Are God and Satan the same?

[John Hunter]

Hi everyone. I was reading this book called "Every Waking Moment" (the one by Kristopher Seals on Amazon not the other ones with the same name) and I saw that the character was questioning whether God or Satan were the same. The character (Bobby) pointed out several things that the two had in common, and even had God in violation of the seven deadly sins. Does anyone agree with this?

 

[Acim]

I do not see God and Satan as the same. But also do not see them, in reality, as vastly different.

I think from the less informed perspective, and maybe from the perspective of Satan, the two are not just vastly different, they are diametrically opposed.

I feel from the more objective perspective, that it is understood that God is Creator of Satan, and Satan made a choice that resulted in 'loss of God' or separation from Kingdom. I actually believe that is entirely on Satan and that as far as God is concerned, Satan never left, as there is nowhere else to go. I find opposition to God is not possible and/or unreasonable.

I also believe that Satan may already have fully realized the error, is fully restored to the Kingdom, but so called followers of Satan are perpetuating a myth that it is possible to oppose God and that if you do it enough or well enough, you can be with Satan for eternity.

 

[Jabar]

I disagree.

 

[EtuMalku]

Only in the Gnostic faiths do you find the God of this world to be anything similar to the Devil

 

[George-ananda]

Hi everyone. I was reading this book called "Every Waking Moment" (the one by Kristopher Seals on Amazon not the other ones with the same name) and I saw that the character was questioning whether God or Satan were the same. The character (Bobby) pointed out several things that the two had in common, and even had God in violation of the seven deadly sins. Does anyone agree with this?

No, I see the two as opposites.

 

[Subhankar Zac]

In Abrahamic faiths they both are different which is weird cuz that would mean the Abrahamic God didn't create everything.
A celestial being who out of ego turns evil and wreaks havoc on everything yet in the chapter of Job, God and Satan who couldn't stand each other are having fun on the miseries of his devotee.
Also, in the primary stages of the old testament, Satan remained as a term without any human form. The term simply meant rebel or adversary.

In Hinduism, Devil, demons, humans, celestial beings, animals, plants, insects and the most abominable beings in the cosmos are but manifestations of Krishna.

In agnostic Chinese philosophies, both are two complimentary forces without a physical representation that keeps the other in balance.

In some philosophies like Buddhism, they are two perceptions of the human mind. The devil represents anxiety, greed, fear of education, ignorance, envy and arrogance while the Godly aspects are tranquility, humility, equanimity, submission and devotion towards education of all sorts, generous and humility.

Generally I take the Hindu, buddhist and ancient Chinese philosophical explanations as I highly doubt that anything could exist without the permission by the supreme.

 

[quasi-star-chaos]

To me, the terms "God" and "Satan" are basically just abstract ideas. I don't really believe in either one in a concrete or literal sense. To the extent that I do reference the names, I'm usually talking about the ideas, aspects, or values that I perceive them as representing. I view the archetypal "God" as being powerful (though not necessarily all-powerful), spiritual, authoritative, and dogmatic; whereas I view the archetypal "Satan" as rebellious, anti-authoritarian, skeptical, and carnal. In this sense I suppose the characteristics I ascribe to each idea would be opposites, but I still consider the two beings as merely ideas, so in that sense I would say they are alike.