Greetings Shadow Wolf. Thanks for your replies and conversing with me. I hope your day is going well.
In Judaism Satan is a loyal and obedient angel who does nothing withiut Yahweh's permission.
Christians reinvented him into the Devil.
In Judaism all things act according to God's will. As it is in Christianity. Many people seem to make the mistake of thinking that if one acts in opposition to what God has said then you've somehow thwarted the will of God.
In Christianity the being which has been conceptualized as the embodiment of evil has been given the proper name Satan instead of the informal appellative noun denoting the particular action or role a being may be performing at any one moment as in Judaism's Hebrew connotation of the term satan in the tanakh. The Hebrew root of the word's meaning is primarily to "obstruct, oppose". Thus when a being is acting as a satan it is acting in opposition as in I Sam. 29:4 or obstruction as in obstructing a mans path as in Num. 22: 22,32. Generally playing the part of an adversary. Generally speaking a "Satanic" being accuses man, emphasizing his worst qualities and the worst of his worth before God.
I think that, ironically, most Satanists are misunderstanding Christian conceptions of God, Satan, evil, and good. The conception of Satan emerging from the idea of mere actions into a distinctive personality as in Christianity is a natural progression, if you believe Christians have it correct, from Judaism into believing what Jesus the Christ had to say and tying it all together into a coherent existence created by God. Christianity didn't reinvent Judaism's "satan" into some devil. Christianity simply combined what in Judaism were beings acting as "satans" into a single proper being called the "Satan". Loyal? Who's being loyal? As I've said, in Judaism satan is more of a role than a specific being. Obedient angel? Again who is the obedient angel in Judaism? That being beside the point, how do you even define what it is to be loyal to God or obedient? Take for instance the Satanic role in the book of Job. The being playing the role of Satan opposes the truth of God. Satan directly contradicts the statements of God concerning the righteousness of Job. The concept of God is such that NOTHING, good or evil, can do ANYTHING without the "permission" of God. That is another common misconception about God and his relationship to his creation. In both Christianity and Judaism Satan is playing a role. And its not pretty nor is it flattering to mankind. In fact it seemingly actively seeks the condemnation and destruction of mankind.
Yes, why? Why care what you think about it? Why care what others think about it? Why bend to them?
If you haven't noticed by now, especially on forums like these caring is an inevitable condition of the human soul. People generally care what others think about themselves, their achievements and their beliefs. People generally seek to justify their existence. Caring is one way to do that. And when we don't get that justification we usually say "I don't care". Why care what anyone else thinks? Because caring might further your own cause. Or, if we are strong enough and can get passed our own prideful walls caring might save us from a lifetime of ignorance and false security. Caring is what higher evolved forms of life do. Caring allows for civil society. Caring allowed for the digital device your using and the software platform your using which allow for the forums your using. Caring is how WE evolve.
How does me being a Satanist provoke you?
In me personally It provoked my curiosity. Is that a bad thing? In others however it may provoke negative feelings based on what would presumably have been a common understanding of the terms being used.
Surely your not so ignorant as to not know before you took on the label of Satanist that you would be provoking negative presumptions of what that means to most people. You shouldn't have to ask why. You know the why of most people who question that label. I can imagine most Satanists relish the idea of setting those they provoke straight.
You repeatedly ask why not use something else. Like this post.
Let me state this again. What I wanted to know is why label yourself something that would deliberately incite a negative reaction in most people because of the connotations associated with the word Satan. You've taken a word coined by a monotheistic religion and elevated a concept which it has derived, made it a proper being like Christianity did, and reimagined that beings identity and purpose to be nearly the exact opposite of what it was originally conceived as. Satanism seems to be simply an offshoot of the Judio-Christian conceptions of Satan seemingly in an attempt to reimagine Satan into an image that most insults the religions which originated the concept. We know what a Christian would think so ask a Jew what they think of Satanism and see what answer you get. To say the least its curious.
I myself call myself a Christian but more non-denominational. Catholics lost me when I found out they had institutionalized torture. It seems to me that Jews may have failed to recognize the evolution of their own belief system into its fulfillment. Protestants, I like some preachers but others I think are way off the mark. What attracts me to Christianity in general was its connection to tangible archeology, its historicity, and its philosophy as presented by the Christ of the Biblical new testament. I find his world view most attractive.
So what has attracted you most to Satanism? Do you find it the most compatible belief system with the reality you find yourself in? Is it simply the easiest to adhere to or agree with? What is it?
Traditional views are often wrong. Science will eagerly discard wrong ideas, and it's currently the best way we have of learnig facts.
I agree, but If your on some sort of mission to elevate Satan to the status and glory he deserves I don't think you should be shocked at those with more traditional views questioning yours.
One thing science doesn't do is eagerly discard traditional ideas UNTIL they are solidly proven wrong. Otherwise science would quickly get bogged down in every willy nilly theory that comes along in an attempt to advance only to find they've lost confidence and waisted precious time and resources in having to backtrack.
Probably. But that's what questions are for.
Rightly so. And so I ask and I give my opinions
That's rather lame. Nazis posed many threats and dangers to Jews. I pose none of this to you.
Posed yes. Now? Not so much. The point was not the physical threat that Nazis may have posed to Jews but the mental threat. The threat to the Jews Ideas and traditions and time honored beliefs about existence. Do you pose a threat to me? I never thought so. Incidentally some satanic idiots actually do believe in physically harming others as some sort of offering to Satan. Like every other religion that comes along you'd say that would be a perversion of your beliefs I'm sure. But then again we would be back to miscommunication and misunderstanding.
By the way, is Satanism a religion for you or just a club so to speak or what?
Oh well. If people get offended over it then is entirely on the offended. If my existence offends some then the fault is entirely on those offended.
Your misunderstand. Unless your so arrogant that no one else matters but you, you should realize its not about you or your existence. Its about Satanism and its existence. And what that means.
I did not bring it. You asked me a question and I answered. You have then repeatedly asked of why to the point of crude and impossible scenarios (I pose no threat to you), asking why not just change it, claiming it causes confrontation, even claiming beliefs should conform to traditional views.
I simply asked a question. If you don't wish to expound on why then don't, this conversation can stop and I can move on to those who do wish to discuss it. Or maybe I would drop it as well to have other conversations. Point being no one is forcing you to educate me. If you feel you can and wish to then I am willing. If not then that's okay.
Crude and impossible scenarios? Thats cute.
Anyway...if you hang a huge sign up that says come in and see the square circle you shouldn't be surprised by the arrival of a geometer who has questions.
I didn't Bring it she says....I love it. Take care.