Giving the Devil His Due

[Thief]

Well compared to god the devil doesn't kill so much, in the OT god is responsible for over 2 million deaths, while the the devil can hold his hands up to 10. That's pretty outstanding eh?

he was given credit....well almost
for having killed the children of Job

but Job declared....the Lord gives.....the Lord takes away

that denied the Devil of the deed he played

but then again.....would it not be the play of the Devil?
to get YOU to do the killing

 

[Thief]

how about?.....as Adversary
the Devil's only desire is to undo......YOU

that your spirit would perish altogether
right after your last breath

and the creation of Man.....designed to form a spirit on each occasion of life
fails to form ANY spirit

I have in many threads posted
the Fallen want you dead

not just in body
but in spirit as well

 

[ChristineM]

he was given credit....well almost
for having killed the children of Job

but Job declared....the Lord gives.....the Lord takes away

that denied the Devil of the deed he played

but then again.....would it not be the play of the Devil?
to get YOU to do the killing

That doesn't change the death count

But you mean like many of gods murders where he gets his followers to massacre Moabites, Philistines, Benjamites etc

 

[Thief]

That doesn't change the death count

But you mean like many of gods murders where he gets his followers to massacre Moabites, Philistines, Benjamites etc

and Sodom and Gomorrah

and the first born of Egypt

and etc etc

but as Job said....the Lord gives...the Lord takes away

so?....maybe?......the Devil remains in second place
even to deeds of great harm
God is the Greater Performer

and the Devil is jealous

 

[PureX]

Traditionally, the character of "satan" in literature is friendly, charismatic, clever, and amiable. Often, he is depicted as being unable/unwilling to tell a lie. He does, however, refrain from revealing the whole truth.

He promises us whatever it is that we want most in life, and he delivers it, as promised. And at first we are very pleased with the arrangement. But in time we begin to discover that the thing we wanted so badly is turning out not be as wonderful as we originally thought it would be. And of course the 'deceiver' did not tell us this would happen. He didn't tell is it wouldn't happen, though, either. In fact, he didn't lie, he simply let us deceive ourselves with our own desire.

Eventually the "gift" we wanted so badly becomes a horrible curse, and our lives become a living hell because of it. And there is no way to 'undo' it. The lesson of these stories should be obvious to us, but we humans are a selfish, greedy, short-sighted lot, and we fall prey to our own desirous deceptions all the time. Which is why these stories in one variation or another have been around so long.

 

[PureX]

If anyone's interested, a couple of my favorite depictions of "satan" in literature are Fyodor Dostoyevski's novel "The Brothers Karamozov", when the middle (intellectual) brother, "Ivan", has a couple of long conversations with "satan". And another "satan" shows up in several of Isaak Beshevis Singer's short stories (though I don't recall exactly which ones). Both are world class writers that everyone should know.

 

[sun rise]

He has a fabulous rubicund complexion, a stylish prehensile tail
with fashionable barbs on the tip, & those horns....those gorgeous
pointy crowns. And they're no lowly keratin & chitin protuberances.
They're made of pure evil.

I know who his press agent is.

 

[sun rise]

I went to scripture to find my post for this thread and found this:

"Where you found the real McCoy, the real grace and the real heart-stopping evil, was right inside the human mind.”
― Terry Pratchett, Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch

 

[Onoma]

I typically list attributes when asked to describe God

I have not attempted the same for the Devil

but now I am tempted

how about a little help?

got some manner to make recognition?
some outstanding attribute?.....only the Devil might be

Hebrew concordance says he's a hairy and / or a he- goat

 

[Revoltingest]

I know who his press agent is.

Pro bono too!

 

[A Vestigial Mote]

The list for either is really, really short in my book, and doesn't plausibly go any further

God:
1. Very likely doesn't exist.

Devil:
1. Very likely doesn't exist

At this, why would I even trouble myself with the "rest" of their attributes? How would I know I was right? The above are the only two things I actually have a good idea I can attribute them with. And if you want to simply assume their existence (as so very, very many seem hell-bent on doing), then just change the above to "Acts like he doesn't exist" in both cases. Boom. Lists complete for the believer and nonbeliever alike.

 

[ChristineM]

and Sodom and Gomorrah

and the first born of Egypt

and etc etc

but as Job said....the Lord gives...the Lord takes away

so?....maybe?......the Devil remains in second place
even to deeds of great harm
God is the Greater Performer

and the Devil is jealous

Still doesn't change the score

Perhaps someone who has only commited 10 murders deserves more respect than someone who has commited more than 2 million, even if you do excuse the 2 million because hour god did it and not another god?

 

[Onoma]

Maybe New Testament writers were trying to draw your attention to something with this:

χξϛ

 

[A Vestigial Mote]

and Sodom and Gomorrah

and the first born of Egypt

and etc etc

but as Job said....the Lord gives...the Lord takes away

so?....maybe?......the Devil remains in second place
even to deeds of great harm
God is the Greater Performer

and the Devil is jealous

Why is it that you think that fluff and nonsense like this is any sort of answer to the actual point(s) being raised? I honestly picture you interpretive-dancing around your home office with a keyboard in your hand with all the "weaving of a tale" you seem to try and work your posts up to be. It's distracting, annoying and insufficient. You're not actually saying much of anything worthwhile here. "the Lord gives... the Lord takes away?" And this does what? Excuses God of anything He does against humanity? Does it? That would be no better than saying that anything God does is "right" just because He's God. Which would mean that even if He did exactly what the devil (supposedly) does, it would then be "right" just because it was God doing it. Your reply is no better than that... and that's a worthless mess.

 

[Jimmy]

I typically list attributes when asked to describe God

I have not attempted the same for the Devil

but now I am tempted

how about a little help?

got some manner to make recognition?
some outstanding attribute?.....only the Devil might be

He's a lying, conniving, kind, intelligent, handsome man

 

[robocop (actually)]

I typically list attributes when asked to describe God

I have not attempted the same for the Devil

but now I am tempted

how about a little help?

got some manner to make recognition?
some outstanding attribute?.....only the Devil might be

Give the devil his due...
he never gives up on anyone, except Jesus Christ after the 3 temptations.

 

[Father Heathen]

What if Lucifer is just a freedom fighter rebelling against tyranny?

 

[sun rise]

What if Lucifer is just a freedom fighter rebelling against tyranny?

He is if he gets to write the history books.

 

[Thief]

Why is it that you think that fluff and nonsense like this is any sort of answer to the actual point(s) being raised? I honestly picture you interpretive-dancing around your home office with a keyboard in your hand with all the "weaving of a tale" you seem to try and work your posts up to be. It's distracting, annoying and insufficient. You're not actually saying much of anything worthwhile here. "the Lord gives... the Lord takes away?" And this does what? Excuses God of anything He does against humanity? Does it? That would be no better than saying that anything God does is "right" just because He's God. Which would mean that even if He did exactly what the devil (supposedly) does, it would then be "right" just because it was God doing it. Your reply is no better than that... and that's a worthless mess.

Devil's Advocate?

for someone who didn't make a try at describing the Devil
your depiction of me......rings a bell

ask not for whom the bell tolls.....

 

[Thief]

What if Lucifer is just a freedom fighter rebelling against tyranny?

what if He wins?