The Devil (Evil or misunderstood?)

[Resine-kun]

Firstly before i start this, i one hundred percent believe the devil is evil,
but i came across something interesting today,
Why would the Devil punish bad people, considering they've done EXACTLY what he wanted them to do, so maybe hell is a good place, but if it isn't, and he does punish bad people, doesn't that make him god's minion?
This is just a little food for thought, nothing overly deep here, right?

[TS_SonicMaster]

very interesting.
i need a while to think about this

[Reach]

Give me a reason to believe the devil actually exists.

[Resine-kun]

Ah ha, Best answer i've ever recieved.
Okay, lets take into account he may not exist.
but for this debates sake, say he does, think about it.

[XXXsmittyXXX]

I believe in ritual sacrifice and i think the devil is not evil unless you choose for him to be. Thats just my opinion.

[Resine-kun]

You can't choose for some* (*Thing/body) to be evil, it's something you know via outside stimuli, by what your parent's and others tell you is wrong and right, good and evil. Therefore it is not really a overly concious choice. You can force yourself to believe something is good, even if you have been brought up believing it is evil. Although it will cause feelings of guilt and disgust upon yourself. Not exactly a great thing for your self-esteem.

[Specforces]

The devil is a pretty good guy.

[Resine-kun]

I guess so, nobody ever blames the devil when something goes wrong,
it's always "God is screwing up my life" or "F*** god" ooor "For gods sake"
hmm...-ponders further-

[Reach]

Originally Posted by Resine-kun

You can't choose for some* (*Thing/body) to be evil, it's something you know via outside stimuli, by what your parent's and others tell you is wrong and right, good and evil. Therefore it is not really a overly concious choice. You can force yourself to believe something is good, even if you have been brought up believing it is evil. Although it will cause feelings of guilt and disgust upon yourself. Not exactly a great thing for your self-esteem.

And all outside stimula are derived from other human beings which choose to make those derivations in the first place based upon their observations, instincts and desires.

Unless you believe human beings are unable to choose, but I would argue then, why do we have different religious ideas of good and bad in the world if we are unable to conciously define good and bad ourselves?

[Resine-kun]

There had to be an original choice to spawn what is considered good and evil by the world and it most likely originates from the Christian church. I hate to quote something, but as the matrix states "Everything begins with choice". So yes, fundementally, the choice is there, but generally, as a rule, human children derive what is right and wrong from what their parent's show and teach them.

[The_Q]

For the sake of discussion and my love of being a vigilante, I shall point out some things that have gone wrong in this thread.

Originally Posted by Thread Maker

Firstly before i start this, i one hundred percent believe the devil is evil,
but i came across something interesting today,
Why would the Devil punish bad people, considering they've done EXACTLY what he wanted them to do, so maybe hell is a good place, but if it isn't, and he does punish bad people, doesn't that make him god's minion?
This is just a little food for thought, nothing overly deep here, right?

Bad grammar does not help the serious subject (that is forbidden by the forum rules, last time I checked). I'd also like to point out that there are no reference to religious texts to point to either claim about the devil's nature.

Originally Posted by Thread Participant

very interesting.
i need a while to think about this

Then don't post. It wastes our time and yours. If you have nothing at all to contribute, then don't contribute at all. Sound familiar? Your mother must have said something similar at one point or another.

Originally Posted by Thread Participant

The devil is a pretty good guy.

No evidence at all. Or even an attempt at it.

Originally Posted by Thread Participant

I believe in ritual sacrifice and i think the devil is not evil unless you choose for him to be. Thats just my opinion.

Lacks elaboration. Why is this belief held? If the discussion that shouldn't be here does exist, then why not go further into it. If there is to be critical thinking, shouldn't you actually explain your standpoint?

Reach is actually the only decent participant in this discussion because he backs up his claims, makes the other participants actually think, and has posts of somewhat value. This thread ought to be locked and stickied as an example to people for what this forum is NOT for.

On topic, now...

No, he's not evil. Evil is subjective, as are many things. I consider altruism to be evil. You may consider my self-interest evil. We have differing opinions on values. In that scenario, someone (myself) can be proven to be correct.

In this scenario, though, it's a mite harder to prove things. People are left speculate and nothing can be proven, really. At least without the loss of faith, and then you don't even have a religion.

Q

[Iam_a_Maid]

These 2 people knew each other since child hood. 1 guy lived a sinful life, drinking, fighting, stealing, partying, women, you name it, he sinned. And then the other guy who never sinned and lived a life that would make a God proud. So they both die, the good guys goes to heaven and the bad guy to hell. So the good guy gets tired of meadows and the calm of heaven and asks God if he can visit his child hood friend. God agrees and so the good guy goes to visit. And what he sees shocks him. Women, parties, alcohol, you name it, there is everything that's fun, so he says to his friend why do you get everything you knew and enjoyed in your old life and I get a boorish existence in heaven? So he telepathically answers, they cut off my esophagus, so I can't drink, they cut off my genitalia so I can't enjoy women and all I can do it stare it all for all eternity.

[MagicCarpetRide]

I noticed you called the devil HE, how do you know its not a she. A lot of people think of the devil and they are like oh no that red guy but all i see when i think of the devil is Mr. T. Don't make the same mistake i did and take too much cough medicine a bunch of times throughout high school. All you will thinka bout id FFR and Mr. T but hey i guess thats not so bad.....Random

[Patashu]

The devil is obviously a sadist.

[T0rajir0u]

Originally Posted by Resine-kun

i one hundred percent believe the devil is evil

Quote me a passage from the Old Testament that says the devil is evil.

[Specforces]

I refuse to seriously participate in a discussion of this nature. However, I still wish to have my voice heard. Not for any reason in particular, but rather just for the hell of it.

[duhh_]

hmn, thats food for thought.

but think about it.

if the devils such a good guy, why would he be doing so many bad things???

[Specforces]

Evil is completely subjective. Don't pull that game.

[the_unda_doggz]

Umm, here's my opinion on this, he isn't real. Religions are made-up thoughts that the more intelligent of the people created to not put fear or depession into the normal people's lives. They made religions because dying and thinking you are not going anywhere is a very frightening thought. Not trying to push my athiesm on anyone, I am just responding to the thread. I am pretty sure there are many other people on here who do not believe in religions anyways. Well, anyways, Bible stories really do not have any historical facts to back them up and they are quite silly if you really pay attention to them. If you believe that there is a magical, invisible man in the sky, good for you. I, on the other-hand, am too intelligent to believe these stories; not saying that anyone who is religious isn't intelligent, I am just saying... HOW CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT CRAP!?!

Au Revoir, the_unda_doggz

[Iam_a_Maid]

Originally Posted by the_unda_doggz

Umm, here's my opinion on this, he isn't real. Religions are made-up thoughts that the more intelligent of the people created to not put fear or depession into the normal people's lives. They made religions because dying and thinking you are not going anywhere is a very frightening thought. Not trying to push my athiesm on anyone, I am just responding to the thread. I am pretty sure there are many other people on here who do not believe in religions anyways. Well, anyways, Bible stories really do not have any historical facts to back them up and they are quite silly if you really pay attention to them. If you believe that there is a magical, invisible man in the sky, good for you. I, on the other-hand, am too intelligent to believe these stories; not saying that anyone who is religious isn't intelligent, I am just saying... HOW CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT CRAP!?!

Au Revoir, the_unda_doggz

Read the thread first, before beating the dead horse for the millionth time. Jeez