Why is Lucifer considered the 'bad guy'?

Question

In Greek mythology, the titan Prometheus gifted mankind with the secret of fire, and knowledge. He was exiled by the other gods, but venerated by the people to whom he gave the gifts of sentience and technology.

In Aztec mythology, the feathered serpent Quetzlcoatl gifted mankind with fire and technology. He was exiled by the other gods, but venerated by the people to whom he gave the gifts of sentience and technology.

But when Lucifer, the "Light Bringer" convinces mankind that they'd be better off with knowledge and free will, rather than frolicking naked in some stagnant flower garden, he's cast as the ultimate villain.

Later myths combine Lucifer and Satan, borrowing heavily from the Zoroastrian Lord of Darkness, but in that Genesis myth, it's obvious that it's Lucifer who gives mankind the gift of sentience, and thus technology.

So why are the Abrahamic traditions the only one to hate the being that gave us sentience?

Answer 1

First, Lucifer is NOT Satan's "given name" (neither is "Satan" for that matter- it's merely a title meaning "Devil" and "Slanderer")

Concerning the confusion of this name (and in the long run answering your question):
"• Is Lucifer a name that the Bible uses for Satan?

The name Lucifer occurs once in the Scriptures and only in some versions of the Bible. For example, the King James Version renders Isaiah 14:12: “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!”

The Hebrew word translated “Lucifer” means “shining one.” The Septuagint uses the Greek word that means “bringer of dawn.” Hence, some translations render the original Hebrew “morning star” or “Daystar.” But Jerome’s Latin Vulgate uses “Lucifer” (light bearer), and this accounts for the appearance of that term in various versions of the Bible.

Who is this Lucifer? The expression “shining one,” or “Lucifer,” is found in what Isaiah prophetically commanded the Israelites to pronounce as a “proverbial saying against the king of Babylon.” Thus, it is part of a saying primarily directed at the Babylonian dynasty. That the description “shining one” is given to a man and not to a spirit creature is further seen by the statement: “Down to Sheol you will be brought.” Sheol is the common grave of mankind—not a place occupied by Satan the Devil. Moreover, those seeing Lucifer brought into this condition ask: “Is this the man that was agitating the earth?” Clearly, “Lucifer” refers to a human, not to a spirit creature.—Isaiah 14:4, 15, 16.

Why is such an eminent description given to the Babylonian dynasty? We must realize that the king of Babylon was to be called the shining one only after his fall and in a taunting way. (Isaiah 14:3) Selfish pride prompted Babylon’s kings to elevate themselves above those around them. So great was the arrogance of the dynasty that it is portrayed as bragging: “To the heavens I shall go up. Above the stars of God I shall lift up my throne, and I shall sit down upon the mountain of meeting, in the remotest parts of the north. . . . I shall make myself resemble the Most High.”—Isaiah 14:13, 14.

“The stars of God” are the kings of the royal line of David. (Numbers 24:17) From David onward, these “stars” ruled from Mount Zion. After Solomon built the temple in Jerusalem, the name Zion came to apply to the whole city. Under the Law covenant, all male Israelites were obliged to travel to Zion three times a year. Thus, it became “the mountain of meeting.” By determining to subjugate the Judean kings and then remove them from that mountain, Nebuchadnezzar is declaring his intention to put himself above those “stars.” Instead of giving Jehovah credit for the victory over them, he arrogantly puts himself in Jehovah’s place. So it is after being cut down to the earth that the Babylonian dynasty is mockingly referred to as the “shining one.”

The pride of the Babylonian rulers indeed reflected the attitude of “the god of this system of things”—Satan the Devil. (2 Corinthians 4:4) He too lusts for power and longs to place himself above Jehovah God. But Lucifer is not a name Scripturally given to Satan."

(Taken from Questions From Readers 09/15/2002 Watchtower by Jehovah's Witnesses)

Answer 2

The word “Lucifer” was first used in the early Latin translation of the Bible known as the Vulgate. The word was never used in any of the original texts. The root word is the Latin for light, a root found in “lucid”, luminous and translucent. The Latin refers to light, a euphemism for the devil:

12 “ How you are fallen from heaven,
O Lucifer,[a] son of the morning!
How you are cut down to the ground,
You who weakened the nations!

The New King James, taken from the Vulgate

12 How you have fallen from heaven,
O morning star, son of the dawn!
You have been cast down to the earth,
you who once laid low the nations!

The New International, in this case a more literal translation.

Lucifer and Satan are one and the same. Lucifer is the Devil. Lucifer is the source of evil. He did not bring enlightenment, nor did he allow free will. He facilitated dissent and rebellion. He did so with a lie: “You shall not die”.

Odd, don’t you think, that the oral traditions of the Native Americans contain stories about visitations from gods and spirits, and reference to a great flood? Are these not just fables of deluded Jews and Christians? Or, are they based in fact?

Free will is the gift of creation, given by the Creator. Some types of knowledge are dangerous, especially incomplete knowledge. The responses within this question thread serve as evidence.

I rest my case.

Answer 3

Because he set himself against God. The name "Lucifer" appears in the KJV only in Isaiah 14:12 and means "morning star." He enjoyed an exalted status that must have appealed too much to his vanity.

