Is The Devil Actually Evil?

[Strife]

I wanna know how the devil is evil, if ya THINK hard on it, it isnt actually evil, because of the fact it punishes the wicked and evil doers, so i believe he would be the god of justice am i correct?

[ravinclaw]

Well, thats one way to look at it. Many will say yes, the devil is the very defenition of evil, others will say that he is simply misunderstood, rejected by an unfair god.

In the begining the devil was simply an adversary, like a judge of sorts who seen flaws in gods work and called him on it, I could probably write a page or two on this, but at the moment Im a lazy ass, and dont feal like it so I will give the others time to express their veiws on the matter.

interesting idea by the way, and welcome to monstrous.

[KubeSix]

Interesting way of looking at it. I think what you said about the god of justice could be a good interpretation, although he'd be more like an angel of justice if you meant the Christian Devil. And what ravin said is true, he wasn't really evil, he was the one to question god and in the end, got banished. I don't have much to add, but I just wanted to say those are interesting views on the subject.

[Strife]

well thank you both, i was just thinking wouldn't god be evil itself? if ya think about it the devil or lucifier was once an angel, and alls lucifer asked was why the angels had to watch over the humans, they were clearly more "superior, and so god banished lucifer down to hell, isnt that kinda bad because i believe god gave everything a "free will" to speak there minds and oppinions, so why would he banish lucifer for speaking its mind? if ya ask me god is a hypocryte if this theory is true, just a thought

[ravinclaw]

My fealings on religion, angels, demons and God are ...........mixed is the only word I can think of to describe it, but alot of people say that God is pure good and incapable of evil acts, I say he is just as capable of evil as he is of good, but the very idea of good and evil is a mater of perspective I think,

like you can do something bad and something good can come out of it or the other way around, kinda the whole "the end justifies the means" way of thinking I guess,

[KubeSix]

I don't think God would be completely good. After all, if he were completely good, there's no way he'd send people to Hell to suffer for eternity, right? Once again, the "what is good and evil" question... I'd think both God and the Devil would be morally gray. Like ravin said, the end justifies the means kinda thing.

[Ryobi]

Well I don't really see God as a force of good but more the force of material creation, if the 'Devil' is the opposite of 'God' then that would make him the force that destroys material creation. In other words death compared to life. In a western societal sense, punishment compared to reward. Metaphysical existence compared to physical existence.

Not saying that in destroying material creation he created the astral realm, however in being a destructive force he opens the gates to the next life through 'death'.

[Grendelion]

Any entity that is sentient is capable of both good and evil.  If God is good and the Devil is evil, its only because they choose to be so.  People see the Devil as pure evil nowadays because the old stories have been given a strictly dual aspect, with no middle ground whatsoever.  Because of its widespread hold on the worlds populace, the old monotheistic beliefs and ideals of heaven and hell have slowly permeated into our own pop culture, and have thus become a derivative of their initial selves.  If the Devil is nothing more than an angel of justice as one suggested, then I suppose he isn't truly evil.  However, if he's the shape among us that uses wit and will to coerce man to commit sin and what-not, then he could very well be classified as evil.  But like I said, its only because he chooses to be.

[Kadesh]

isnt that kinda bad because i believe god gave everything a "free will" to speak there minds and oppinions, so why would he banish lucifer for speaking its mind? if ya ask me god is a hypocryte if this theory is true, just a thought

He didn't give 'everything' free will, just humans. Angels were created for the purpose of guarding human life. Protecting it and ensuring it's continuance... at God's will. He is their "Master". They live at his sufferance.

[ravinclaw]

yeah, that was prety much the idea, we get to screw around and run a muck of things, and they are suposed to play nany and keap us out of too much trouble...........they are doing one hell of a job too, mabey their all on vacation or strike or something.....for the past several thousand years.

[Kadesh]

 Oh gods... don't get me started. Guardian Angels?? Where were they when I.... well, when I needed them?

[Ryobi]

Because the universe is not centered around mankind and things that are, are nearly always human concepts and forces, such as Guardian Angels, which are a product of faith, if you do not entirely let that force into your life, it can not do it's job.

Would you say you are a different person now? Would you say it was a change for the better?

If so, that could be the other reason? 

[Angelus]

Humans were given free will so having an army of angels  to guide humanity and protect them is kinda redundant. Thats removing free will. As for the whole devil being evil or good? Since the entire good and evil/right and wrong concept is based entirely on whether something is ethical or not and there for whether it is moraly and legaly right. Religion was the first law so the only reason we view something as wrong is because early religion and law (which was based from religion) say so. Going down this rout that means the whole concept of evil was invented by religion so if a religions equivilant of the devil is said to be evil by the religion itself then hes evil because thats what that particular religion views evil as. Arguing about whether the devil is evil or not is a bit like me telling my friend his imaginary friend isnt blue like he says, but green. I dont know or have a say. I didnt create him, I accept he is confident enough in his invention to decide these things.

[onishadowolf]

The Devil isn't evil, he's just a poor little pawn. Poor little Devil!:'(

He just gets raped all around.tsk tsk

[Kadesh]

 Well Ryobi... I'd go into detail, but it's painful stuff... and no, it wasn't better... Well.... I'm a stronger person now for everything I've been through....... but I can't take much more.....