Devils (Christians might help most here)

[Ngaurhoth1]

I've been wondering... if demons are the opposites of angels and the devil the opposite of god, then if the devil made demons, can he create in a similar way to how god creates? Also why is mythology almost never has Devil and a feminine version of the word devil but almost always has Gods and Godesses?

[Philosophia]

I've been wondering... if demons are the opposites of angels and the devil the opposite of god, then if the devil made demons, can he create in a similar way to how god creates?

Technically, no. The devil (aka. Satan) was the leader of a group of fallen angels (which were changed into demons) and doesn't have similar powers to god.


Also why is mythology almost never has Devil and a feminine version of the word devil but almost always has Gods and Godesses?

Because all mythologies are different. Each mythology has its own "punishment" area (so to speak). Like Christian mythology, they also have their own "bad guys" as well just not in the form of demons.

[Theres]

I've been wondering... if demons are the opposites of angels and the devil the opposite of god, then if the devil made demons, can he create in a similar way to how god creates? Also why is mythology almost never has Devil and a feminine version of the word devil but almost always has Gods and Godesses?
i think your basic premise is flawed.
demons and angels are not fundamentally opposite, and the Devil (whatever that is) is not necessarily the opposite of a god.

[TuathaSidhe]

The way it was taught to me growing up was that Lucifer (the big bad "leader") and other angels once opposed God, and basically got booted outta heaven.

Now that I think about it, the way it was presented is rather comical, lol.

As to your other question......well, im not really sure. Culture/religous differences in story/myths?

[teishabee]

depends what we are classing as the devil?

[Toby Stimpson]

Devil is another word for demon. Certainly perhaps a certain type opf Demon... but there is no one devil.

In Christian mythology../.. The Devil is as others have pointed out a leader of fallen angels and demons... he doesn't create demons... God created demons. I can only assume that because the Devil is viewed in a very specific way, there wouldn't be female devils... there are female Demons though.

In other mythologies 'opposite' or 'rival' to Gods, do not make those rivals the same as. In Hinduism for instance the Asuras are the enemies and rivals to the Gods... they are strong and powerful BUT they are not immortal, spiritual, or knowledgeable. In that way they cannot create only create illusion. The difference is that Gods can create something real and tangible while the Asuras cannot. Same with Christianity... only God is a deity... Devils are not Gods.

[Solya]

I believe that Christianity sees God as the creator and the devil and demons as beings that were created. One has to wonder why they were created by God in the first place, and why God bothered to create an adversary that is not a real threat in the long run...

[Toby Stimpson]

well it's obvious in some ways. By creating a test for his creations... God set up a balance. I mean you cannot have just good. Atleast thats my perspective :)

[Solya]

Mmmm, yes, but why not make evil equal to good? That's not balance... that's just a test to see how long humans are going to last before they give in to one of the two.

[bellamandu]

from what i was taught in private schools (i went to a local southern baptist school until high school) was that the devil isnt exactly the opposite of god.

lucifer was kind of gods right hand man, he was the most beautiful of all the angels, and everybody loved him. one day he decided that since he was the most beautiful, that he was even better than god and that he decided to challenge him. he gathered up several other angels as followers and god became angry and sent him down to earth and hell for all eternity, along with his other angel followers.

so basically, the devil isnt the opposite, he was just the most high ranking angel before he got cast down to hell. and all of the demons werent actually created by him, they were angels created by god who decided to follow lucifer instead of god, and were cast down into hell as well.

[Ngaurhoth1]

Hm, I've seen the point that Lucifer took fallen angels, but they are not demons they are fallen angels. Also I don't mean to say that he can create from nothing, but can he manipulate what is on earth to make something?

[bellamandu]

well like i said i dont really believe in all that stuff, but what i was taught was that yes, the devil makes things that arent supposed to be there. so i suppose, yes he can make something out of nothing. although,in every case ive heard it described, he didnt actually CREATE those things...

what they teach in churches around here is that when something like that is happening, its being manifested by the devil but it isnt actually happening technically. you "let" the devil make you believe in things that arent "actually" true. and that if you honestly believed and trusted in god supposedly these things wouldnt happen, or you wouldnt believe them anyway.

so, based on this, things that are supposedly created or manifested by the devil, you are allowing yourself to take in as a perception.

i know it sounds confusing, but basically, yes, the devil can create things that werent there in the first place, but in "reality" those things arent actually there, they are just percieved to be there based on a lack of faith one person might have.


like i said, personally i think all this is complete bullshit, but i did pay attention in bible class. :hehehehe:

[teishabee]

so the devil is kind of like a magician, the great illusionist.

[Ngaurhoth1]

I like that concept. He's a master illusionist. I'm thinking of in a story that when the incarnations of things inside pandora'sjar comes out, after they die he uses their energy to make new speices.

[teishabee]

Is that in the bible?

I always thought pandora's box was a greek myth?

[Infinite Grey]

The mythos of the Devil varies with each sect of Christianity, probably the only unifing element (there are exceptions) is that the devil was cast out of heaven and seeks to hurt God (YHWH) by hurting humanity. Probably the simplest form is the Evangelical belief, which is based pretty much completely on the unifying concept I mentioned previously. The devil in this instance creates to the illusion of power, predominately whispering in people's ears and sending his demons (all fallen angels) to do the same - with a lot of possession involved. Casting out of demons is very common, as basically they are the manifestation of sins - basically if you're sinning then you're possessed.

By far the Catholics have the most interesting demon related mythology, particularly from the middle ages; demons have ranks, armies, levels of power even social groups. The primary basis of Demonology is based on these myths; and in these sets, the devil has a range of powers; some akin to God (YHWH), but that is basically implied because Angels were often granted godlike powers.

It's not so clean cut a question, but a matter of opinion. It's one of the biggest issues with Christianity, the different sects rarely agree.

[Ngaurhoth1]

Is that in the bible?

I always thought pandora's box was a greek myth?
It is, I can explain more about my devolping story, but on a pm and not this thread.

[Garm]

Just tossing a couple of wiki references into the pot to broaden the terms of the debate

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahriman

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnostic#Demiurge

[kotu]

Devil is another word for demon. Certainly perhaps a certain type opf Demon... but there is no one devil.

I disagree on that.

I theorise....

The Devil (Seth) is only called such because he was the first person ever to kill. He killed Osiris (Christ) and cut him into 14 pieces. Is this before their Egyptian lifetimes? Yes. I am saying that these were the first humans on the planet (think Adam and Eve). He is actually the second in command, in universal terms. It is prophesised that Osiris and Seth and their counterparts Isis and Nepenthys will return soon and lead the planet into a Golden age.

To be honest I could be speaking rubbish, there you go

[Theres]

the concept of "demons" existed outside of (and prior to) the Christian paradigm, and this alternate viewpoint has nothing to do with Satan or fallen angels or Adam and Eve or Jesus or any of that dogma.
therefore defining them strictly from that pov alone is very limiting and not fully accurate.

[Twinkle]

the concept of "demons" existed outside of (and prior to) the Christian paradigm, and this alternate viewpoint has nothing to do with Satan or fallen angels or Adam and Eve or Jesus or any of that dogma.
therefore defining them strictly from that pov alone is very limiting and not fully accurate.


Yup. My opinion that "demon" is a bastardization of "daemon" by Christians...making anything that is not of the Abrahamic God, evil.