Satan's Side of the Story (Israel, pray, Christianity, God)

[Nomander]

Originally Posted by noid_1985

Sounds like Darwinism....Just wondering how would one exactly read the Bible? From front to back or hop around from book to book....Do you read it once and that's it or do you continue studying it like one would study a painting by Picasso

You read it with open heart guided by the Holy Spirit. You read it with the intentions to understand God's lessons, his path for us, and his wisdom. You read it with honest intent to find God's will, not your own desires. When one reads, one must always pray and ask for guidance and wisdom in its teachings.

One who does not contain the Holy Spirit, one who reads for their own desire or justification, one who attempts to find error and falseness within as their goal will find exactly what they seek, for they have decided what they will find before they even began reading. The Bibles wisdom means little to those who do not believe or accept God. Regardless of its undeniable wisdom, those hate God and seek to discredit him will never see it.

[b. frank]

Originally Posted by Nomander

One who does not contain the Holy Spirit, one who reads for their own desire or justification, one who attempts to find error and falseness within as their goal will find exactly what they seek, for they have decided what they will find before they even began reading. The Bibles wisdom means little to those who do not believe or accept God..

I've got to agree with this.
Read the Bible enough with a mind toward being a "good Christian" and you will become one.
If you aren't interested in that - reading the Bible won't turn you Christian or answer any of your questions about it.
For me, this is proof that Christianity is found from within and that you can train yourself to follow and believe any religion you want - if you desire it.

[norcalmom101]

Originally Posted by Tricky D

Originally Posted by noid_1985 I've read the Bible.
I just don't believe that it is historically true, so I don't take it literally.

If man can't protect himself he simply is unfit for survival.

It looks to me like man IS unfit for survival!

[Travelling fella]

Originally Posted by Tricky D

Originally Posted by nebulous1 If angels would realy exist I'd say that the movie The Prophecy would be very plausible.
I mean we humans are inclined to believe that monkeys are simple animals even when we share 90+% of their DNA, so it would only be logical that the angels would view us humans as hairless monkeys; what monkeys are to us, we humans are to angels.
From the angels perspective it would be considered a bestiality if an angel would ever breed with a human.
It also is a mystery to me why God prefers humans over angels.

IMO dear tricky, it is because Humans are the only beings in creation that have free will, this means they have a choice to seek God or not, to seek virtue or not, and if they do it because of love, that love will stir the heart of God, what can we offer to the master of the universe that he doesn't have already? our unconditional love

[Tricky D]

Originally Posted by Travelling fella

IMO dear tricky, it is because Humans are the only beings in creation that have free will

Why do you believe that other animals do not have free will?


Originally Posted by norcalmom101

It looks to me like man IS unfit for survival!

Especially when men believe they can survive without women.

[esselcue]

I have read the Bible cover to cover...in the many years I attempted and prayed and begged to have belief...but all it did was raise questions for me. I attended countless classes and Bible studies...I knew it word for word, I knew all the explanations and stories and answers that Christians use to convince themselves and others that the Bible is the actual, factual word of God. I even mouthed those words myself to other people, all the while wondering why I was saying that.

I can't stop my brain from thinking and wondering and asking questions. I can't NOT question what I find questionable. To say that a person must pray for guidance when reading the Bible is to say that only a person who is already a Christian will get anything out of it. If so, what's the use? The Bible contains many things factual to history: people, places, events...and I have learned a lot about Biblical times and events from using that information...but the rest of it is stories, allegories and the like that were designed by men who wanted to keep people in line, make them fear wrong-doing and try to provide answers for a world they did not, and could not, understand.

I can't stop myself from reading, studying and asking questions about the world, about other people and their religions. I have a need to know and understand, so to simply "accept" that the Bible and Christianity is the only way is not possible for me.

[Travelling fella]

Originally Posted by nebulous1

If the bible is true...for the sake of discussion...then why is Satan censored? If he was truly evil, why would God have put him in charge of the earth?

Satan is the son of God too, everything that emerged from spirit is a son of God, and Satan had a very special task and role, because of this he was endowed with creative powers similar to those of God. This task was to create the physical plane (Earth) and after creating it, he was supposed to merge again into God's cosmic consciousness and become one with him, but Satan feared this, he thought that if he would merge again with God, he would loose his individuality and independence, he also had grown attached to his creation and wanted to have power over it, so he cleverly crafted a plan, he decided to lure other sons of God (mankind) and trick them to misuse their creative powers in other to encase themselves in a limited and mortal body subject to the influences and limitations of Satan's world, this is the whole deal of the forbidden fruit story, what happened is that Adam and Eve tempted by Satan used their creative powers to create a body for themselves in order to physically unite and have intercourse, this is the reason why all religions speak about moderation in sex or celibacy.

Once Adam and Eve were trapped into the world of Satan which is subject to the laws of duality (this is the reason why he told them that after tasting the forbidden fruit, they will know good and evil)

For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.

Genesis 3:5

Once that this happened, Satan created more desires and temptations, in order to enslave mankind and keep attracting them to his world, because he knows that as long as one son of God remains ignorant of his divine origin and trapped by the ever growing thirst of material desires and experiences he will continue existing.

If God wanted to destroy evil on earth with the Flood, then why allow Satan to go around and wreak havoc?

