Should we like Satan?

[benidict]

How bout, SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL? Is this allowed?

 

[Rock_Happy]

Now God “likes” Satan enough to keep him around for His own purposes.

And since Christians are to like what God likes, then should we like Satan too in some way?

Religious systems all seem to require something like Satan. Even Buddhism puts the concept of yin and yang forward. Without light there is no darkness, without good then no evil. There is a basic recognition that each is a part of the other, in some sense.

 

[benidict]

Religious systems all seem to require something like Satan. Even Buddhism puts the concept of yin and yang forward. Without light there is no darkness, without good then no evil. There is a basic recognition that each is a part of the other, in some sense.

It seems to be one of those universal truths. You cannot have light with out darkness, male without female. etc. Its about balance.

 

[Rock_Happy]

It seems to be one of those universal truths. You cannot have light with out darkness, male without female. etc. Its about balance.

Yes, and this feeds the soul. What would art, literature, music be without the tension of light and dark or good and evil? More than one critic have pointed out that Satan is a more “likeable” figure than God in Milton’s Paradise Lost.

 

[benidict]

Yes, and this feeds the soul. What would art, literature, music be without the tension of light and dark or good and evil? More than one critic have pointed out that Satan is a more “likeable” figure than God in Milton’s Paradise Lost.

I found the Screwtape letters from C.S. Lewis more than a little confusing myself. He actually sounded like the good guy? Is this right? your thoughts.

 

[Curious_Seed]

Now God “likes” Satan enough to keep him around for His own purposes.

And since Christians are to like what God likes, then should we like Satan too in some way?

What’s not to like?

I’m sure he likes you too.

 

[PJM]

=fakename;7865417]Now God “likes” Satan enough to keep him around for His own purposes.

And since Christians are to like what God likes, then should we like Satan too in some way?

That dear friend is about as close as the East is from the WEST.

Satan is around to TEST US; our Faith our, Love of God, our FREEWILL choices. It has nothing to do with God’s Will as seen from the perspective of GODS DESIRE!

God’s Desire is that ALL SOULS BE SAVED; But insist that WE OURSELVES MAKE THE CHOICE:thumbsup:

God Bless,

Pat

 

[Tantum_ergo]

Now God “likes” Satan enough to keep him around for His own purposes.

And since Christians are to like what God likes, then should we like Satan too in some way?

Where did you get the idea that “God <> Satan enough to keep him around for his own purposes?”

 

[Rock_Happy]

I found the Screwtape letters from C.S. Lewis more than a little confusing myself. He actually sounded like the good guy? Is this right? your thoughts.

Well, Satan is more “human” and makes a figure that we can identify with. We are tempted moment by moment. Most of us are not villainous, but there are the many small failings. I don’t know about you, but I have no personal concept of what it would be like to be God - a perfect and omnipotent being. However, I do know more of what it is like to have Satan’s pride, or his other failings… So, yes the villain is often much more accessible than the hero.

 

[RedSoxFan]

Mark,

You say that the devil is merely the absence of good, and I’m not sure what I think of that. Or what the Church teaches. I’ve often heard that Hell is the absence of God. While I agree that these are aspects to evil and Hell respectively, how does one come to the conclusion that evil isn’t a substance in it’s own right but merely the absence of such? How do you (I’m guessing that you hold this to be true) come to the conclusion that Hell is nothing more than the absence of God?

Currently I do not understand how this could be so.

Thanks!
~RSF

 

[Rock_Happy]

Where did you get the idea that “God <> Satan enough to keep him around for his own purposes?”

Just guessing, but maybe because every drama needs a villain? But more seriously, God could have destroyed Satan, or clipped his wings more, could He not have?

 

[PJM]

=meltzerboy;7867260]Yes, Satan is one of the angels in heaven. However, he spends most of his time away from home, here on Earth tempting us. This is one of the jobs given to him by G-d, in addition to being the Angel of Death and the executor of G-d’s sentence of separation. Satan’s main purpose is to teach us to exercise our free will for the purpose of resisting his temptation and doing good. He is not considered a fallen angel and is not in competition with G-d, just as none of the other angels are. Judaism has no conception of an ultimate battle between Satan and G-d, or between humans and G-d. The real battle is within ourselves: between being tempted by Satan and learning to resist the temptation and thereby becoming more godly.

My dear friend in Christ;

Jewish Brother or not, your responce is not the Christian; not the Catholic and certainly not God’s view.

We need to understand that satan is REAL; is in competation with Christ for our souls, and respect Satans emense Powers. “Like him?” NO! I think not!

Satans PURPOSE is to get us to FREELY CHOOSE HELL!

Peace!

Pat

 

[meltzerboy]

My dear friend in Christ;

Jewish Brother or not, your responce is not the Christian; not the Catholic and certainly not God’s view.

We need to understand that satan is REAL; is in competation with Christ for our souls, and respect Satans emense Powers. “Like him?” NO! I think not!

Satans PURPOSE is to get us to FREELY CHOOSE HELL!

Peace!

Pat

I never stated this is the Christian or Catholic view of Satan. Rather, it is the Jewish view, and Jews believe it is G-d’s view as well. As a Catholic, you were undoubtedly brought up to believe that Satan is The Fallen Angel, but that is not the conception of Satan in Judaism. Neither did I say that Satan is not real, nor that we should like him. He’s just not regarded in Judaism as the “absolute bad guy” that both Christianity and Islam perceive him to be.

