I would recommend Milton's Paradise Lost.

He makes the arguement that God purposefully didn't destroy the fallen angel. God bounded him in chains in the lake of fire. The devil escaped. However, Milton argues that it was God's intention for him to escape. The devil would now make it his duty to destroy God's creations; Satan would try to make a hell of heaven and a heaven of hell. If humans had free choice but only the good side to choose from, then it isn't completely free choice. But now that humans have two sides to chose from: the temptation and the good, they can have the full choice over their life/after life.

Interesting point.

God sent Satan to hell, because Satan rebelled against god and wanted to be god. He gave Satan a place to drag other rebels against god. So, hell is the devil' heaven. God loved Satan because he was one of the greatest angels. Apparently the one that wanted a bit too much.

Quote from Zed

Firstly, this isn't about whether or not he exists. That result is exactly the same as a God debate and those get tiresome anyway.
I'm really edgy about posting this. It could be a great discussion, or it could be a goat-fest. Don't **** this up, SPP.
Secondly, I know I said Satan in the title, but that's just because I thought it had a better ring to it. The devil would be a more appropriate term because that way we don't have to focus soley on Christianity. I shall continue to use the word 'Satan' because it's quicker than 'The Devil' and it often makes for a better sentance.

Thirdly, don't start devil-worshipping in this thread. It's not big and it's not clever. If you do happen to be a devil-worshipper, however (not looking at anyone in particular), it would be very interesting to hear your views if you are willing to put them sensibly.

Now then. What this thread is about is what Satan is believed to be.

Is he a seperate thing from God or is he just the name for God's nasty side?

If Satan punishes the evil then is he himself evil or is he a vessel of good?

Why do some people worship Satan?

If God is all-powerful, why doesn't he kill Satan?

Feel free to add any other good questions you think of.

alright, first: when you ask such specific questions, it's impossible to answer them without focusing on one religion, as we can only find the idea of satan in religion, and have to use a religion's written text as our source of knowledge. Depending on which religion we focus on, the answers will - or might - differ.


Is he a seperate thing from God or is he just the name for God's nasty side?

Satan is a separate thing from God. In Judaism he is not an evil entity, but rather an engel under god that prosecutes evil and tests man's faith.

In christianity he is sometimes thought of as a symbol of sin in men, and sometimes as a fallen angel that seeks to tempt man into sin. In both cases, resisting satan is rewarded with access into an awesome place.

In islam he is a djinn, who hates humans because they were made out of clay, while he was made out of fire, which is way more awesome. He is not an enemy of god, but an enemy of humanity, and seeks to lead man into temptation.

If Satan punishes the evil then is he himself evil or is he a vessel of good?

He is a necessary evil. A tester of faith. Most religions claim that in order to be good, one must have the choice to be bad. Satan gives us that choice.

Why do some people worship Satan?

Most satan worshippers do not worship satan in the sense that they worship a fallen angel of evil. They worship the idea of free will and individuality, which in many ways satan represent (as he rebelled, and refused to follow God's rules). One can say that they worship themselves, and follow their own rules, instead of God's.
Why, however, is a question each person can only answer for himself. It's like asking "why do people worship God?" Some do it because they find the idea of a good entity watching over them pleasing, while others do it because they were brought up to.

If God is all-powerful, why doesn't he kill Satan?

I guess you can say there are two answers to this: If God killed Satan, where could the religions claim evil come from?
The other is that, as I already said, Satan is a necessary evil, that tests the faith of mankind, and harshly punishes those who fail.

i'd perfer to call him lucifer,but though i dont believe in god/heaven satan/hell i do believe there is an underworld not ruled by lucifer but by death.that he or it either tortures the soul or make them his or its slaves/sevrvents.but if god did exist this world would be a better place if he is so all powerful and mighty.but not the reason i dont beleive...this i thought of about 5 years ago and really it made sence.the reason i dont beleive in either is because there would be an eternal war of heaven vs. hell on earth this very moment and then we would be forced to pick a side wether we like it or not.and if we chose to kill ourselves we be rite bac it the battle field of never ending death,well it'd kinda be like judgemnet day like on terminator but alot worse because the war wouldnt be of man and machine...but of angles demons and then the humans.well theres that lol.that aotta gives some peoples something to think about!:D

Quote from chaoe

i'd perfer to call him lucifer,but though i dont believe in god/heaven satan/hell i do believe there is an underworld not ruled by lucifer but by death.that he or it either tortures the soul or make them his or its slaves/sevrvents.but if god did exist this world would be a better place if he is so all powerful and mighty.but not the reason i dont beleive...this i thought of about 5 years ago and really it made sence.the reason i dont beleive in either is because there would be an eternal war of heaven vs. hell on earth this very moment and then we would be forced to pick a side wether we like it or not.and if we chose to kill ourselves we be rite bac it the battle field of never ending death,well it'd kinda be like judgemnet day like on terminator but alot worse because the war wouldnt be of man and machine...but of angles demons and then the humans.well theres that lol.that aotta gives some peoples something to think about!:D

What the ****. I cannot understand this, and I have a PhD in nubspeak.

alrite wut the ****?!quit stalkin me you freky ass bastard!what the hell is wrong with man?!you god damn stalker leave me the hell alone!god damnit man find some other person to stalk for once!what is with this feeling that your starting an obsetion with me?!god damnit go back to your theripist!git some psycollogical mental fricken help!

I love how the stories of God and Satan play out like a fantasy novel, and humans seem to know exactly how everything supposedly happened.

I'm going to stick with "Satan is a synonym for temptation, he and hell are not meant to be taken literally".

well thats one way to look at it i guess.

Quote from chaoe

alrite wut the ****?!quit stalkin me you freky ass bastard!what the hell is wrong with man?!you god damn stalker leave me the hell alone!god damnit man find some other person to stalk for once!what is with this feeling that your starting an obsetion with me?!god damnit go back to your theripist!git some psycollogical mental fricken help!

That's right. I sneak into your room at night and smell you. You smell like lilac and gravy.

And lubricant.

Only once I'm done.

wtf?!wut the hel is rong with you?!and i ussually sleep on the roof whnen i get the chance. but to even say that you smell me at night ....wooooow proves you have issues. and what the hell is lilac?

Quote from chaoe

wtf?!wut the hel is rong with you?!and i ussually sleep on the roof whnen i get the chance. but to even say that you smell me at night ....wooooow proves you have issues. and what the hell is lilac?

Haha. You don't sleep on the roof. Face it, everybody here knows everything about you, and can read you like a book. So much so in fact that I bet your next comment would have been "lol u dnt know me!! I wud kil youu if i saw u and u wudnt be laughin then i teel ya, im a badass. al u lot hav issues man, stop been so dick heads", but of course you won't reply with that now as I've just said you will. Besides, I just think you're a very bad troll.

I think he's a bloody brilliant troll if he is one.

On topic: New question: is Satan responsible for natural disasters such as earthquakes, etc? And surely God could stop those without infringing on free will?

No he isn't, yes he could, but he doesn't.