The flood was caused by the cummulative effects of mankind's wrong actions, this experience taught a hard lesson to the people living on earth at that time (not everybody died) but God knew beforehand that as long as Satan exists, evill will continue too, God could wipe out Satan with a single act of his omnipotent will but as he is a son of his too, he respects his free will and prefers to defeat him by the power of his divine love, just see the example of Jesus.

Jesus kept saying, "Father, forgive them, because they don't know what they're doing." Then they divided his clothes among them by throwing dice.

Luke 23:34

In Jesus we have the perfect example of the nature of our father, he is not an angry God who keeps punishing his sons, but rather an understanding and loving father who is always forgiving, however he created the law of cause and effect.

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap

Galatians 6:7

It was this law what created the flood, people reaped what they sowed with
their wrong deeds, and in that time it must have caused much suffering to those who
endured it and survived.

If Satan and one third of heavenly angels were booted from heaven,
that's a big number. Maybe Paradise wasn't so wonderful? Surely Satan
would have known in advance whether he could have truly unseated
God or not.

Those who followed Satan, did it by the same motivation, they feared
loosing their individuality and wanted independence instead of
being subject to God's will.

How come Satan is censored, if he is not to be feared, and Jesus supposed has been victorious over him?
We have never heard Satan's side of the story and why he rebelled and 1/3 of the angels thought he was right.

You should not fear satan, because if you do it means you still hold him in your heart, you should have faith in the power of God and feel protected against any evil desire or temptation, Jesus was victorious over him but it was just a battle in this never ending war between good and evil.

I have never talked with satan LOL, but this is what I believe, Satan in Hebrew means the adversary to be defeated, so I guess that it's all part of God's plan, you can't tell a tale without some drama and hardships, so that's the role satan plays, he is just another expression of God to add some spice to his creation and also the one who tests how strong is our love for God and our desire for him.

Love and Light!

[Nomander]

Originally Posted by esselcue

I have read the Bible cover to cover...in the many years I attempted and prayed and begged to have belief...but all it did was raise questions for me. I attended countless classes and Bible studies...I knew it word for word, I knew all the explanations and stories and answers that Christians use to convince themselves and others that the Bible is the actual, factual word of God. I even mouthed those words myself to other people, all the while wondering why I was saying that.

I can't stop my brain from thinking and wondering and asking questions. I can't NOT question what I find questionable. To say that a person must pray for guidance when reading the Bible is to say that only a person who is already a Christian will get anything out of it. If so, what's the use? The Bible contains many things factual to history: people, places, events...and I have learned a lot about Biblical times and events from using that information...but the rest of it is stories, allegories and the like that were designed by men who wanted to keep people in line, make them fear wrong-doing and try to provide answers for a world they did not, and could not, understand.

I can't stop myself from reading, studying and asking questions about the world, about other people and their religions. I have a need to know and understand, so to simply "accept" that the Bible and Christianity is the only way is not possible for me.

Nothing wrong with asking questions esselcue. Those who claim people shouldn't ask questions are fearful of the own doubt in their heart. You should learn as much as you can, but keep in mind what drives that learning. Is it to disprove God or is it to serve him?

Doubt is a strong tool that Satan uses on God's flock. He wants them to doubt and question God's right, authority, his will. This distracts them from serving God and their time is spent working against him.

Learn, but be mindful of why you are learning it. I fear nothing any man says concerning God. They can twist it, make up things, proclaim scientific fact over God, yet I know in my heart they are wrong. I have faith that God will win out and all truth will be known.

For that reason, I have studied many religions, even Satanism, tribal religions, The Goddess and other druid based religions, various forms of eastern religions and the like and science that attempts to explain it or disprove it. I do not fear anything they say as I know it is wrong if it defies the word of God.

So learn as you like, ask questions, as many as you can think of, but do not doubt God, do not lose faith in him as that is exactly what Satan wishes.

[b. frank]

Originally Posted by Nomander

For that reason, I have studied many religions, even Satanism, tribal religions, The Goddess and other druid based religions, various forms of eastern religions and the like and science that attempts to explain it or disprove it.

I'll venture a guess that you studied these things with the same closed-minded perspective that you accuse nonbelievers of approaching the Bible with.

[esselcue]

The difference between us, Nomander, is that you read and studied all those other religions and philosophies while you were already sure they are wrong. I study and ask questions because I simply want to understand other beliefs if I can, I do not believe anyone is wrong or right, because religion is such a personal thing and really just deals with a person's individual perspective. I am not trying to disprove god, honest.

Actually, I do believe in a higher power or consciousness...just not the same literal god that Christians believe in. Be it the Big Bang or any other theory, all of this "life" began somewhere and somehow and so my own personal belief is that whatever that energy or beginning was, it is in us all and we are responsible for how we take care of that gift. You have no power over the workings of your heart & mind and neither do I...so whatever makes you a Believer and makes you feel that all other religions and philosophies are "wrong" is just not what is in my heart or mind. My mind tells me that all religions and philosophies are the way of mankind trying to discover what is true for them. If that personal truth helps them live gentle and respectful lives, then so much the better. If it breeds anger, hate, disrespect, greed, etc, it will bring about very negative consequences and unhappiness. I suppose that is why I need to try and understand...not just accept what is told to me.

I do understand and respect your words, however. You sound like a gentle and kind person who tries very hard to live what you believe.