Satan as God's Management Executive
Recently, I released an ebook called The Problem with "God", which looks at the issues inherent with the nature of God seen in classical theism: omnibenevolent, -scient and -potent. There are a whole number of reasons why it is problematic. I have written a good deal on this topic over many years of blogging, so thought I would put this to good use and compile many of the posts, together with some original material, into one easily digestible anthology at a reasonable price. I also talk a little about Satan and hell, because these entities and ideas, if existent, must make sense in light of a God who could get rid of them with the omnipotent click of the fingers. Here is a short little hint of the issues apparent with this kind of God, and the idea of a nemesis.
God is supposed to be omnipotent. You know, all powerful, almighty. The great-making characteristics of such a god are the paragon of abilities. He could achieve anything at the metaphorical click of his fingers.
So what the hell is Satan still doing hanging around? Well, of course, he doesn't exist either. But supposing you believe that both God and Satan are real entities. Well, then, you'd be making no sense at all. Recently on The Big Questions on the BBC they were discussing whether the Devil was real, symbolic or non-existent. A good proportion of the audience advanced different theories on Satan's ontological reality and this kind of annoyed me. It seems to me that such people couldn't argue their way out of a paper bag.
God could make Satan disappear, non-existent, at the click of his fingers. Any ontological argument for God, or claim that he is perfect, such as under Perfect Being Theology, argues for God's supreme omni-abilities. To be the greatest being in conception, there can be no rival being as God could dispense with them on a whim.
This means that if the Devil exists, he does so on the behest of God. Either God actively wants him to exist, or his disappearance would cause more grief than good, like some embodiment of the Problem of Evil.
Thus it appears that Satan, if he exists, is doing a job for God; providing a service, if you will. God, then, must accept corporate responsibility for him. In other words, anything that is laid at the feet of Satan, in terms of blame and moral responsibility, should actually be laid at the invisible feet of God. God allows (either by design, direct causation or act of omission) everything that Satan does.
Which renders the whole thing rather silly and nonsensical.
Short, but sweet.
So if you, like me, think that the classical theistic version of God is thoroughly problematic, please check out the project, with a foreword by author James A. Lindsay (Dot, Sot, Dot: Infinity Plus God Equals Folly).
So what the hell is Satan still doing hanging around? Well, of course, he doesn't exist either. But supposing you believe that both God and Satan are real entities. Well, then, you'd be making no sense at all. Recently on The Big Questions on the BBC they were discussing whether the Devil was real, symbolic or non-existent. A good proportion of the audience advanced different theories on Satan's ontological reality and this kind of annoyed me. It seems to me that such people couldn't argue their way out of a paper bag.
God could make Satan disappear, non-existent, at the click of his fingers. Any ontological argument for God, or claim that he is perfect, such as under Perfect Being Theology, argues for God's supreme omni-abilities. To be the greatest being in conception, there can be no rival being as God could dispense with them on a whim.
This means that if the Devil exists, he does so on the behest of God. Either God actively wants him to exist, or his disappearance would cause more grief than good, like some embodiment of the Problem of Evil.
Thus it appears that Satan, if he exists, is doing a job for God; providing a service, if you will. God, then, must accept corporate responsibility for him. In other words, anything that is laid at the feet of Satan, in terms of blame and moral responsibility, should actually be laid at the invisible feet of God. God allows (either by design, direct causation or act of omission) everything that Satan does.
Which renders the whole thing rather silly and nonsensical.
Short, but sweet.
So if you, like me, think that the classical theistic version of God is thoroughly problematic, please check out the project, with a foreword by author James A. Lindsay (Dot, Sot, Dot: Infinity Plus God Equals Folly).
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