| Line 1: |
Line 1: |
| | [[Image:GustaveDoreParadiseLostSatanProfile.jpg|right|thumb|Gustave Doré's depiction of Satan from John Milton's Paradise Lost.]] | | [[Image:GustaveDoreParadiseLostSatanProfile.jpg|right|thumb|Gustave Doré's depiction of Satan from John Milton's Paradise Lost.]] |
| | + | '''Satan''' also known as the '''[[Devil]]''', is the embodiment of [[evil]]. Satan plays a major role in [[Christian]] theology, classical literature, and in other religions under different names. He is the tempter and spiritual enemy of mankind. He is the adversary of [[God]], although subordinate to Him and able to act only by his sufferance, and is represented frequently as the leader or [[prince]] of all the fallen, apostate angels, and as ruler of [[hell]]. |
| | | | |
| − | '''Satan''' also known as the '''[[Devil]]''', is the embodiment of [[evil]]. Satan plays a major role in [[Christian]] theology and literature, and in other religions under different names. He is the tempter and spiritual enemy of mankind. He is the adversary of [[God]], although subordinate to Him and able to act only by his sufferance, and is represented frequently as the leader or [[prince]] of all the fallen, apostate angels, and as ruler of [[hell]].
| + | [[Leftist]] [[Saul Alinsky]] dedicated his ''Rules for Radicals'' to Lucifer, which is another name for Satan. Satan and the Devil are often in rock music.<ref>https://www.ranker.com/list/songs-about-the-devil/ranker-music</ref> Satan is even mentioned three times in ''God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen''.<ref>https://www.metrolyrics.com/god-rest-you-merry-gentlemen-lyrics-christmas-carols.html</ref> [[Shakespeare]] mentions Satan 8 times and the [[Devil]] 270 times in his plays; ''[[Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde]]'' vividly mentions Satan 3 times; ''[[The House of the Seven Gables]]'' mentions the devil about a half-dozen times and Satan twice. |
| − | | |
| − | [[Leftist]] [[Saul Alinsky]] dedicated his ''Rules for Radicals'' to Lucifer, which is another name for Satan. Satan and the Devil are often in rock music.<ref>https://www.ranker.com/list/songs-about-the-devil/ranker-music</ref> Satan is even mentioned three times in ''God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen''.<ref>https://www.metrolyrics.com/god-rest-you-merry-gentlemen-lyrics-christmas-carols.html</ref> [[Shakespeare]] mentions Satan 8 times and the [[Devil]] 270 times in his plays; ''[[Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde]]'' vividly mentions Satan 3 times. | |
| | | | |
| | "Satan is the force that loves to find the guilt and weakness in people, to humiliate them with it, to convince them that, because they are not good, God cannot love them."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/258360/iritei-stuff-satan-prosecutor-mike-potemra|title=The Rite Stuff: Satan as Prosecutor|author=Mike Potemra|accessdate=March 12, 2020}}</ref> [[Liberal]]s today try to deny the existence of Satan, or at least depersonify him into "more a force than an actual being."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.christianpost.com/voices/yes-i-believe-in-the-devil.html|title=Yes, I believe in the devil|date=March 11, 2020|accessdate=March 12, 2020|publisher=The Christian Post}}</ref> | | "Satan is the force that loves to find the guilt and weakness in people, to humiliate them with it, to convince them that, because they are not good, God cannot love them."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/258360/iritei-stuff-satan-prosecutor-mike-potemra|title=The Rite Stuff: Satan as Prosecutor|author=Mike Potemra|accessdate=March 12, 2020}}</ref> [[Liberal]]s today try to deny the existence of Satan, or at least depersonify him into "more a force than an actual being."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.christianpost.com/voices/yes-i-believe-in-the-devil.html|title=Yes, I believe in the devil|date=March 11, 2020|accessdate=March 12, 2020|publisher=The Christian Post}}</ref> |
| | | | |
| | ==Old Testament== | | ==Old Testament== |
| − | Satan was once a member of the divine council of God referenced in the [[Old Testament]]. He is referenced 11 times in [[Job]] and 4 other times in the Old Testament. The [[New Testament]] mentions Satan 34 times in all, starting with the first book [[Matthew]] and ending with the last [[Revelation]]. In the Christian tradition, he rebelled against God and is now the enemy of God and man alike. He is the father of lies, and no good is found in him. He leads a host of fallen angels, (or [[demon]]s), who know their days are numbered before they will be cast in the lake of fire, so they seek to take as many humans as possible with them. | + | Satan was once a member of the divine council of God referenced in the [[Old Testament]]. He is referenced 11 times in [[Job]] and 4 other times in the Old Testament. The [[New Testament]] mentions Satan 34 times in all, starting with the first book [[Matthew]] and ending with the last [[Revelation]]. In the Christian tradition, he rebelled against God and is now the enemy of God and man alike. He is the father of lies, and no good is found in him. He leads a host of fallen angels, or [[demon]]s, who know their days are numbered before they will be cast into the lake of fire, so they seek to take as many humans as possible with them. |
| | | | |
| | == New Testament== | | == New Testament== |
| Line 18: |
Line 17: |
| | | | |
| | ==Possession== | | ==Possession== |
| − | [[Jesus]] makes references to demonic possession on multiple occasions that He then casts out. Some believe that Satan is able to possess and control living humans on Earth even today. Even more, some others believe that Satan actually has done this in the past as well. Specifically, Satan is said to have entered Judas during [[The Last Supper]] (John 13:27). The Catholic church believes that priests (and sometimes only bishops) are able to [[Exorcism|exorcise]] this possession through Jesus. | + | [[Jesus]] makes references to demonic possession on multiple occasions that He then casts out. Some believe that Satan is able to possess and control living humans on Earth even today. Even more, some others believe that Satan actually has done this in the past as well. Specifically, Satan is said to have entered Judas during [[The Last Supper]] (John 13:27). The [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic]] church believes that priests (and sometimes only bishops) are able to [[Exorcism|exorcise]] this possession through Jesus. |
