Posted on 07/27/2017 4:12:15 AM PDT by vannrox
The shock claim comes from a scientist who has spent more than 40 years researching the subject.
According to Henry Ansgar Kelly, a research professor from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), there is actually “no evidence” to sugges the devil should be portrayed as evil.
Instead, Professor Kelly suggests Christians have got it wrong and Satan was actually trying to do good and is on God’s side, but got “overzealous” in his judgements.
He said: "There's little or no evidence in the Bible for most of the characteristics and deeds commonly attributed to Satan.
"A strict reading of the Bible shows Satan to be less like Darth Vader and more and more like an overzealous prosecutor.
"He's not so much the proud and angry figure who turns away from God as he is a Joseph McCarthy or J. Edgar Hoover.
“Satan's basic intention is to uncover wrongdoing and treachery, however overzealous and unscrupulous the means. But he's still part of God's administration."
The professor blames the misrepresentation of the devil at the feet of third century philosopher Origen of Alexandria.
In his best known work, ‘On First Things’, Origen argued that the mention of Lucifer in the Old Testament must refer to Satan, but Professor Kelly says there is no reference to ‘Satan’ or ‘the Devil’ in the Old Testament and followers of Christianity have simply confused the two.
Professor Kelly says "'Lucifer' is Latin for light-bearer”, and Lucifer in the Old Testament is actually a reference to a tyrannical Babylonian king who is “cast to the ground”, which is where the confusion begins.
He said: "Origen says, 'Lucifer is said to have fallen from Heaven. This can't refer to a human being, so it must refer to Satan.'
“Subsequent church fathers found this reasoning persuasive, and so did everyone who followed them."
More confusion comes from the story of Adam and Eve, says Professor Kelly, where once again, people have assumed that the serpent is the Devil.
He said: "Nobody in the Old Testament — or, for that matter, in the New Testament either — ever identifies the serpent of Eden with Satan.
"The serpent is just the smartest animal, and he's motivated by envy after being jilted by Adam for Eve.
"Everyone else has said that by the time Satan gets to the New Testament, he is evil, he's an enemy of God, but that's not so.
"The whole biblical picture of Satan is that of a bad cop to Yaweh's good cop in the Old Testament, and to Jesus' good cop in the New Testament. Throughout, Satan is someone who works for God."
Professor Kelly admitted: "What I'm saying will be scandalous to some people.”
I do like his food cake.
“a scientist who has spent more than 40 years researching the subject”
I’m going to guess he didn’t apply the scientific method to this “Satan” that can’t be examined - or even seen.
He needs to keep on researching. One year's experience repeated 40 times does not produce a valid assertion.
Keep on studying!
The very old gentleman is a "distinguished research professor of English," according to Wikipedia. He is offering a literary interpretation, which is, indeed, in keeping with his area of expertise. It is not shocking or scandalous: it is the same-old, same-old from people of his sort.
It's funny that the author and/or publisher of the article thought a professor of English was a "scientist."
How does he ignore the plain statements of Jesus? The man is insane.
#FakeSatanicScience
See my post #5: this professor’s “science” is English.
I would say the vast preponderance of ‘scientists’ do not believe in Satan.
This is a personal observation of scientists I have run across and not a scientific sampling.
As that great philosopher Bugs Bunny would say, “what a maroon”.
Very funny; soon he’ll be on the History Channel testifying that Sodom & Gomorrah were hit by meteors. Anything to distort the message...
Does he know the Bible wasn’t written in English?
Satan worship has historically been hidden, but now is coming out into the open. The only thing you have to keep in mind is that regardless of name, the Adversary uses lies and deception on virtually everyone he/she/it interacts with.
English is many things. It can be used to describe scientific treatises. It is not, in itself, a science
John 10:10
“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”
Check out this ceremony for CERN - an attempt to open a portal to another dimension.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZAQNo9bXwI
Scientific experiment?
You understand that, and I understand that. However, the people behind this article obviously saw “Research Professor” and visualized Dr. Sheldon Cooper rather than a lit-crit dinosaur.
Just like Jesus talked!
Ouroborindra ba-ba-he!
"Accordingly, I know of no greater absurdity than that of most metaphysical systems which declare evil to be something negative; whereas it is precisely that which is positive and makes itself felt. On the other hand, that which is good, in other words, all happiness and satisfaction, is negative, that is, the mere elimination of a desire and the ending of a pain." Arthur Schopenhauer
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.