XPost: alt.satanism, alt.horror.cthulhu   
   From: dawgface@ten.hot   
      
   "For your information"  wrote in message   
   news:iuednXC6aeZiRSLVnZ2dnUVZ_ovinZ2d@earthlink.com...   
   >   
   > "Frank"  wrote in message news:g9nvkn$6hq$1@aioe.org...   
   >>   
   > Regarding the word "satan" -   
   >>>   
   >>> The word is HEBREW - it means the adversary.   
   >>> In the Hebrew, it is no enemy of God at all.  In the Hebrew, it works   
   >>> FOR God.   
   >>>   
   >>   
   >> Show proof of that last statement please.   
   >   
   > In Judaism there is no concept of a devil like in mainstream Christianity   
   > or Islam. In Hebrew, the biblical word ha-satan (??????) means "the   
   > adversary" or the obstacle, or even "the prosecutor" (recognizing that God   
   > is viewed as the ultimate Judge).   
   >   
   > In the book of Job (Iyov), ha-satan is the title, not the proper name, of   
   > an angel submitted to God; he is the divine court's chief prosecutor. In   
   > Judaism ha-satan does not make evil, rather points out to God the evil   
   > inclinations and actions of humankind. In fact, the Book of Isaiah, Job,   
   > Ecclesiastes, and Deuteronomy all have passages in which God is credited   
   > for exercising sovereign control over both good and evil.   
   >   
   > Under the control of God ha-satan acts solely with divine permission to   
   > carry out its deeds. In Talmudic literature, ha-satan's function is to   
   > strengthen man's moral sense by lending him into temptation.   
   >   
   > "Satan" is NOT a proper name referring to a particular being who is the   
   > antagonist or rival of God, as Christianity erroneously teaches.   In its   
   > original application, in fact, it is a common noun meaning an adversary   
   > who opposes and obstructs. It is applied to human adversaries in 1Shmuel   
   > 29:4; 2Shmuel 19:23; 1Melachim 5:18; 11:14, 23, 25, and its related verb   
   > is used of prosecution in a law court (Tehillim 109:6) and the role of an   
   > antagonist in general (Tehillim 38:20, 21; 109:4, 20, 29).   
   >   
   > The angel who was sent to obstruct Balaam (BaMidbar 22:32) was evidently   
   > chosen, as a "satan" (le-satan), and perhaps the consonants l-s-t-n are   
   > rather to be read as the infinitive liston, "to oppose or obstruct."   
   > (Ency. Judaica)   
   >   
   > While the evil impulse (yetzer hara) is strong, Judaism believes that a   
   > person can choose to overcome it. This is the concept of free choice,   
   > which is basically the purpose of our existence:   To choose good over   
   > evil. The teachings of the Torah are referred to as the antidote to the   
   > yetzer hara. Similarly, Ben Sira (21:11) states:  "The man who keeps the   
   > Torah controls his natural tendency."   
   >   
   >  "Man is the creature created for the purpose of being drawn close to God.   
   > He is placed between perfection and deficiency, with the power to earn   
   > perfection. Man must earn this perfection, however, through his own free   
   > will... Man's inclinations are therefore balanced between good (Yetzer   
   > HaTov) and evil (Yetzer HaRa), and he is not compelled toward either of   
   > them. He has the power of choice and is able to choose either side   
   > knowingly and willingly..." - Aish HaTorah   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   Whats the difference between a jew and a pizza?   
      
   The pizza doesnt scream when you put it in an oven!   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)