Think about it.  Satan is supposed to be pretty crafty, but, also pretty violent, yet, God is all loving right?  Well, read your Bible again, it is not "fairly" violent, it is very violent.  But, Christians will paint the violence white, even when most of the violence is from their own God.  I would love to think there is an "all loving God", but, I want nothing to do with the violent nature of the God in the Bible, and I refuse to paint his violence white.  And no, I will not kill my son, just because a God told me to.  \n\nI wonder if the bible is a trick to get people to worship the wrong God, like Satan, or just some mean Egyptian Pharoah, long after his death.  The ultimate con.
209290
Yes... I mean no....I mean, I don't know.  Questioning one's own belief system is essential to spiritual growth and evolution.  All the ones that answered "no" so quickly are the one's that, in my mind, need to get a reality check.  Don't be so sure!  Take a look around, there are more questions than answers and there are more opinions around the globe than we can count.  So, be okay to question your faith and the very existence of "god".  You may come back full circle, or you may not.  But at least you can say that you've looked outside the narrow little box that most people live in.\n\nI'm sure that if god exists and assuming that god gave you a logical mind to work with, god wouldn't mind if you questioned and explored those issues.  I haven't seen anybody struck down to a pillar of salt lately!  So free your mind, go exploring!
395047
Good question -- the same can be said about this business of torturing people FOREVER in hell just because they could not believe the gospel.  (It is rather hard to believe in invisible things, or in things that one is told and for which there is no proof.)  But if God loves to hate the people he supposedly loves, then that's the way it goes.
382090
Never. To me, all the violence and death and destruction in this world today is totally inconsistent with the idea of a loving, benevolent God who apparently cares about his "children." It would make more sense to me if we had a deity that just isn't paying any attention or something. I cannot accept the fact that THIS is the best world that he can do.
240884
I'm not a Christian but I have read the bible (I was bored). \nThe Bible is full of contradictions like thou shalt not kill, an eye for an eye, turn the other cheek, etc. \nI know one story in there mentions when King Herod ordered the murder of every first born son (or child, I can't remember)because he was trying to kill Baby Jesus. Maybe this had something to do with it?
243268
i think you are right.... but remember not everyone believes in God so they would create evil in certain ways. Which would cause arguements which would cause fights which would cause war
22140
If you buy into Judeo-Christian mythology, God is the author of free will.  Satan is not a creator, but a perverter, and thus could not give to Adam and Eve an inherent quality that they did not already possess.
91397
The world is becoming exactly what it says in the Bible.  But, there are still a lot of people who believe in God.  It is just so sad that so many young ones don't.  Just remember, God isn't the one to turn against.  Satan has brought the evil into the world. Satan challenged God's universal sovereignty.
178285
Your question is actually about Satan.\n\nAnything that even remotely conflicts with the idea that God is One and Indivisible will be rejected because it precludes true, pure, monotheism. The idea that there is a God in heaven above who fights against a god of the underworld, or hell, is not monotheism. Other faiths had this same duality:\n\nGreek: Zeus/Hades\nRoman: Jupiter/Pluto\nChristian: God/Devil\n\nNow, of course, Judaism and the Bible tell of a character called, "The Satan." Every time the term is used in the Hebrew Scriptures, it reads, "HaSaTaN," which means "THE Satan." However, the concept of The Satan is radically different from the idea of the Devil. For Christians, the devil has power and authority in and of himself. However, in the Bible, The Satan only has power granted by God, and has no authority in and of himself. For the devil, or satan, to have power and authority is to have more than one god, as we saw above concerning the Greeks and the Romans. \n\nThe Satan is described in only a few places in the Hebrew Scriptures. In every instance, he is an angel who works FOR God, not against God, and must get permission from God for everything that he does. \n\nChronicles, Job, Psalms, and Zechariah are the only places where The Satan is mentioned. In each instance, the job description of The Satan is to act like what we now call a Prosecuting Attorney, or District Attorney, and accuse and show evidence against the defendant. Furthermore, like a D.A., The Satan must obtain permission from God, The Judge, to begin a sting operation.