as many other problems in society. If you think about it Satan is known for being cruel, deceptive, and wicked. All too often people in today's world's reflect these same traits so it's no wonder why the world is the way it is._ John 5:19
Like you touched on, Satan uses many subtle traps to ensnare us. He effectively uses the "desires of the flesh" and the "showy displays of ones means of life" to mislead the vast majority of people._ 1 John 2:16 He also misleads people by nationalism and false religion. Under Satan's influence, man's excessive pride in one's country and sinful nature to dominate others has resulted in nations rising against one another and killing each other._ Ecclesiastes 8:9; Matthew 24:7. Also like you said we don't necessarily have to be "devil worshippers" to be under the influence of Satan. As the scripture brings out Satan, who is really behind the source of confusion, keeps transforming himself into "an angel of light." Even those there's thousands of religious denominations including the various sects of Christianity, Jesus even said that not everyone saying, "Lord, "Lord, will enter the kingdom but the ones doing his father's will._ Matthew 7:21; 2 Corinthians 4:4: "among whom the god of this system of things has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, that the illumination of the glorious good news about the Christ, who is the image of God, might not shine through."

There is no straddling the fence; we're either on Jehovah God's side or on Satan's side._ 1 Corinthians 10:21
Although imperfect we can avoid his influence by "keeping our senses" and being watchful._ 1 Peter 5:8. Those not doing this will inevitably be "overreached by Satan."_ 2 Corinthians 2:11. Once we accept the reality and allow God to make us firm and strong we take a stand against Satan and put ourselves on God's side._1 Peter 5:9,10
If your interested here's some more links about this.
http://www.watchtower.org/library/w/2002/10/15/article_02.htm
http://www.watchtower.org/library/dg/article_09.htm

Answer 3

The only people who worship satan are self proclaimed Satan worshipers. Even Satanists don't worship the devil.

I guess it could have been worse. I had suppossed that you would have been a christian bigot who thought that all other religions were inspired by the devil.

Answer 4

So just doing our own thing, not having faith or belief but living our own moral lives is worshipping the devil?

Hm.

Sounds like God has a lot to learn from Satan then.

Answer 5

a individual can no longer "worship devil w/o understanding it; they could purely worship their thought of God or Divinity in the way terrific perfect to them. after all, "devil" is a medieval Christian invention. illiberal, judgemental, and paranoid people merely desire to show arms at people and tell them that their perception structures are invalid and diabolic or "Satanic." this type of questioning particularly resulted in the torture and deaths of tens of hundreds of people (scientists, philosophers, individuals healers, and individuals who have been unlliked by potential of their kinfolk and friends ) in the time of Europe between approximately years 1200 and 1700. the overpowering majority of people who have been killed pointed out themselves as Christians yet their fellow Christians thought in any different case and tortured and killed them. Now the religious and cultural variety is the norm and is secure by potential of regulation, particular Christians are returned freaking out with regards to the ideals and customs of people who're diverse from them and are nonetheless calling for blood.

Answer 6

I am quite sure they do! Very true, the heart (desires) of us all is base and self pleasing. Scripture makes it very clear that there are those who "think" they are Christian but "unknown "by God meaning they are not. If we don't serve God however we perceive Him, we serve another "master" "self" "Satan" etc. However, quite true it is that the way of God thru grace saves those of us who wish to turn to Him from our downward tendecies. God calls us all to "discipline"!

Answer 7

Worship is a conscious action. You don't worship something without knowing it.

Most people don't believe Satan even exists.

...or your god, for that matter.

Answer 8

See you there! Love, Satan.

Answer 9

Any time we do something that God does not want us to do, we are worshiping Satan.

Answer 10

I'm Goth so that means I worship my black clothes and white make-up!