Do you believe in "the Devil"?

[BucsGuru]

I do believe in "the devil". he is in fact the great tempter, the anti-God, the great deceiver, and who seeks to kill and destroy. However, he gets too much credit by humans for "forcing" them to perform evil acts. All he does is simply present an opportunity, tempts us into thinking it is good and okay. We still have to make the choice! He is the origin of sin and we his first act.

not bashing your beliefs...just wondering what your explanation is because I don't understand the creating temptation thing...does the devil move things around, or force non-human things to do stuff outside of our "free will"...how is opportunity created other than by other humans making decisions based on free will...i don't think that when people do bad things that they think it is ok (maybe some do but most not), that it is just a "trick" or "temptation"...i think that people make bad decisions on their own, they don't need any help...if bad temptation is the devil, is good stuff always "god"? or is it only god when we deem it to be...when i hold the door open for an elderly lady at the bank...who gets credit?  when i walk past a bum and tell him i have no change when i really do...is that the devil presenting and opportunity and me making an evil choice to lie?

Temptation is not a sin!  Participating in the act is the sin.  Therefore, the sinner is the person committing the sin! 
Your question is excellent and one that doesn't sit well with many people.  God is only good, never bad.  He is light, and causes darkness to flee.  The enemy is the tempter.  We are the action between the two forces of good and evil.  On what basis do you decide to hold open the door for the elderly lady?  Because it seems the right thing to do?  Or maybe because you have seen another do it?  It is the goodness of the Lord that causes us to do good.  Take the same scene and say the lady has dropped $100 on the floor.  Do you pick it up and keep it, knowing that this is wrong?  Or do you keep it because you want to buy another toy?  How do you know it is wrong to keep the money?  Wisdom and understanding comes from the Lord.  Man wants to believe it comes from himself, but it is a vein thought to believe such a lie.  actually wisdom and understanding come from fear of the Lord.  Not to be scared of God, but to respect and declare who he is, and more importantly, that you don't think you are God!
Very random typing there, but give it some thought...

[dbucfan]

I am closest to #1, and acknowledge there is evil - but not to the extent of #2, I don't discount outside influences - but I don't eliminate them either.  A rather long way of saying I don't know for sure - and therefore haven't a concrete answer.

[dbucfan]

I don't know that I could prove there was - or wasn't - a devil dal.  Wish I could.

[John Galt?]

Believe in him?? I think he was an old manager of mine.

[dbucfan]

Believe in him?? I think he was an old manager of mine.

Now you have to prove it LOL with the atlas lover

[John Galt?]

Wisdom and understanding comes from the Lord...  

hmmm...

I have an interesting conundrum for you then. According to Genesis, wisdom and understanding came when Eve was tempted by the devil to eat from the Tree of Knowledge. So couldn't you say that wisdom and understanding came BECAUSE of the Devil?

[dbucfan]

Wisdom and understanding comes from the Lord...  

hmmm...

I have an interesting conundrum for you then. According to Genesis, wisdom and understanding came when Eve was tempted by the devil to eat from the Tree of Knowledge. So couldn't you say that wisdom and understanding came BECAUSE of the Devil?

Nope

[duanet75]

I go to the term heaven is above hell is below. Well i look up and see endless skies. I look down i see the ground i walk on. Yet we put it to a vote every four years. HMMMMM...

[bait619]

I do believe in "the devil". he is in fact the great tempter, the anti-God, the great deceiver, and who seeks to kill and destroy. However, he gets too much credit by humans for "forcing" them to perform evil acts. All he does is simply present an opportunity, tempts us into thinking it is good and okay. We still have to make the choice! He is the origin of sin and we his first act.

not bashing your beliefs...just wondering what your explanation is because I don't understand the creating temptation thing...does the devil move things around, or force non-human things to do stuff outside of our "free will"...how is opportunity created other than by other humans making decisions based on free will...i don't think that when people do bad things that they think it is ok (maybe some do but most not), that it is just a "trick" or "temptation"...i think that people make bad decisions on their own, they don't need any help...if bad temptation is the devil, is good stuff always "god"? or is it only god when we deem it to be...when i hold the door open for an elderly lady at the bank...who gets credit? when i walk past a bum and tell him i have no change when i really do...is that the devil presenting and opportunity and me making an evil choice to lie?

