History of Satan

	Revision 28 . . (edit) December 6, 2001 7:24 pm by (logged).3.251.xxx
	Revision 27 . . (edit) December 6, 2001 7:24 pm by (logged).3.251.xxx
	Revision 26 . . (edit) November 30, 2001 11:58 pm by The Epopt
	Revision 25 . . (edit) November 30, 2001 9:05 pm by Wesley [fixed formatting]
	Revision 24 . . November 30, 2001 9:03 pm by Wesley [+mention of Greek 'satanos', and Satan as one of three enemies in Eastern Orthodoxy]
	Revision 23 . . November 30, 2001 12:24 pm by RK [Why accuse Satanists of lying about their beliefs? If they say they worship Satan, then they worship Satan. Calling them liars is NOT a neutral point of view.]
	Revision 22 . . (edit) November 30, 2001 11:33 am by Balanone [removed extraneous word]
	Revision 21 . . November 30, 2001 11:32 am by Balanone [Capitalized Job. Rewrote last paragraph with better NPOV.]
	Revision 20 . . November 30, 2001 11:08 am by RK [Minor changes]
	Revision 19 . . November 30, 2001 4:24 am by Ed Poor
	Revision 18 . . November 30, 2001 4:23 am by Ed Poor [qualified an absolute]
	Revision 17 . . (edit) October 20, 2001 5:50 am by Lee Daniel Crocker

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Difference (from prior major revision) (minor diff, author diff)

Changed: 1c1

Satan (from the Hebrew adversary or enemy) is, in some religions, the central embodiment of all that is evil. Also known as the devil.

Satan (from the Hebrew adversary or enemy; and from the Greek word 'satanos' tempter) is, in some religions, the central embodiment of all that is evil. Also known as the devil.

Changed: 5c5

Satan figures much more prominently in the New Testament and in Christian theology. In some Christian theologies (as reflected in Milton?'s [Paradise Lost]?), Satan is believed to have been an archangel? named Lucifer who turned against God before the creation of man. According to this view, he waged war against God, his creator, and was banished from Heaven because of this. The creation story found in the book of Genesis reports that a snake tempted Adam and Eve to partake of the fruit of the [Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil]?. In the Jewish tradition, the snake was always taken to be literally a snake; the story tells us the origin of how the snake lost its legs. (Interestingly, scientists have discovered that primitive snakes did indeed have legs.) Later Christian theologies interpreted this serpent to be Satan, to the point where many American Christians are unaware that the actual Hebrew text contains no such character.

Satan figures much more prominently in the New Testament and in Christian theology. In some Christian theologies (as reflected in Milton?'s [Paradise Lost]?), Satan is believed to have been an archangel? named Lucifer who turned against God before the creation of man. According to this view, he waged war against God, his creator, and was banished from Heaven because of this. The creation story found in the book of Genesis reports that a snake tempted Adam and Eve to partake of the fruit of the [Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil]?. In the Jewish tradition, the snake was always taken to be literally a snake; the story tells us the origin of how the snake lost its legs. (Interestingly, scientists have discovered that primitive snakes did indeed have legs.) Later Christian theologies interpreted this serpent to be Satan, to the point where many American Christians are unaware that the actual Hebrew text does not identify the snake as Satan. In Eastern Orthodox Christianity, Satan is one of humanity's three enemies, along with sin and death.