views on the christian devil

[Morgandria]

Aryain Flames

The whole image of the devil (not the idea, but the way he looks) comes from the Pagan Horned God. When the Christain Anglo-Saxons were busy converting the Germanic Pagans to Christanity, the protrayed the Pagan God as the devil, hence, the Pagans were devil-worshippers and needed to convert to save their souls.

I've seen enough sources that mention Pan being reimaged as the Devil, during my literary wanderings - but always specifically Pan, not a soft polytheistic 'Horned God'.

I wasn't aware that the Germanic pantheon had anything close to a 'Horned God'. confused  

[ncsweet]

In Witches God: Lord of the Dance (p. 33 according to Google books) I think it mentions something relating the Horned God to the Devil. I don't have a copy of the book myself, so I can't read the whole passage. I do know that Triumph of the Moon discusses the Pan correlation in detail (somewhere around p. 46).  

[whiporwill-o]

ncsweet

In Witches God: Lord of the Dance (p. 33 according to Google books) I think it mentions something relating the Horned God to the Devil. I don't have a copy of the book myself, so I can't read the whole passage. I do know that Triumph of the Moon discusses the Pan correlation in detail (somewhere around p. 46).

thanks for the references. biggrin heart  

[Katsumi Aki]

This may sound rude, but I personally believe that Christianity is a method of getting people to behave well by presenting a large threat, a.k.a: an eternity of flame and pain run by pure evil a.k.a. Satan. Don't get me wrong, I have respect for Christianity, it's the same respect that I have for all religions: keep to yours, and I keep to mine. I just find it all too hard to believe in. If I offended someone, someway, I'm very sorry. I just don't/can't believe most of it.

 

[Violet Song jat Shariff]

Katsumi Aki

This may sound rude, but I personally believe that Christianity is a method of getting people to behave well by presenting a large threat, a.k.a: an eternity of flame and pain run by pure evil a.k.a. Satan. Don't get me wrong, I have respect for Christianity, it's the same respect that I have for all religions: keep to yours, and I keep to mine. I just find it all too hard to believe in. If I offended someone, someway, I'm very sorry. I just don't/can't believe most of it.

So how do you account for Christians who genuinely love the faith and are not bullied in by the threat of Hell?  

[Katsumi Aki]

Violet Song jat Shariff

Katsumi Aki

This may sound rude, but I personally believe that Christianity is a method of getting people to behave well by presenting a large threat, a.k.a: an eternity of flame and pain run by pure evil a.k.a. Satan. Don't get me wrong, I have respect for Christianity, it's the same respect that I have for all religions: keep to yours, and I keep to mine. I just find it all too hard to believe in. If I offended someone, someway, I'm very sorry. I just don't/can't believe most of it.

So how do you account for Christians who genuinely love the faith and are not bullied in by the threat of Hell?

I was debating on whether or not to go into that, since this is about Satan in particular, and not Christianity in general. I'll try to keep it short-ish.

That's the aspect of Christianity that I have the most respect for, it's when people generally want to do good, and when they long for that close spiritual connection with God. I may have negative views on the religious beliefs themselves, but I have nothing against Christians. Aside from the group (notice I say group, not all) of Christians who are bigoted, and feel it's their right to force Christianity on everyone else, but that applies to any follower of religion. I hope I conveyed my point in an understandable manner. I don't hate Christians, or even Christianity for that matter, I just largely disagree with it.

 

[raging-earth]

I believe Satan exists, but that's because I also believe that demons exists. To me, Satan is just another demon that specializes in making a nuisance of himself to those of the Christian faith and as a result, he gets a lot more attention and props than the other demons do.

...Reading over that, I sound kind of flippant, but that really is how I view it.

 

[CaramelSpicedMocha]

well, my family is christian, so i did research on him and found that he isn't exactly what people think he is. for one, his name is lucifer, which means 'light bringer' in latin, bringer of hope. also, though i haven't really read it, it says that he is a dragon (not in exact words) and that he ISN'T just an eviler demon. i can't remember all the details, but i know that much  

[whiporwill-o]

inuyoukia

well, my family is christian, so i did research on him and found that he isn't exactly what people think he is. for one, his name is lucifer, which means 'light bringer' in latin, bringer of hope. also, though i haven't really read it, it says that he is a dragon (not in exact words) and that he ISN'T just an eviler demon. i can't remember all the details, but i know that much

he isnt a demon at all anyway, he's a fallen angel and a tempter of man, and most people know that his name is lucifer aka the devil aka satan and so forth. from what i gather, in my readings, he may as well be a shapeshifter as he takes many forms, not just a dragon or a serpent. wink  

[raging-earth]

inuyoukia

well, my family is christian, so i did research on him and found that he isn't exactly what people think he is. for one, his name is lucifer, which means 'light bringer' in latin, bringer of hope. also, though i haven't really read it, it says that he is a dragon (not in exact words) and that he ISN'T just an eviler demon. i can't remember all the details, but i know that much

What is your source?
From the Christian perspective, Lucifer is only Satan through tradition, not actual fact. The Bible never states that Lucifer is Satan. Instead, it is a term used to describe a King of Babylon in Isaiah 14:12, along with the term "satanic". In other parts of the Bible, 2 Peter 1:19 for example, "Lucifer" was used in the original text and later translated into morning star and is not connected to Satan/the Devil at all. They are, in fact, two separate beings.

Sources: ApologeticsPress.org, the Amplified Bible, BibleGateways.com, Apostolic.net

And, as a side note, Lucifer is never mentioned in the Hebrew bible. There is no denying that Lucifer is someone/something fallen from Heaven (most likely an angel), but he's clearly not Satan. In fact (and I can't remember which source speaks of this or if I offered it above, if not I apologize), Lucifer wasn't labeled as Satan until around the Middle Ages.

...i'm drawing my own history.