[making the sign of the cross just in case Satan is for real]
I’ve always been a little confused about this God/Satan thing as two forces opposing each other in an eternal battle for our souls. It started when I was a very little person and went to Catholic catechism classes. It seems that God is perfect and created these angels . . . but God gave the angels free will and choice. Satan (aka “Lucifer”) staged a coup which failed miserably and he ended up in being banished forever to hell and [gulp] the earth. Because Lucifer was an angel, he is immortal. So, this guy’s soul or essence or being or whatever is still lurking about in plain sight.
Among believers, it is agreed that God created everything. “Everything” would have to include those things we find “good” as well as those things we define as “bad.” In fact, God admits he created evil in Isaiah 45:6-7: that they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none besides me: I am Jehovah, and there is none else. I form the light, and create darkness; I make peace, and create evil. I am Jehovah, that doeth all these things.
The Hebrew word “satan” means adversary/enemy or someone who obstructs or opposes. Because I know there is absolutely nothing outside of the eternal presence of God/Universe/Spirit/Jehovah, I prefer to deal with Satan as a metaphor rather than as an adversary to struggle against. We don’t need to go looking for evil because it resides right here right now in us. Like the angels, God gave us freedom of choice. Because we are all a part of God, we, too, have the power to create both peace and evil. Metaphorically speaking, we are both God and Satan . . . with the freedom to choose which energy we want to use. Think about that.
But that is not why I brought you here today with this rather flamboyant title. Yes, I wanted to get your attention to let you know where I have been these past few months. I’ve still been writing and blogging, but my efforts have been focused on Meaning Making, Loyola University’s student blog. You will find me in “Shamanic Revelations.” You can also find me here and here. I wrote the About section, too. I am still working on getting Loyola to offer subscriptions.
Until then, as a new posting appears in Meaning Making, I plan to make our work there part of my work here.
It is ALL good.
©2012 by Barbara L. Kass
Eternal Presence 
July 5, 2012 at 11:33 am |
Barbara – I was so excited to get an email letting me know you posted. Whoohoo!
Two observations, in particular, jumped out at me – ZING!
“I prefer to deal with Satan as a metaphor rather than as an adversary to struggle against.”
“Metaphorically speaking, we are both God and Satan . . . with the freedom to choose which energy we want to use.”
Lawdy, lawdy, girl – we are on the same page.
Further, I don’t believe that God is male or female. I believe that for God to BE God s/he is either fully BOTH, or fully NEITHER.
That doesn’t make sense to most people, but to my way of thinking, the day we can explain God, God’s no longer God.
July 5, 2012 at 12:53 pm |
I know! I am so freakin’ far behind in my life, I may get to relive yesterday here before too long. I get that God has no gender (the Bible was written by men — need I say more?). I hope you get a chance to visit Meaning Making. As I write more blogs, I am hoping to connect them with Speaking from the Heart.
July 5, 2012 at 6:17 pm |
It’s all good
July 6, 2012 at 5:57 am |
Hi, Kim! Hope all is well with you. Thanks for dropping by.
July 5, 2012 at 11:07 pm |
Delighted to see you posted again Barbara.
July 15, 2012 at 9:00 pm |
Hi, Ann — I am so glad you came by!
July 6, 2012 at 12:26 pm |
I like the image of “the Adversary”, just as I like the image of “the Advocate”. I think it’s very challenging to know what’s the work of Old Scratch, as opposed to the evil that I know I’m capable of myself.
July 6, 2012 at 7:43 pm |
hola, James . . . just as God works through us so must Satan stake his claim; but just as God needs our permission — indeed, God MUST be invited to participate in our lives — so we hold the power over evil as well. take good care.
July 6, 2012 at 9:02 pm |
Loved the reference to “which energy we choose to use.”
Will definitely be checking out your other links. Like Laurie, I practically did a happy dance when I saw you had a new post up. In fact, I’m sure I’ll be back to read through this one again before too long. I’m on my way back up, and can’t wait to get back to being me again. Almost there. Getting closer every day.
July 6, 2012 at 9:28 pm |
Hi, Nancy — I’ve got all sorts of things to write about and even have another blog currently under development (trying to please all my alter egos here). Meaning Making is not quite as launched as I think it needs to be so I need to devote some effort there, but, like you, life cannot keep me contained for too long — after a while, I just gotta fly.
July 12, 2012 at 11:16 am |
Barbara, like everybody here, I am delighted to know that you are still writing and willing to share your thoughts with us. As I dig a little deeper to get answer for my questions, spirituality takes a larger and more meaningful portion of my life. As any hide-bound Christian can tell you, one of Satan’s outstanding achievements is convincing us that he doesn’t exist at all. Yet we all know how the story goes – the Guy in the White Hat must conquer the Guy in the Black Hat before it can be called a Win. Just as I encounter God many times a day in the people I meet here and yon, I am confronted with Satan in the same way. Some folks are just more apt to pull the sneaky deal, do someone a bad turn, or just be plain old mean as the Devil, whether from some flaw in their nature or from blind ignorance I couldn’t tell you. It’s a personal battle every day for all of us that are still drawing breath and taking up space on the planet. What I love about this post is that you’ve taken the Serpent by the tail and given him a good, Texas crack of the bull-whip. Brave move! Not many are willing to acknowledge the fact that Evil is alive and well, or that we all have the power to repulse it. I’m glad to know that you a writing another blog and certainly will check it out!
July 12, 2012 at 5:03 pm |
Hi, Sandi, Jesus took on Satan a number of times in the Bible and always won. What I am wary of are the disguises: fear, greed, anger, and anything else that makes us behave unkindly to people. I am still working with the Loyola folks on the other blog. For instance, there is no way to “follow” the blog right now and no notification if someone leaves a comment. But, I will keep writing and it will work out.
July 13, 2012 at 12:45 am |
Hi, I’m a friend of Sandi’s. I have written a paper dealing with some of the issues you have discussed here. It’s entitled “Why God?” I’m going to be out of town for a few days, and will be off the grid, but you can read it, and if there are lingering questions, just put them in my blog. Most of what I write is in response to questions that people ask me. I certainly don’t know everything,but I do my best to find out as much as I can. My blog (it’s pretty new, like two weeks old) I’ve been fighting in the trenches for 34 years. This is a brand spanking new battlefield for me. And I’m loving every moment that I remain standing. “Is he always that dramatic?” “Yeah, pretty much.” visit us at: denniscoulter.com
July 13, 2012 at 6:04 am |
Hi, Dennis — thanks for dropping by. I went to your site and really like what I read there. I left a comment so I won’t repeat it here but anything that helps us relate to God in our present-day world is a gift and I really hear God speaking to you.
July 31, 2012 at 9:05 am |
Barbara,
I am not going to go into the debate for there is none God/Satan are the same thing just different sides of the coin, the forces that create and destroy life.
I came here because I happened to see a blog by you which I had not seen in some time, (there has not been one by me either) so I went searching eternal presence out. I responded to your most recent blog….
And so glad to see you have link us to other writings, Thank you so much! I will check them out !
July 31, 2012 at 9:40 am |
Hi, Jeff! Yes, the debate can go on and on and on and on . . .. I am glad you came by.
July 31, 2012 at 9:49 am |
I posted on the Meaning making blog too!