\n\nIn the following quotation from the Biblical Book of Job, please take note of who is doing the talking, as The Satan asks God for permission to conduct a sting operation against Job:\n\n          JOB 2:3-6  3 And the Eternal said unto \n          <the>Satan, Hast thou considered my \n          servant Job, that there is none like him \n          in the earth, a perfect and an upright \n          man, one that feareth God, and escheweth \n          evil? and still he holdeth fast his \n          integrity, although thou <The Satan> \n          movedst me <God> against him, to destroy \n          him without cause. And Satan answered the \n          Eternal, and said, Skin for skin, yea, \n          all that a man hath will he give for his \n          life. But put forth thine hand <God's \n          hand> now, and touch his bone and his \n          flesh, and he will curse thee to thy \n          face. And the Eternal said unto Satan, \n          Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his \n          life.\n\nIn the above verses, The Satan must get permission from God to perform this "sting operation" on Job. The Satan has no power or authority of his own, like a District Attorney who must also obtain permission from The Judge for anything he does.\n\nFurthermore, the Biblical text paints this same picture of the Satan, when it uses the character of The Satan in what appears to be the end of a court scene. In the following two quotations, The Satan is standing near the accused like the D.A. stands at the end of a court drama on television.\n\n          ZECHARIAH 3:1-2  1 And he shewed me \n          Joshua the high priest standing before \n          the angel of the Etrnl, and <the>Satan \n          standing at his right hand to accuse him. \n          And the Etrnl said unto Satan, "The \n          Etrnl rebuke thee, O Satan; even the \n          Etrnl that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke \n          thee: is not this a brand plucked out of \n          the fire?"\n\n          PSALM 109:6-7  6 Set thou a wicked man \n          over him, and let Satan stand at his \n          right hand. When he shall be judged, let \n          him be condemned, and let his prayer \n          become sin.\n\nIn the Bible there is also verses which show that it is God, the Creator and Ruler of the whole universe, who is respo
117411
Good and evil are highly biased concepts precisely because of social constructions such as God and Satan. However, we cannot look at the world as a set of binary opositions: white, black, up, down, God, Devil etc. If it really were about negativity and positivity if you can say that, then what the hell do we do with everything in between?!?! As far as Satan goes, he is just a human created mithological creature that scares small minded people and keeps them in line. He is the product of some idiot's imagination who wanted to control people's mind, Satan is a political weapon as is God; and for people's brainwashed little heads, he represents evil and darkness and "the enemy", so it is the people who attatch meaning to an otherwise meaningless nonexistant thing like the devil.
322734
Not only that but God told Joshua to go into a certain city, I believe it was Jericho and kill everyone, and not to leave anyone alive. Sounds more like Bin Laden than a loving God. The Old Testament God has been painted to look rather savage and bloodthirsty. I consider the fact that the Bible was written not by God but by humans with agendas and ambitions.
25792
If someone is imposing their will on yours, then you may kill that person.  That's how I understood it when I read the Satanic Bible.  The whole book seems to be very self-oriented; if anything offends you, get rid of it.  They are just as nuts as all the other religions.
522998
Or torture us!  People make out God to seem so evil but these people dont see it that way , they actually think they are so bad that they do not deserve anything its just crazy!  I do not believe in the adam and eve story.  I do not believe in hell but i do believe in a loving God not a evil one.  I will get a lot of thumbs down from overly religious people but i dont care.  God did not write the bible nor did it fall from the sky.. How can anyone say its Gods true word when it has changed hands through man for thousands of years.  God is loving and kind, not mean and angry .
