Sympathy for the Devil … or Pilate

[other one]

I think Pilot was just watching out for himself in his actions.....   he was put in a no win situation, but I think that was the way it was supposed to be.....     considering the whole of everything, he could not turn him loose or our salvation would not have come the way it did.

 

As for Satan, though I cut him no slack for what he did, when I look over everything I have to pretty much shake my head and think, "What a waste...."

[Guest Robert]

As far as Pilate goes.... only the Lord can judge his heart. We really don't know enough about him (or the events of his life after the Gospels in scripture per se) to say, let alone what was truly in his heart.

 

Concerning Satan: there is a growing belief out there that Satan was "somehow noble" and "rebelled again a tyrannical God whom wanted to keep His creation subjugated". This idea has been promoted by several people, most notably John Loftus, a former Christian-turned-Atheist:

 

Quote

"Christians concoct wildly implausible scenarios in order to defend their faith, most notably Alvin Plantinga, who supposes Satan causes all natural evils, and Peter Van Inwagen, who supposes that before the fall in Eden there was no suffering even though carnivores and human beings both co-existed on the earth before then. But what if Satan is the good guy? What if he rebelled against God because he was aware of God's evil plan to create this kind of world and with it condemn human beings to hell forever? What if Satan told Adam the truth in the garden and wanted him to have a true knowledge about God that was forbidden him? What if God was the one who revealed a lie, that Satan was the bad guy even though he isn't? What if God also had some innocent sap be crucified and subsequently claimed it represented his love for us? What if God laughs that so many people believes what he revealed? What if God is the bad guy? What if this so-called cosmic war is being won by the wrong guy? What if in response Satan is sending prophets (i.e. intellectuals), to tell believers the truth, that God is a liar, an evil egomaniac, a moral monster? What evidence is there to deny my scenario? Evidence. That's what I'm asking for in any scenario. Probabilities are all that matter. For if any of these scenarios are to be taken seriously then people are within their epistemic rights to believe the Scientology tale too."

  -Loftus, John W. "What If Satan Is the Good Guy?" Debunking Christianity. John W. Loftus, 21 Aug. 2012. Web. 17 June 2015.  http://debunkingchristianity.blogspot.com/2012/08/what-if-satan-is-good-guy.html

 

Let me set a bit of groundwork here before getting to the point: In Loftus' daydream here, there's a "good" standard outside of God that God is beholden to obey. But the thing is: if God existed before everything else, then the idea of a "moral law" outside of God is utterly ridiculous. All you would have is the universe that would "operate" as made. God is the originator of moral law, and defines what good is. If there is a law, there is a law-giver, and that would be God. if good exists, God exists. The idea of an "Evil God" is an oxymoron, because were that the case, what we call "evil" would be His nature and that would be called "good". Moral values are an extension of God's character, and whatever the character of the Creator is the nature of His creation. Mankind's fall was because he chose evil, NOT because God made him evil.

With that said: since God defines by His very nature and position what good is, and Satan rebelled against God, then we see that Satan is indeed EVIL. And scripture clearly defines his fall:

Quote

“How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth,  You who have weakened the nations! But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven;  I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High." (Isaiah 14: 12-14, NASB, emphasis mine)

 

We know the rest of the story here, and we know what the Lord Jesus has said about the Adversary:

Quote

"You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. " (John 8:44, NASB, emphasis mine)

And what Peter has to tell us as well in scriptures:

Quote

"Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world." (1 Peter 5:8-9, NASB, emphasis mine)

 

It might just be me, but someone fitting those descriptions, I do not feel particularly inclined to have any "sympathy" for....

 

Edited April 29, 2016 by RobertS

[enoob57]

We know by the very nature of 'being' we have a begin point... so did Lucifer and all else created! Now to start from this
place to claim or desire to be one which does not have beginning is ludicrous to even consider... this is why lies are so
pathetic they are nothing except a place of perversion of the something... and the empty set of those who think taking
them in and being something in gain the deluded unto destruction of godlessness.... Love, Steven

[kwikphilly]

Quote

this is why lies are so
pathetic they are nothing except a place of perversion of the something                                                     posted by enoob

the father of lies,powerless against the Authority of all TRUTH,Jesus,the WORD    the Way,the Truth,the Life              Amen!!!! 

                                                                                                                             love,Kwik

[soft fleecy lambsy]

There should never be any sympathy for the devil.   ' He came to lie, steal and kill and destroy'.  

[Qnts2]

In history, Pilate was far from a nice guy.

Pilate crucified so many people, to such excess, the Jewish leadership appealed to Rome. Rome sent a warning to Pilate that if he did not reduce the number of crucifixions, he would be moved to a far less desirable post. 

So, when the question of crucifying Jesus came before Pilate, Pilate was already in trouble. Pilate had the authority to release Jesus. In the end, Rome did send Pilate to a remote outpost, I believe in the area of France, which was a very undesirable location at that time. 

I have no sympathy for the devil.

[other one]

if you look at what the devil was, what he turned into and where he is headed, I find it hard to believe that people who really think about it have to jut look at it all,   shake their heads and declare,  "What a waste."

Sympathy for the Devil....    not really for he made his bed........    but really....   what a waste....

[kwikphilly]

Yes,,,,so true other one,,,,,,,,,,,,uhhhhhh,PRIDE,,,,,,,,,,,pride & vanity,indeed a waste,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,