| | | | |
| | ==Terms== | | ==Terms== |
| − | The word ''Satan'' derives from the Hebrew "ha-satan", meaning the "accuser", "tempter", "persecutor", "calumniator", or "adversary". He "was a liar and a murderer from the beginning." (John 8:44) Synonyms include '''Lucifer, The Devil, Mephistopholes, Mephisto, Beelzebub, the Evil One, the Tempter,''' '''The Prince of Darkness''' and '''the angel of light'''. The term "demon" generally refers to one of the fallen angels who join into Satan's attempt to overthrow God. | + | The word ''Satan'' derives from the Hebrew "ha-satan", meaning the "accuser", "tempter", "persecutor", "calumniator", or "adversary". He "was a liar and a murderer from the beginning." (John 8:44) Synonyms include '''Lucifer, The Devil, Mephistopheles, Mephisto, Beelzebub, the Evil One, the Tempter,''' '''The Prince of Darkness''' and '''the angel of light'''. The term "demon" generally refers to one of the fallen angels who join in Satan's attempt to overthrow God. |
| | | | |
| | The adjectives include "devilish," "demonic", and "diabolic". Those who worship Satan are called [[satanism|Satanists]], Satan-worshippers, devil-worshippers, or demonists. | | The adjectives include "devilish," "demonic", and "diabolic". Those who worship Satan are called [[satanism|Satanists]], Satan-worshippers, devil-worshippers, or demonists. |
| Line 28: |
Line 27: |
| | '''Lucifer''' is a name literally meaning "Son of the Morning" (or "Light-Bearer"), and is mentioned in the [[Bible]] only in the [[book of Isaiah]] (Isaiah 14:12). Though in Christian tradition Lucifer is equated with Satan, the immediate context of the passage is Isaiah's prophecy against the king of Babylon, [[Nebuchadnezzar]], and the name "Lucifer" was not present at all in the original manuscripts (in the Latin Vulgate, the phrase "Son of the Morning" was transliterated as a proper name). | | '''Lucifer''' is a name literally meaning "Son of the Morning" (or "Light-Bearer"), and is mentioned in the [[Bible]] only in the [[book of Isaiah]] (Isaiah 14:12). Though in Christian tradition Lucifer is equated with Satan, the immediate context of the passage is Isaiah's prophecy against the king of Babylon, [[Nebuchadnezzar]], and the name "Lucifer" was not present at all in the original manuscripts (in the Latin Vulgate, the phrase "Son of the Morning" was transliterated as a proper name). |
| | | | |
| − | Whomever Lucifer may be, the Isaiah makes strong prophecy against him, condemning him for 5 pronouncements: | + | Whomever Lucifer may be, the [[Book of Isaiah]] issued a strong prophecy against him, condemning him for 5 pronouncements: |
| | | | |
| | * I will ascend into [[heaven]] | | * I will ascend into [[heaven]] |
| Line 63: |
Line 62: |
| | *Satan claims that he can rule mankind better than God.... | | *Satan claims that he can rule mankind better than God.... |
| | | | |
| − | Jehovah's Witnesses teach also that [[God]] decided that time, rather than a display of force, is needed to settle these issues. This, they believe, has giving Satan thousands of years to prove that Mankind is better off without God, that He (Satan) can rule Mankind successfully, and that the Humans that Do serve God do so only out of selfish reasons. | + | Jehovah's Witnesses teach also that [[God]] decided that time, rather than a display of force, is needed to settle these issues. This, they believe, has given Satan thousands of years to prove that Mankind is better off without God, that He (Satan) can rule Mankind successfully, and that the Humans that Do serve God do so only out of selfish reasons. |
| | | | |
| − | Jehovah's Witnesses teach that Satan does not live in any kind of [[Hell]] or world of the dead, but on the [[Earth]] as it's current ruler, along with as many as a third of the Angels of [[Heaven]]. They teach that Satan had lived in Heaven up until 1914, when Jesus and his Angels cast him out of Heaven, bringing woe to the Earth. this is their reasoning on Why the world has experienced two World wars, increasing lawlessness, an increase in disease and pollution, and the overall conditions on earth today. | + | Jehovah's Witnesses teach that Satan does not live in any kind of [[Hell]] or world of the dead, but on the [[Earth]] as its current ruler, along with as many as a third of the Angels of [[Heaven]]. They teach that Satan had lived in Heaven up until 1914, when Jesus and his Angels cast him out of Heaven, bringing woe to the Earth. this is their reasoning on Why the world has experienced two World wars, increasing lawlessness, an increase in disease and pollution, and the overall conditions on earth today. |
| | | | |
| − | Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Satan delegates authority to each Demon as he sees fit, and over what he sees fit, sometimes including whole Nations and kingdoms. They believe that Satan and his demons are in every way the enemy of God, rather than working alongside him. They teach that Satan will continue to rule the world until [[Armageddon]], when Jesus Christ and his heavenly Angels come to earth and bind him, eventually killing him, freeing the world of all opposition towards True worship. | + | Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Satan delegates authority to each Demon as he sees fit, and over what he sees fit, sometimes including whole Nations and kingdoms. They believe that Satan and his demons are in every way the enemy of God, rather than working alongside him. They teach that Satan will continue to rule the world until [[Armageddon]], when Jesus Christ and his heavenly Angels come to earth and bind him, eventually killing him and freeing the world of all opposition towards True worship. |
| | | | |
| | ==Defense== | | ==Defense== |