Beelzebub?

Baz · Post by **Baz** » Sun Jan 02, 2011 4:05 am

I have come across some posts that sagest that we blame Satan, (the devil, or similar by any other name), for disease, floods (all but one I suppose) earthquakes and all sorts of stuff that courses us pain and suffering.

Before answering the simple question that follows it would be helpful to describe the Devil you are referring to first.

If as suggested by a large number of religions, "God is all powerful" why blame Satan for anything?

Cathar1950 · Post by **Cathar1950** » Sun Jan 09, 2011 5:52 pm

Darias wrote:
Cathar1950 wrote:
mgb wrote:There is a difference between moral evil (wickedness) and natural evils (earthquakes etc.)
If seems natural evil is a condition where moral evil is a response.
Sometimes "natural evil" leads to moral evil -- E.G., persecution against Jews by Medieval Christians because of the Black Death (they thought their 'toleration' of Jews had ushered in God's wrath against them -- because they believed the Jews killed Christ.)

But other times it causes great compassion and empathy, as demonstrated by the aid and support given to Haitians after the earthquake earlier last year.

I wish earthquakes and natural disasters didn't cause so much death -- but if they didn't exist, our planet would be dead, incapable of supporting life. (earthquakes are caused by shifting plates; storms are caused by the weather which circulates the air, etc.)

. . . but such is life -- short and un-guaranteed. So let's cherish it.

I was reading about reciprocal altruism and how vampire bats regurgitate and feed those in the group that didn't get any which keeps the group living together better then letting then just die. I imagine that nature has selected for bats some feeling as reward for regurgitation as it has for us in our social bonds.

mgb · Post by **mgb** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 12:48 pm

Cathar1950 wrote:I was reading about reciprocal altruism and how vampire bats regurgitate and feed those in the group that didn't get any which keeps the group living together better then letting then just die. I imagine that nature has selected for bats some feeling as reward for regurgitation as it has for us in our social bonds.

It could also be that the bat spirit is altruistic.

Cathar1950 · Post by **Cathar1950** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 2:07 pm

mgb wrote:
Cathar1950 wrote:I was reading about reciprocal altruism and how vampire bats regurgitate and feed those in the group that didn't get any which keeps the group living together better then letting then just die. I imagine that nature has selected for bats some feeling as reward for regurgitation as it has for us in our social bonds.
It could also be that the bat spirit is altruistic.

They see themselves as made in God's image.