(July 16, 2013 at 1:37 pm)Faith No More Wrote: Hell yes, we could. I'd have to read and familiarize myself with the story more first, but I'd think it'd make a great tale.
Believe it or not, the Bible doesn't provide much in the way of detail on Satan's rebellion or his fall. In fact, Satan makes almost no appearances in the OT and is more a plot device than a character in the new.
In the Genesis, the "snake" is never named as "Satan" nor is there any indication that the snake is in any way supernatural (aside from the talking part). In fact, Genesis specifies that the snake is just a snake, the "most clever" of Yahweh's animals. It's only in Revelation that the serpent is ret-conned into being Satan. Ask the Jews about this. The whole Genesis tale is a "just so" story, later reworked into a grand "fall" of humanity that Jesus would later save us from.
Satan makes an appearance in Job apparently as a member of Yahweh's court. He seems cynical and perhaps is the loyal opposition in his conversations with Yahweh. Nonetheless, he seems welcome to enter and leave Heaven and the conversations between him and Yahweh are cordial, not what you'd expect from bitter arch-enemies, actively at war with each other.
Satan's role in the OT is as the tempter and punisher working for Yahweh. It's only in the NT that he is rec-conned into being the arch-nemesis of Jesus.
Even in the NT, the entire rebellion which is so central to Christian theology is outlined only in vague symbolism of Revelation (where the dragon, symbolizing Satan, grabs a third of the stars, symbolizing angels, and throws them to the earth, symbolizing their fall).
Most of Satan's story is based more on Christian "fan fictions" like Milton instead of established scripture.
Here's a video series from an articulate atheist named Todd Gates. I highly recommend his channel.
Atheist Forums Hall of Shame:
"The trinity can be equated to having your cake and eating it too."
... -Lucent, trying to defend the Trinity concept
"(Yahweh's) actions are good because (Yahweh) is the ultimate standard of goodness. That’s not begging the question"
... -Statler Waldorf, Christian apologist
"The trinity can be equated to having your cake and eating it too."
... -Lucent, trying to defend the Trinity concept
"(Yahweh's) actions are good because (Yahweh) is the ultimate standard of goodness. That’s not begging the question"
... -Statler Waldorf, Christian apologist
