Is Satan really evil?

Question

The reason I ask , (and as an atheist I do not believe that God or Satan actually exist as living entities) is simply this.

God appears many times in the Old Testamant. He orders the destruction of cities, the rape and pillage of whole cultures, the stoning of adulterers and minor criminals, the destruction of Soddom and Gomorrah, the death of the first born and helps Moses to drown an entire Egyptian army.

Satan, on the other hand appears twice. He tempts Eve to eat an apple, and tries to bribe Jesus to worship him.

Now, if these were the criminal records of two humans, which one would you label the petty criminal and which one would you label the sociopath?

Thank you all who answered, I thought this might cause a stir and it certainly did.

To all those who defended God's actions whatever they were on the grounds that his will can't be questioned, I would say that you had been brainwashed but I'm afraid that I don't think that possible because there is obviously nothing to wash.

Weaslewise, I would not argue against any belief that kept you on the straight and narrow, even if I thought it mistaken. If your belief makes you a better person then stick with it.

Phate, can we reasoably assume that you believe that the Spanish Inquisition, The Crusades, 9/11, the London underground bombings and all the suicide bombs in Iraq were done in a good cause and not mindlessly? After all, these acts were all committed by passionately religious people who believed that they were doing God's will.

Weaslewise ( again ) if the Bible is the word of God, then how come Satan can change it to his own ends? Surely God is more powerful than Satan and would stop such editing?
Sorry, but I don't read fiction much, so I won't take up your suggestion to read more of it than I already have.

Answer 1

I have been saying this for years. Satan punishes the evil, so how can he be bad? God has created the Earth, man, disease and all other hardships. Of course, it is always, 'God's will'. If I were a chemist and created a virus that would kill millions, I would be branded a genocidal maniac. God seems to do it on a daily basis.

Answer 2

I don't believe in the bible but assuming its all true (ye right)

well if we are talking about criminal records then gods is about 2 miles long and Satan's is about a page of A6. Satan is not evil, Satan is an idea to show the true power of human kind, god MIGHT have created the earth but it was a pretty dull place, all work and no play, but then humans got cracking and started building stuff and taming the land, and suddenly we had city's and sky scrapers and cars and stuff. personally i think humans have done a much better job on earth that god has. so as Satan is a representation of this i think he cant be evil. and i agree with some other comments, hell (if it exists) will be well fun, i hope all the members of black Sabbath and iron maiden end up there, id love to see them live (or dead as the case may be)

Answer 3

Thats a good question! I'm often in a quandry why God allows all this carnage to happen in his name. It seems that only evil is around when Gods name appears. But alas, I'm a broken down Christain, That has gut feelings about things, And Satan has wreaked havoc in my life with gusto. And God has pulled me out of the devils grasp every single time That I asked God for help. God loves us all. Wether you believe or not. I truelly believe in God. I CANNOT not believe, no matter what I do.
And yes, Have you actually read the bible? Satan knows everything about the bible and redoes the wording to suit his taste and that is your understanding. Read the bible, that YOU may understand

Answer 4

hahah... yea, i think you got it (no sarcasm intended)

actually... if you're talking human criminal records, satan there didnt actually break any laws... unless in certain situations (such as if he instead of tempting to eat an apple, he tempts kids to drugs, or bribes little boys to bed instead of jesus to worship) but in the case that satan did what he did, he broke no law.

HAHAH i think sometime i'm gona buy some apples and tempt people to eat them... should be fun. i'll dress up like satan.

do you know what year the egypt things happened? i want to know!

i think if hell is real then satan will have raves and listen to death metal, so i'm not too worried about that. but i don't think that's gona happen, because i don't believe in hell... but i think satan might be cool :)

but... i think people like to make excuses for the god killing stuff... i mean, look at the answers you see here :)

Answer 5

Good point made. I also don't believe in God or the Devil. I believe that there are historical figures and events in holy books to try and bring some reality to the bible etc.

Answer 6

Satan is a word which means something could be a person/s animal/s thing which strives to foil you so an angel could be a Satan but satin is not necessarily an angel angels tend to have el after their name to denote god as el is one of the names god had

Answer 7

No satan works for God for God is great and holy no one is equal to Him as It was written in Jeremiah He is the author of good and evil day and night.

Answer 8

Satan actually exsists within everyone everyone can be evil in one way or another look at history hitler for example. But we all try to tame one another of our evilness. But when you watch the news you see pure evil, as well as many other things.

Answer 9

WHOOPS! Ya performed misplaced your Magic. devil has,killed thousands and thousands, tortures others, suppressed rights of persons, began wars. And does a superb purchase greater. GOD on the different hand Is all Love. He has rid the Earth of hideous human beings, so vile that i can't permit you recognize roughly them. in spite of the shown fact that it incredibly is incredibly defined interior the previous testomony. devil = loss of life GOD = existence CB

Answer 10

The one true God is Addonay, who makes god and satan look like fishes!
read Memnock the Devil by Ann Rice! It's good and will explain alot about this evil/good stuff!