Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!wuarchive!cs.utexas.edu!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: mike@unmvax.cs.unm.edu (Michael I. Bushnell) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Satan (was Re: Feasting With the Bridegroom) Message-ID: Date: 30 Oct 89 00:44:26 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: University of No Money, Albuquerque, New Mexico Lines: 24 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu Some comments on Satan, expressing my beliefs. First, I believe that this world is essentially good. It is *not* essentially evil, and, as good, God is the final sovreign over all creation. He didn't give part of it to Satan, he didn't decide that Satan would rule people. Second, Satan is a personification of our own tendencies to violate God's will. Satan has no power. My God is all-powerful and does not surrender to evil, temporarily or permanently. Third, C.S. Lewis spoke later about Screwtape Letters. It seems he did not want to be saying what you allege. He wanted to make people realize what evil is like, and how to remain constant in the faith. It isn't a book about Satan, it's a book about God. -- Michael I. Bushnell \ This above all; to thine own self be true LIBERTE, EGALITE, FRATERNITE \ And it must follow, as the night the day, mike@unmvax.cs.unm.edu /\ Thou canst not be false to any man. Telephone: +1 505 292 0001 / \ Farewell: my blessing season this in thee!