Which of the following statements/opinions do you agree with?

[Robor007 0]

I can't vote either, for the same reasons as Alex, well except I don't believe in the two party same people thingy.

Same here. I do not own a tin foil hat.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

"Both mainstream US political parties are controlled by the same people."

no.. but

Both mainstream US political parties are two sides of the same coin.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Ehhhhhh. The concept of Satan is a *lot* older than the association with Pan. Christianity picked up the imagery from the Greeks, but the idea that God has an adversary is at least as old as the book of Job.

"Satan" is a christian concept. Pan is much older than christianity.

"Satan" is an Abrahamic concept. It may or may not be older than Pan, which is fortunately not my point, hence why I didn't say that Pan was younger than Christianity, because the *association* of Satan with Pan is a Christian phenomenon, but the idea of Satan, as Scott says, as an adversary of God, is much older. Christianity didn't invent the concept of Satan, just gave it a face with pointy horns.

Check out the mythology of the Parsis (aka Zoroastrians) wo are not strictly Abrahamic(the quotes below, from Wiki).

Zoroaster is generally accepted as an authentic historical figure, but the period in which he lived remains unclear. Many scholarly estimates place him circa 1200 B.C., making him a candidate to be the founder of the earliest religion based on revealed scripture, while others place him anywhere between the 18th and the 6th centuries B.C

Zoroastrianism is uniquely important in the history of religion because of its possible formative links to both Western Abrahamic and Eastern Dharmic religious traditions.

Basically, Parsis have a single ultimate God, Ahura Mazda (shortened oft to "Ormazd" or variations) and a chief of anti-God Angra Mainyu aka "Ahriman". As in the Abrahamic religions, Ahriman is under a sentence of impending doom and knows it (did you see the similarity with the Biblical Satan here?)

Edited March 5, 2007 by CherryXS

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Ehhhhhh. The concept of Satan is a *lot* older than the association with Pan. Christianity picked up the imagery from the Greeks, but the idea that God has an adversary is at least as old as the book of Job.

"Satan" is a christian concept. Pan is much older than christianity.

"Satan" is an Abrahamic concept. It may or may not be older than Pan, which is fortunately not my point, hence why I didn't say that Pan was younger than Christianity, because the *association* of Satan with Pan is a Christian phenomenon, but the idea of Satan, as Scott says, as an adversary of God, is much older. Christianity didn't invent the concept of Satan, just gave it a face with pointy horns.

That's what I mean't - the popular imagery associated with it is taken directly from older religions with the sole purpose of demonising them and promoting monotheism. The concept of course, is older.

[Mags 112]

I am glad to see that I am no longer the only one who thinks that aliens walk amongst us. It's the ONLY explanation for my previous next-door neighbour...

Edited March 5, 2007 by mags

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

That's what I mean't - the popular imagery associated with it is taken directly from older religions with the sole purpose of demonising them and promoting monotheism. The concept of course, is older.

It's more or less the same deal with Santa Claus - the popular imagery of which was created by a coca cola marketing campaign and has nothing to do with Saint Nicholas.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Also for Caladan.

You're partly correct in saying "Christianity gave Satan the pointy-horned face".

Since you raked this up, you'll need to learn the history. Basically, there was a medieval European concept (which Martin Luther, of Reformation fame, believed) that by ridiculing an enemy, one would make the enemy defeat himself.

Lots of historical examples of that theory failing badly, I'll give a few:

• in WW1, Tommies were actually told that the Germans (aka "Huns" to British, though they are actually descended from Visigoths) would "run back to Berlin, tail between legs, when the fist Tommy landed on the continent"
  
• Tommies just-prior-to and during WW2 oft talked of "tweaking the puny paperhanger's nose" referring to Hitler
  
• Both in 1965 and 1971, Pakistan had circulated the propaganda amongst its soldiers that India would be quickly defeated due to "weakness of Hindu soldier vs. strength of Muslim": in 1965, Pakistan was shoved-back (by an UNPREPARED India) with higer personnel and materiel losses; in 1971, decisively defeated in two-front war which it had started (by shelling areas of West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura as early as April 1971)
  

[Caladan 19]

Since I raked what up? I'm just saying, as erekose acknowledges, that the Christian concept of Satan didn't originate with a need to get rid of pagan practices, but that it was used that way. And as "Satan" in LisaD's original query, yes, it's an Abrahamic concept.

Christianity's not the only set of religions with the idea of an evil being, or two opposed forces, but that's really neither here nor there. Christianity mostly repudiates dualism, which is one of the main tenets of Zoroastrianism. (Edited.)

Edited March 5, 2007 by Caladan

[Ban Hammer 13,335]

I am glad to see that I am no longer the only one who thinks that aliens walk amongst us. It's the ONLY explanation for my previous next-door neighbour...

aliens do walk amongst us. we call them cats

[Marilyn. 340]

I find it funny that 16 believe that God exists, but only 9 for Satan

I realized my error after I voted

[Marilyn. 340]

George W Bush is a Dork!

'nuff said.

have any of you seen that commercial about the war and how it is going to change or something?? They have George W Bush on there and he is saying "the war started on my watch...." I can't remember the rest of the quote though... I just found that line a little amusing

[Nessa 23]

..

conspiracy theories are still in fashion i see.

I believe in Conspiracy Theories