Is Satan Equal and Opposite to Jehovah?

by jgnat 18 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  jgnat

  From December 15 WT Study Jehovah Cares for You WT October 15, 2002 Who is Behind all Evil?

  This article starts as follows: Jehovah and Satan are complete opposites....this contrast is pointed up in a standard reference work. (not quoted). The WTS claims to be the only organization interpreting early Christian doctrine correctly. The above quote and the tone of the last few articles, gives Satan far more power than is his due, in my opinion. Also, a doctrine where Satan is equal and opposite to Jehovah has traceable pagan roots. A brief browse of the internet, and I found out some interesting things about the equal-opposite dualist doctrine. Zoroastrians believe it. Manicheans believed it. Aryans picked it up. Hmmm. Does the WTS have other doctrines in common with the Aryans? The Taoists also believe in Yin and Yang, balanced opposite powers living inside of us.

  C.S. Lewis wrote in 'The Screwtape Letters, There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors.

  We all here on this website have different beliefs ranging from atheism to pantheism. Really, you can respond to this thread by declaring your own belief, but I am more interested in clarifying the WTS doctrine on this issue. Does the WTS believe in equal-opposite power between Satan and Jehovah? Between Satan and Jesus? My specific concern is that the WTS is not being honest about the origins of this dualist doctrine.

  Note:

  • Italics are quotes from WT materials.
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  onacruse

  "Jehovah and Satan are complete opposites...."

  As far as I recall (back to 1950s), the WTS never equated Satan and Jehovah in terms of "equal and opposite" powers of evil and good (consider Rom. 16:20), nor for that matter even Satan and Jesus (after all, Jesus was Michael the archangel, right?).

  "interpreting early Christian doctrine correctly...dualist doctrine"

  Early Christian doctrine changed dramatically in the late 1st-2nd centuries, including Gnosticism (with their demiurges, pleroma, and Babylonian astralism), Docetism, Montanism, Monarchianism (dynamic and modalistic), Sabellianism, etc. In one way or another, and to one measure or another, all of these "heresies" incorporated a dualistic element into their theology. There were various hierarchies of creation, power and revelation.

  Considering the multitude of avoidable historical errors in the Trinity brochure (commented on at length by AlanF elsewhere), I daresay that on this subject the WTS is at LEAST guilty of misrepresentation by omission, if not commission.

  Craig
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  jgnat

  Thanks, Craig.
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  proplog2

  Perhaps the Devil is the fourth person of a quaternity. Kind of Jungian?
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  rebel

  Hi everyone,

  I don't think JWs make Satan and God equal - but they do put an awful lot of emphasis on Satan and blame him (her?) for every little thing that goes wrong in their lives. I mean, just because you run out of petrol on the way to an assembly, how can that be Satan's fault? It is your own stupidity for not filling up before setting off. Yet, I have heard JWs blame Satan for something as silly as this. Also, they do seem to harp on about demons and things quite a lot. I never gave it a second thought until I became a JW and then it frightened the hell out of me. Hope I haven't gone off the point again!

  xxR
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  gumby

  Does the WTS have other doctrines in common with the Aryans?

  Not only the Watchtower but all Christian religions have something in common with the Pagans.

  If you would like a good read with plenty of documentation....read "The Jesus Mysteries" ....or any other book about the mystery religions.

  Osisis Dionysus was ( a greek myth borrowed from other pagans )........a Godman, walked on water, turned water into wine, had 12 diciples, had the bread and wine sacraments for himself, rode into town on a donkey, was crucified on a cross.......and a host of other similarities.

  BTW......he was well before Christ time, yet his statues and belief in him was VERY popular in the mediteranian area at the time Jesus was supposed to have lived.
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  Scully

  jgnat

  Jehovah and Satan are complete opposites

  I don't think JWs - if they are in agreement with the WTS's statement - realize what kind of a can of worms they are opening with this concept. If Jehovah and Satan are "complete opposites", it denotes a kind of equality with opposite polarity. Meaning, Jehovah is incapable of destroying Satan because they are equally matched opponents. But then, if they are equally matched, how can Jehovah be the "Almighty"? Does it mean that Satan has the capacity to create, just as Jehovah has the ability to destroy?

  For as long as I can remember, JWs seem to have relegated Satan to the level of an Osama bin Laden of the spirit world: a brilliant, clever but crazed psychopathic lunatic who is bent on ruling the world and the heavens, luring the unwary into following him. They've always depicted Jehovah as one who was more powerful, smarter and fear-inspiring. After all, just calling out the name "Jehovah" is supposed to scare off those nasty demons when they are pestering you. If Jehovah and Satan were true equals in terms of power and might, why should the demons fear Jehovah at all?

  Love, Scully
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  pettygrudger

  I was always under the impression that Satan had equal powers to that of Jesus - as God's "son". Although, Jesus, with his father watching his back would come out victorious in any battle.

  Isn't this what the JW's still continue to preach? The above quoted remark I would think is in regards to "personality", not power.
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  jgnat

  It looks like you are correct in that the WTS does not consider Satan equal to Jehovah. I wonder about Jesus though. Do they believe Satan could take him on in a fight?? There are a few implications to that concept as well.

  All this emphasis on Satan, Satan. I think the purpose of the article was to polarize the Witnesses' world view to two options; with Jehovah (read Jehovah's organization) and "happy", or with Satan (read disfellowshipped) and "miserable". What of ordinary living with life landing us a few blows once in a while? Is that Satanic? Or just life?

  For everything there is a season, and a time for very purpose under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. Ecclesiasetes 3:1-8 ASV

  I consider Satan to be lord of evil, not discomfort. Evil is easy to spot. Evil is hurting a child for selfish gain. Evil damages the innocent.
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  gumby

  jgnat,

  Do they believe Satan could take him on in a fight?? There are a few implications to that concept as well.

  The dubs have never considered Satan to be a formidable foe for Jesus. They have taught it is Jesus who has the keys to the abyss who will bind Satan and it was Jesus who outstead him from heaven in 1914. No they do not see Satan as a victor over Jesus. How long were you in the "truth"?????