626549
Nice book. (If you’re a sadist)\n\n\n(edit)\nWhy would the old testament be in the book if this god decided to change his cruel, voilent and hatefull ways. Then you shouldn't present the old testament to me. If I tell you "Hey man, here is the word or GOD, the creator of all the universe! He is all-knowing, all-powerful and all-present!!!! ..But why then is there a part in his word that doesn't apply to our time?? I thought he is all-present which would mean his word will be timeless.
650718
I definately agree with you.  Other than Jesus was God's son, supposedly, why was his crucifixtion so important...he wasn't the only one that was crucified and tortured.  There is a lot in the Bible that can be scrutinized over and there is always going to be people who believe in different things.  The Christians who were taught that they cannot think anything other than God is God and Jesus is the son of God and that everything happens because God wants it to will never change their mind about it.  I have asked questions like this and people say I am ignorant for asking these questions...I say they are because they don't question anything or think for themselves.  How merciful a God we have that allows molestation and slow painful deaths for innocent children with cancer and AIDS.  I am not sure on the answers for a lot of your questions...I know that I believe there is a God...I do not however believe in Him in the way others do...I believe He is there to watch out over his children like a father does and no ones father is perfect...neither is God.  Everyone has their faults including God.  The Bible was made by man not by God.  It is all mans interpretation of what God told them and maybe that is why we are being punished now is because those people as well did not interpret God's word the way He told them to do so.  You have great questions!  Just believe what you want and what you know inside yourself is right.  There will always be someone who will say you are wrong or whatever...but God made us the way we are...made us have doubts and if you...this is going to sound cheesy...listen to yourself you will know it is God who is putting that belief inside of you.  I have hardly read the Bible by the way...I just believe what is in my heart and what makes sense to me.    I hope all that made sense to you.
561115
I agree, people worship Jesus and Pastors/Ministers/Bishops/Popes/. Per God's word in the "original" Bible false Idols are Blasphemous. That has never sat well with me. As the "original" Bible stated "God is within you". Making everyone God. Meaning you have the power. I am not religious, religion is such a crock! I have studied many religions and all seem to have been basically enacted to stop humans from animalistic behavior by scaring them. All religion was created for was to keep order, stating that if you acted un-Godly you would end up in an Eternal Hell. The only problem with this is that nature still exists. In nature animals kill, rape, are homosexual, and live un-Godly. Yet most say all of God's creaturs end up in Heaven. HUH? Just live by the Golden Rule (do unto others as you would have them do unto you). Not for God's sake, but it really does make life easier. If you yell at someone they will yell back, if you reason with someone they will reason with you.
315502
A very good question.\n\nNobody likes to think their loved ones are bad people or that their own heaven will exclude the things or people that they love. It is a no win argument, either the God/Gods will punish the wrong doers and in the process do evil to the person who did no wrong, or the God/Gods have to forgive everyone for their crime and heaven will be open for everyone even if they don't believe.\nMaybe there is a true God that does not punish and the Gods we all hear about are all just the Devil, making threats and forcing people to follow them. Even more radical would a true loving God exclude anyone? or even judge people?
228503
Because that "God" in Jeremiah 13:14 is the Lord, God of Israel. That "God" is not the same God who created humans or is it the same God who created the entire universe. They are all different. The Lord, God of Israel is actually Satan, the fallen angel. Satan is an alien from heaven and is obsessed with control and power over humans. In the case of the biblical story you brought up, Satan is concerned with collecting all the gold and treasures from all the people he ordered massacred. Reread the story again with this explanation in mind and it will make sense. Satan is still concerned with hoarding gold to this day. The followers of that "God" are actually Satanist working for a real alien (or angel). There is nothing spiritual about the mass killings of women, children, and babies; it is just, quite simply, a factual account of a greedy, gold hungry alien passing as a 'god' to humans who willing do his bidding in exchange for worldly policical powers. These Satanist are behind almost all the world events of modern times. But don't be scared, their time is almost up and they will soon be at our feet (Rev 2:9 and 3:9). And the creator God of human beings will be returning! (Rev 20-22) That is the Good News of the Bible.