How come Satan is still alive!!!!
Jesus tempted by Satan, real or just a vision.
by pleaseresearch 31 Replies latest watchtower bible
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Whynot
@EverApostate
In traditional rabbinic sources, the narrative between "satan" and God is a parable. Satan is a metaphor for the yetzer hara and not an actual person.
Christians have formed Satan into a being with an identity.
A lot of Jews are taught that Satan is the product of pagan mythology.
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EverApostate
@Whynot
Right . Satan is a Metaphor, and so are the Biblical or Jewish god or any other gods.
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Whynot
@EverApostate
I wouldn't say that. The thing is that we truly miss the richness of the biblical moral teachings when we have a limited view of the Bible. Looking into the Jewish traditional views of the bible can be rewarding. It's extremely easy to dismiss the bible when taken literally.
Most Christians get offended when venturing into the symbolism in the bible because it attacks their faith. I really didn't mean to offend. I apologize if I did. I was just trying to offer a more traditional explanation of Satan and of the book of Job.
I think it's pretty cool to look at the bible the way it was viewed before modern times. At least that has been my experience.
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EverApostate
@Whynot
You need not apologize and you had been very decent in expressing your views.
However, I can’t accept the fact that the Bible has a "richness of moral teachings” as you say.
It may have some good things, but the cruelty, wickedness, ignorance and stupidity it contains overweigh those moralities.
A man is stoned to death for picking sticks on the Sabbath. Daughters seducing and getting pregnant by their father and in another chapter a Daughter in law does the same.
What is the morality on these accounts? It would be very convenient to dismiss these are metaphors. Even if Metaphor, these are nasty things to record in a Supposed word of god.
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Whynot
I have to agree. I must say that those accounts you mention are horrid and have no moral teachings. It just doesn't add up. How can a loving god treat his children in such a way?
The book of Job is also pretty apalling no matter how you look at it. The Jewish explanation I mentioned is a way, I think, they justify what happened to him to make it more bareable to read. I did find another popular Jewish view here https://jewinthecity.com/2017/10/what-is-the-jewish-view-of-the-devil/
But this one also doesn't make me feel much better lol
Now, I still have trouble with believing that Satan is an actual person. How can Jehovah easily kill one of his own people for trying to protect the ark from falling off, or a person who needs firewood? But yet has allowed the most evil being remain in existence? That is just crazy to me!
So many things to question in the bible, you know?
Now, when I read about Jesus' temptation it makes me think that he was dealing with his own temptations. He could have taken over the world if he wanted to or charge for his services.
I would like to hear what other people have to say about this narrative since I DO think it is an interesting discussion.
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EverApostate
How can Jehovah easily kill one of his own people for trying to protect the ark from falling off, or a person who needs firewood? But yet has allowed the most evil being remain in existence? That is just crazy to me!
Ditto here.
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Diogenesister
When Satan showed Jesus “all the kingdoms of the world,” he probably used a vision, because it is not possible to see all these kingdoms from any mountain on earth. This may have been similar to the way we can use a movie screen to show someone pictures of other parts of the world. Satan may have used a vision, but he actually wanted Jesus to bow down and worship him. (Matthew 4:8, 9) So when Satan took Jesus to the temple, it is possible that he actually wanted Jesus to risk his life by jumping off the temple. But Jesus rejected him. How much more of a temptation this would have been than if Jesus had only been tempted in a vision
Presumably Jesus was a darned intelligent man, being "a " God according to Watchtower (not " the " God - well that's polytheism in my book but never mind).
Any-road-up, why in tarnation would Jesus:
A) bow down and worship some little whipper-snapper he had "made" and was younger than him (would make him sort of "little brother" according to Watchtower's ideas!! )
B) be tempted by the offer of a short-term lease of a few 1st century Earthly kingdoms, when the big boss has offered him the universe as far as I can make out
C) throw himself off a very high building - Whether angels will catch you or not - it'd give e everyone a pretty nasty shock ....for what purpose???
Except for the offer of a nice cuppa and a bite to eat, telling Satan to Eff-Off was pretty much a given !!
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Ireneus
Pleaseresearch,
You said "Ezekiel was clear saying it was a vision. Matthew and Luke did not."
Good thinking.
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hoser
Jesus was a stoner who was either high on the LSD from from grain ergot or whatever psychodelic mushrooms grow in the area