Is believing in the Devil different (stranger) than believing in God?

Its kind of preverse to claim there is a place below our feet with a red guy with horns and a pitchfork. i think it isnt less religion but more of an association with paganism

 

I'm agnostic, myself, but if I did believe in a higher power who was all powerful and cared deeply about the human race, I wouldn't be able to accept that that higher power would allow something like the Devil and Hell. It just doesn't add up, at least for me.

 

Damn you OP! You started this!

Now troubles are many, they're as deep as a well
I can swear there ain't no heaven but I pray there ain't no hell
Swear there ain't no heaven and I pray there ain't no hell
But I'll never know by living, only my dying will tell
Yes, only my dying will tell, yeah, only my dying will tell


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I don't believe in either, but science has evolved to the point where we know what's below us. Where as technically speaking God may live on another star but is still in Heaven.Yes, I know everything is not suppose to be interpreted literally and everything, but it's still takes away the edge a bit. If I didn't know what was beneath my feet, I'd be much more likely to wonder if there's another world below.

 

If there's a hell below we're all gonna go

ill find a quote

 

I can't wait for my condo by the lake of fire.

 

Yes, believing in a creator -- perhaps the entity that ignited the big bang is much more 'believable' than a creature who is a fallen angel and the enemy of god. Particularly if you believe in the standard image of the devil or if you think the devil is a real person subverting good in the world.

 

no more perverse than claiming there is a bearded white guy hanging out up in the clouds behind some pearly gates.

like christmas?

the center of the earth is a 5000 degree ocean of boiling metals and noxious gasses. sounds pretty hellish to me!

 

It does seem like another level down IMO.

 

Not in my opinion.....

I'm an atheist, but when I read the "Old Testament" I saw Lucifer as a somewhat sympathetic character who rebelled against a racist, sexist, genocidal, infanticidal, megalomaniacal god.

 

Because if you believe in an almighty God, logically, there should be no space for a devil. Almighty would rule out the devil having power - no?

 

Where would devil be if GOD doesn't want him to exist? Isn't GOD all powerful? While we are at it, GOD knows everything right? He exist at all time and space right? He knew exactly what is going to happen as soon as an action is taken.

 

pfft. That's like saying "If a God really existed, there would be no more hunger."

No. That logic is not valid. The Devil is supposed to be a creation of God. A temptation. The serpent. He's a test. This is the Bible, whether you want to hear it or not.

So, yes, the Devil is an adversary of God...but no more than Sin is. God lets him exist. According to your "logic," let me rephrase your statement...."if you believe in an almighty God, there would be no space for Sin. Almighty would rule out Sin having power - no?" see?

All texts of Satan in the Bible lead back to the Serpent in the Garden of Eden. Actually, Satan is not really a person or thing throughout much of the Old Testament. It's just a word for adversary. Much like Sin.

And Hell, hell that word predates all the Bible.

 

I will only vote for Christians who don't actually literally believe anything about their religion.

 

The "Devil" is more specific than "God", hence less believable.

 

So you will only vote for phony Christians.

I think you actually mean the complete opposite.

 

All the posts are kinda going somewhere else in relation to the question.

I think the reason that a lot of the newer generation of Christians (younger ones) shrug off the idea of the Devil is because a large number of attractive churches only preach on the sunny side of Christianity (prosperity, joy, love another, etc.) No one wants to hear that a Devil exists that tempts everyone. No one wants to hear that we are all sinners in comparison to God. It seems that churches, while not outright denying, are just ignoring certain doctrine to the point of irrelevance.

After all, churches are seeing a decline in attendance, and they'll adjust their sermons and views accordingly so as to gain attendance.

Now what everyone else is arguing (the reason behind a necessity of a Devil and Hell if God is all-powerful) is a really deep question that can't be answered in one post, and there are a surprising amount of interesting answers throughout the theological spectrum.

 

The Devil is just symbolism for Temptation and Sin, which is actually, much more believable than God.

And the word to use in your sentence for God is not "belief;" it is "faith." Minor, yet, very significant difference.