Can the forum's christians see the demons in other people?

[Darkstar]

So, either he is deliberately being a thug, or these people really are totally evil.

How is it being a thug to give people life?

Life? I mean that either he knows someone is good, but sends them to hell for not accepting Jesus, or every person who doesn't accept Jesus is already evil.

It seems odd to employ a literary device in a supposedly literal event.

That would be odd, which is why I assumed you were using the more general meaning of symbolic. I guess I shouldn't have given you the benefit of the doubt!

Metaphor
I probably should have used "symbolic" to begin with. It's still unusual, though. Couldn't he just have said flat out that he deemed women inferior?

The devil and his new sidekick defeat god's chosen and take over the entire world...why?

Good question, and part of the reason that I think God has deals with Satan (and possibly other angels) that we're not privy too.

A pretty sick deal to let your arch-enemy take over the world and force everyone to worship him under threat of death. Speaking of 'deal', what could god possibly get out of it? He's omnipotent!

Worship me or die...sound familiar?

No...feel free to explain it if you like.

Well, there is Exodus 22:20 “Whoever sacrifices to any god other than the Lord must be destroyed", but that could technically be overridden if we say that no sacrifices are required. Let's look at it this way, the first commandment is to not have any gods before Yahweh. Breaking the "don't work on the sabbath" resulted in death. It would be reasonable to conclude that the first commandment is the most important (as being of another religion, one might not feel the need to follow any of the commandments), so...I think there is a clear conclusion. The inquisitors and crusaders figured it out, did you?

All of that misery, when he could have done this in the first place? He "must" release Satan, knowing what will happen? Does this make any sense to you?

It makes sense if God had made deals with Satan that we're not privy to. It's interesting that you're finding some of the very passages that lead me to that position, yet don't make the connection yourself.

God made a deal with the devil...?

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