The description of Lucifer in Isaiah 14:12-16, particularly that he was cast down to earth, corresponds closely to the account in Revelation 12:7-13, whereby a being referred to variously as Satan, the devil, the devil, the accuser, the great dragon and the serpent of old was thrown to earth for rebelling against God. (NASB 1995).

The other references to his angels, see Matthew 25:14, unmistakably demonstrate that Lucifer and Satan are the same being.

Answer 4

Lucifer is a name that is much later in history than the Scriptures. It is the serpent that convinces Adam and Eve to defy God. Others have connected the serpent to Lucifer. The only reference to Satan (the Adversery) are in much later writings, and after the Jews had gone to Babylon, where it is possible they picked up the idea from Zoharasterism.

Answer 5

Despite all the Jesus freaks that will absolutely hate me after i say this, Lucifer has never hurt a human being, unlike god who has screwed us over many times, and Lucifer actually helped us in some ways.....I am agnostic and don't necessarily believe in god but 1: religion is a joke, and 2: god seems like a dick if he really is real, and don't think i am a devil worshiper because I worship nobody, im simply giving credit were it is do.

Answer 6

Satan, or Lucifer, or the father of lies—call him what you will—is real, the very personification of evil. His motives are in every case malicious, and he convulses at the appearance of redeeming light, at the very thought of truth. Number two, he is eternally opposed to the love of God, the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and the work of peace and salvation. He will fight against these whenever and wherever he can. He knows he will be defeated and cast out in the end, but he is determined to take down with him as many others as he possibly can. I especially ask you to sit up and take notice. For you, let me mix in an athletic analogy. This is a life-and-death contest we are in, young men, so I am going to get in your face a little, nose to nose, with just enough fire in my voice to singe your eyebrows a little—the way coaches do when the game is close and victory means everything. And with the game on the line, what this coach is telling you is that to play in this match, some of you have to be more morally clean than you now are. In this battle between good and evil, you cannot play for the adversary whenever temptation comes along and then expect to suit up for the Savior at temple and mission time as if nothing has happened. That, my young friends, you cannot do. God will not be mocked. He will get you whether you believe in him or not. No person can be unrepentant of sexual transgression or profane language or pornographic indulgence and then expect to challenge others to repent of those very things! You can’t do that. The Spirit will not be with you, and the words will choke in your throat as you speak them. You cannot travel down what someone called “forbidden paths” and expect to guide others to the “strait and narrow” one—it can’t be done.

Answer 7

You can blame St. Jerome. When he translated the Vulgate (the Bible into Latin) he chose to use the word "Lucifer" in reference to one of Isaiah's prophecies about a Persian king falling from heaven. I believe it was a conscious choice: the Persian king was the instrument of God's judgment and deliverance, but would himself be judged for his self-exaltation. Jerome recognized the parallel to the myth of Lucifer, bringing light into the world, but then "falling from the heavens." [Just in case you don't remember, Lucifer was associated with the planet Venus: the brightest object in the night sky, yet it never gets higher than a few degrees above the horizon before it "falls" back to earth.] When the passage was put side-by-side with the passage in Revelation about the fall of Satan from heaven, it's original intent was wholly obscured and it was reinterpreted to apply to the Devil. Jerome's choice of "Lucifer" then gave the myth a whole new meaning.

Peace to you.

Answer 8

Because he is bad. He came to steal, kill, and destroy. He knows his time is short and he is unleashing , trying to gert all the souls he can. He doesn't want what is good for you. He will show you good things and send his evil ones to convince you but once he has you he doesn't need to work on you anymore. Whereas Jesus will never be finished with you. He will be with you till the end and be your guide and help. Satan is a liar Jesus can not tell a lie. Satan is a deceiver but, Jesus could never deceive. Satan would never die for you but, Jesus did. Figure it out. Which is good and which is evil.? Jesus wants the very best for you------satan just wants YOU SOUL Heaven is peaceful and beautiful with a street of pure gold-----hell is torment with gnashing of teeth and unspeakable pain. Heaven is love, no tears, no pain, and know heartache. Hell is just the opoisite. MY ,MY where to go? Your choice and my prayer is that you make the right choice before it's too late. Our time is VERY short on this
earth. The prophicies have been fulfilled and Jesus could come at any time. Maybe while you are reading this.

Answer 9

Lucifer means 'light bearer'...

Satan means obsessed, or accuser.

Prometheus, and Quetzalcoatl are archetypes, Prophets, teachers of mankind - historical figures whose teachings has altered as their societies fell into confusion again. That is the "fall" of Lucifer into Satan - it pertains to human understanding of divine teachings, not the Prophets themselves. We are currently in the latter state for many people, and Baha'u'llah brought the teachings of the "light bearer" again, to overcome the decay of "satanism" the previous faith(s) has fallen into.

That is my understanding, to overcome evil with good is the Law of the Prophets, and Manifestations of God, and this repeats itself cyclically.

God bless.

Answer 10

because our world was governed by christ and his followers under free will and emotion, while lucifer was cast away by the choice of god. his world would have been governed by happiness to all and that everyone was good. but god beleive that christ's idea of having the choice to be good or evil was better. now and days lucifer temps people into his will to mess with god out of jealousy. basically he is the master of manipulation and was turned into the bad guy because of god

Answer 11

Lucifer Is Good