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Why is it socially acceptable to talk about God and angels but not Satan and demons?
Those guys are way too conservative for me!Southern Baptist
Not progressive/liberal ones thoughSome Christians are absolutely obsessed with Satan, demons and Hell.
Why is it socially acceptable to talk about God and angels but not Satan and demons?
Well, I don't think you will be tortured by Satan, or anything like thatOh I don't know, it often seems that religious folk will tell me I'm bound for satans playground.
Well, I don't think you will be tortured by Satan, or anything like that
In our culture, deliberately making people lose face is generally frowned upon unless it's already established that you're in an adversarial relationship with them (and if you are in an adversarial relationship, you're unlikely to be chit-chatting with them in social settings).Why is it socially acceptable to talk about God and angels but not Satan and demons?
People don't like it when generally accepted knowledge is contested. We rely on generally accepted knowledge. Also in society when you open a discussion about something controversial it requires the person who answers to reveal something about themselves. Even if they say "I don't want to talk about it" that reveals something about themselves.Why is it socially acceptable to talk about God and angels but not Satan and demons?
Yes, is God either not all mighty or not all good/loving?In our culture, deliberately making people lose face is generally frowned upon unless it's already established that you're in an adversarial relationship with them (and if you are in an adversarial relationship, you're unlikely to be chit-chatting with them in social settings).
Satan and demons are, for the most part, features of religions that believe in a monotheistic, omnimax god. No god that's all-good would knowingly create - or start a process that would lead to - Satan and demons, so bringing them up in polite conversation effectively amounts to pointing out a major hole and flaw in the belief systems that could very well be believed in by a big chunk of the people present in whatever social setting you're in.
Pointing out this hole and flaw can be seen as embarrassing for those believers, causing them to lose face.
... which, again, is frowned upon.
When we're talking about what's socially acceptable and unacceptable, it's usually about our impacts on other people, so it's the other person's beliefs and point of view that are what matter.Yes, is God either not all mighty or not all good/loving?
That's a very interesting thing to ponder
I'm inclined to see him as not being more loving than a human can be and as being constrained by certain things
I don't think he exercises all his powers and I don't think he is inclined to
Also, I believe he consults beings who are lower than him but higher than us, that he is like the president of a republic rather than a king, although this is not at all biblical
AbsolutelyWhen we're talking about what's socially acceptable and unacceptable, it's usually about our impacts on other people, so it's the other person's beliefs and point of view that are what matter.
I rarely talk about God and angels but Satan and demons plenty.Why is it socially acceptable to talk about God and angels but not Satan and demons?
Meaning the latter exist, while the first don't?I rarely talk about God and angels but Satan and demons plenty.
Well, I talk about Harry Potter, Father Xmas and the Loch Ness Monster - oh and Brexit Benefits.Meaning the latter exist, while the first don't?
Yes, that is my understanding tooPeople that are superstitious (and that would be the people you're wanting to talk to, I assume) tend to feel that to speak of and discuss such spiritual entities is to invite them into your presence. And for obvious reasons they are not going to want to do that regarding devils and demons.
This is what I believe:Oh I don't know, it often seems that religious folk will tell me I'm bound for satans playground.