 

[John21652]

I never stated this is the Christian or Catholic view of Satan. Rather, it is the Jewish view, and Jews believe it is G-d’s view as well. As a Catholic, you were undoubtedly brought up to believe that Satan is The Fallen Angel, but that is not the conception of Satan in Judaism. Neither did I say that Satan is not real, nor that we should like him. He’s just not regarded in Judaism as the “absolute bad guy” that both Christianity and Islam perceive him to be.

Meltzerboy, when I read what you wrote about Satan I nearly fell off my chair. What you are saying is that Satan is an angel operating under dierect orders from God. Wow, doesn’t that raise a whole lot of theological questions!

I must admit I’d never heard this view expressed before and so I did some quick Googling of the subject. Most of what I read states that Satan is a metaphor, not a real angel in heaven. One site I found said what you wrote, that Satan lives in Heaven and is given the job of testing us. So, to confront my confusion I phoned a good friend of mine who is a very good practicing Jew. He reiterated the metaphor story line and said God cannot contradict himself which would be the case if Satan actually lived in heaven, operating under instructions from God, tempting people to do evil. According to my friend, Satan is metaphor for the internal struggles we all face when choosing between good and bad. What say you?

 

[Rock_Happy]

Why do you suppose that evil needs to be personified? There appears to be something in human nature which desires this.

 

[meltzerboy]

Meltzerboy, when I read what you wrote about Satan I nearly fell off my chair. What you are saying is that Satan is an angel operating under dierect orders from God. Wow, doesn’t that raise a whole lot of theological questions!

I must admit I’d never heard this view expressed before and so I did some quick Googling of the subject. Most of what I read states that Satan is a metaphor, not a real angel in heaven. One site I found said what you wrote, that Satan lives in Heaven and is given the job of testing us. So, to confront my confusion I phoned a good friend of mine who is a very good practicing Jew. He reiterated the metaphor story line and said God cannot contradict himself which would be the case if Satan actually lived in heaven, operating under instructions from God, tempting people to do evil. According to my friend, Satan is metaphor for the internal struggles we all face when choosing between good and bad. What say you?

John, what I said about Satan is based on what I learned way back in Hebrew school, as well as more recently. According to my knowledge, Satan DOES exist, is directed by G-d to tempt mankind, wishes Man to resist his temptation (as G-d does), serves also as the “escort” Angel of Death upon Man’s demise, and executes G-d’s sentence of separating Man from G-d, after Purgatory, when Man is not worthy of Heaven. Satan tests our G-d-given free will; he is devious and cunning and, in this sense, “evil.” (As far as G-d’s contradicting Himself by ordering Satan, an angel in Heaven, to do evil, I’m not sure. G-d Himself ordered Abraham to kill his son, Isaac. And what about Job? Is testing Man’s free will a form of evil per se or rather a means of strengthening Man’s faith in G-d?) But he is also under G-d’s command and cannot disobey G-d. He spends most of his time on Earth but does “officially” reside in Heaven. In folklore, Judaism also believes in “minor” demons, or evil spirits, but Satan is not regarded as one of them. Judaism’s very firm belief in G-d’s omnipotence does not allow for ANY other being to vie with G-d’s might, including Satan.

HOWEVER, knowing what I know about Judaism, except for Maimonides’ “Thirteen Principles of Faith”–a kind of creedal dogma (although not as codified as Catholicism’s dogma and doctrines)–there is room for disagreement and debate among Jews about many other teachings, even within so-called Torah (Orthodox) Judaism. It is not beyond the realm of possibility that some Jews consider Satan as a metaphor rather than a real entity or presence, although that is not my understanding.

 

[RosaryFan]

Now God “likes” Satan enough to keep him around for His own purposes.

And since Christians are to like what God likes, then should we like Satan too in some way?

God commands us to LOVE (not “like”). There is a big difference between love and like. To love someone (such as your neighbor) is to want their salvation. That doesn’t mean we have to have warm, adoring feelings toward them. It simply means that we must do what is necessary for the salvation of their souls.

Since satan cannot be saved, loving him would be a fruitless effort and useless. Liking him is not what God commands.

 

[mangy_dog]

People people…stick to the sound doctrine.

This whole “liking and loving Satan” is not the sound doctrine and quite the contrary it is a snare of the devil.

Love God - reject Satan. Keep it Simple S_____.!

 

[PJM]

=meltzerboy;7877624]I never stated this is the Christian or Catholic view of Satan. Rather, it is the Jewish view, and Jews believe it is G-d’s view as well. As a Catholic, you were undoubtedly brought up to believe that Satan is The Fallen Angel, but that is not the conception of Satan in Judaism. Neither did I say that Satan is not real, nor that we should like him. He’s just not regarded in Judaism as the “absolute bad guy” that both Christianity and Islam perceive him to be.

OK I HAD that comming!

So what is the Jewish view of satan and why ought we on Catholic Fourm need to know it.

I’m not being a smart alec here; just don’t understand the revelance BUT am REALLY curious of your teachings [as it used to be ours]

God Bless Brother,

Pat

 

[meltzerboy]

OK I HAD that comming!

So what is the Jewish view of satan and why ought we on Catholic Fourm need to know it.

I’m not being a smart alec here; just don’t understand the revelance BUT am REALLY curious of your teachings [as it used to be ours]

God Bless Brother,

Pat

Pat, you don’t have to learn about it or believe in it; however, it’s something I think might be interesting to know. Why do I have to know Catholic dogma and doctrines? Besides working in a Catholic university and having Catholic friends, I’m simply interested in learning. Since this Forum’s membership is not limited to Catholics–and there’s even a Non-Catholic Religions section, though not this one–I was just responding to the question of the OP. If you’re interested, I discussed the Jewish view in previous posts. Besides, I also find it curious how Christianity, followed by Islam, changed the Jewish perspective of Satan.