Temptation is not a sin! Participating in the act is the sin. Therefore, the sinner is the person committing the sin!
Your question is excellent and one that doesn't sit well with many people. God is only good, never bad. He is light, and causes darkness to flee. The enemy is the tempter. We are the action between the two forces of good and evil. On what basis do you decide to hold open the door for the elderly lady? Because it seems the right thing to do? Or maybe because you have seen another do it? It is the goodness of the Lord that causes us to do good. Take the same scene and say the lady has dropped $100 on the floor. Do you pick it up and keep it, knowing that this is wrong? Or do you keep it because you want to buy another toy? How do you know it is wrong to keep the money? Wisdom and understanding comes from the Lord. Man wants to believe it comes from himself, but it is a vein thought to believe such a lie. actually wisdom and understanding come from fear of the Lord. Not to be scared of God, but to respect and declare who he is, and more importantly, that you don't think you are God!
Very random typing there, but give it some thought...

ok but if i don't believe in god, devil or any other supernatural forces...where does my wisdom come from

[Hate]

I ain't touchin this one

[SoDakBuc]

I do believe in "the devil". he is in fact the great tempter, the anti-God, the great deceiver, and who seeks to kill and destroy. However, he gets too much credit by humans for "forcing" them to perform evil acts. All he does is simply present an opportunity, tempts us into thinking it is good and okay. We still have to make the choice! He is the origin of sin and we his first act.

not bashing your beliefs...just wondering what your explanation is because I don't understand the creating temptation thing...does the devil move things around, or force non-human things to do stuff outside of our "free will"...how is opportunity created other than by other humans making decisions based on free will...i don't think that when people do bad things that they think it is ok (maybe some do but most not), that it is just a "trick" or "temptation"...i think that people make bad decisions on their own, they don't need any help...if bad temptation is the devil, is good stuff always "god"? or is it only god when we deem it to be...when i hold the door open for an elderly lady at the bank...who gets credit? when i walk past a bum and tell him i have no change when i really do...is that the devil presenting and opportunity and me making an evil choice to lie?

Temptation is not a sin! Participating in the act is the sin. Therefore, the sinner is the person committing the sin!
Your question is excellent and one that doesn't sit well with many people. God is only good, never bad. He is light, and causes darkness to flee. The enemy is the tempter. We are the action between the two forces of good and evil. On what basis do you decide to hold open the door for the elderly lady? Because it seems the right thing to do? Or maybe because you have seen another do it? It is the goodness of the Lord that causes us to do good. Take the same scene and say the lady has dropped $100 on the floor. Do you pick it up and keep it, knowing that this is wrong? Or do you keep it because you want to buy another toy? How do you know it is wrong to keep the money? Wisdom and understanding comes from the Lord. Man wants to believe it comes from himself, but it is a vein thought to believe such a lie. actually wisdom and understanding come from fear of the Lord. Not to be scared of God, but to respect and declare who he is, and more importantly, that you don't think you are God!
Very random typing there, but give it some thought...

ok but if i don't believe in god, devil or any other supernatural forces...where does my wisdom come from

Your "wisdom" comes from the people before you. Now whether you learn and decide right and wrong from them is your free will.

No.

"Good" or "Bad" comes from people and their individual perspectives, thoughts and experiences in life and their own personal reality.

To each his own.   

[SoDakBuc]

No.

"Good" or "Bad" comes from people and their individual perspectives, thoughts and experiences in life and their own personal reality.

To each his own.   

So would you or would you not try to influence your child in the ways of the world as you see it?

[Bayfisher]

Why does God allow the Devil to exist?

No.

"Good" or "Bad" comes from people and their individual perspectives, thoughts and experiences in life and their own personal reality.

To each his own.   

So would you or would you not try to influence your child in the ways of the world as you see it?

Absolutely.  Guide them to help establish a foundation of what is right and wrong - they'll make their own choices... like it or not.

and I have 5 very happy, normal balanced children from ages 5 - 21.  (I'm not sure why you ask the question really...)