Christ and the Anti-christ...

[cap'n spanky]

I'm confused. I read this book once and it said there was this guy called God and his son called Jesus (or 'the christ') These people were both really good and were really nice to a few people, i think they were a little confused somewhere along the line but anyhoo... There was also this guy called the Devil (and something like the 'Anti-Christ) who was supposed to be the total opposite of God and his son. He was evil, in fact so evil it turned his whole skin red, not just his face. I mean, it's a good story but here's where I'm confused... If God is good and he rewards you for being good with loads of free stuff in heaven when you kark it... and the Devil is baaaaad and he punishes you in hell with pointy sticks and really bad coffee... wouldn't that imply that God and the Devil are working to the same goal? On the same side? Like a good cop/bad cop kinda thing.. or rather a good omnipotent being/bad omnipotent being....

[MangoRose]

You are absolutely right, cap'n spanky. You are confused. Very confused.

[cap'n spanky]

you got no explanation tho, right? ;o)

[woofgang]

Try Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett

[SFT42]

Of course they are. By their own very definition there can be no shade without light.....to believe in God you must equally believe in the devil...they are both working to the goal of trying to obtain as many human souls as possible.

Or more realistically it's all a load of rot made up by man centuries ago when he was unable to contemplate the thought that we might just be another animal no better or worse than all the others in an infinite cosmos of endless possibilities that many people who refuse to see the light of modern logic still cling to like a drowning man might cling to a piece of driftwood in the ocean.

[MangoRose]

Oh, but the solution for you is blindingly obvious, cap'n spanky. It is Easter. Go to church on Easter Sunday and sing your heart out in Celebration of the Resurrection. And afterwards pray for peace in our time.

[Maudlettice]

Please also find time for a quick word with the Devil about SFT42. There's fuel for the Everlasting Fire there.

[molly]

At last, SFT42, someone who thinks like me. As you say, the whole point of the bible is that it was written by men who lived centuries ago when people were incredibly superstitious. What they didn't understand, they created a story that best fitted. Science has now proved most of the bible wrong. It was after all just a code of ethics - a way to live your life in a good and responsible way.Pity then that most wars are caused by religion.

[Maudlettice]

Tripe.

[molly]

Sorry Maude, but what I believe makes perfect sense to me. The trouble with most religions is that each one is arrogent enough to think that they are correct and all other religions are wrong. That's bad enough, but when when people try to impose their beliefs on others, and in some cases kill or be killed, there has to be something far wrong. I wouldn't deny people thier beliefs providing they don't try to enforce it on others. Religion should be about love and tolerence to others, but wherever you look, whether it's the middle east, Northern Ireland, or the inner cities, whether it's modern day or throughout history, religion has, is and will always be the biggest source of trouble. But, back to the original question, Spanky, It's like I said earlier, the bible was originally a code to live by, be good and you'll be rewarded, be bad and you'll be punished. Whether you believe God and the devil are on opposite sides or the same side boils down to whether you believe the story came from God and is true, or was invented by by man and was fiction.

[darklar]

am i correct in understanding that what you are suggesting is that God tries to make people act in a good way by tempting them with the delights of heaven (Good cop) and the devil, is in theory, trying to get people to go to heaven to...but in his case by suggesting that if you are not good you will be punished... the devil is trying to get you to heaven by disuading you from evil... i like it. ive not thought of that before. However, it seems the way the devil is depicted now is by trying to mislead you on the mortal coil...slimy chap that he is, angry litlle man syndrome i reckon

[Maudlettice]

Thank you for your 2nd posting, molly. You have expressed very much better than I can my own thoughts as well. Best wishes.

[Hamish]

It would depend on your sorce of information. According to the Bible, the Devil is not in charge of Hell but is one of the inhabitants being punnished.

[incitatus]

what you are describing is known as manichean duallism, and was declared heretical a long time ago- Orhtodox christian belief has satan as evil but lesser. that is that god could lick him with one hand tied behind his back but choses not to because he likes a joke.

[JohnPPotts]

As a good Catholic boy I probably shouldn't say this, but a lot of the problems of where evil comes from would be solved if God was not all powerful, but was more like Zeus in Greek mythology (the most powerful being, but not all powerful). And in any case, in the Book of Job would seem to imply that God and the devil ARE a good cop/bad cop combo, as the devil asks God for permission to persecute Job to test his faith.