Deceiver of the whole world

@ghost-of-a-duke said
Actually, in a religious context, I would even take it one step further. 'Darkness is the absence of light. 'Evil' therefore is not a thing in itself, but the absence of goodness.' This, in turn, (on the flip side) means that hell is simply a place in the absence of God. (As opposed to a literal place of fire and torment).

I get your point about 'subjective observa ...[text shortened]... erely being a lack of intelligence. - We perceive something as bad/evil when it is void of goodness.

I think you are walking though a field of non-sequiturs old chap.

Stupid is again a matter of perception and observation only.
Hell may of may not exist, but whatever it’s state of existence has nothing to do with darkness being the absence of light and the absence of God from hell is not supported in scripture either way.

Evil is intent and perception based on observation of actions. It is not the absence of goodness.

@ghost-of-a-duke said
We can switch on light, as it is real. We can not switch on darkness. (To achieve darkness we have to 'switch off' the light).

This is pretty much exactly what I was saying to you in my first post.

@ghost-of-a-duke said
Heaven (in a Christian context) is a state of being in the presence of God. Hell, therefore, is a state of being in the absence of God.

This does not follow. Your initial premise is not supported in scripture anyway, and you second premise is another non-sequitur.

@ghost-of-a-duke said
Evil simply doesn't exist in the way it is defined by most of the world's religions.

Well, now there's a sweeping statement. Mind giving examples?

@bigdoggproblem said
I don't much care for that analogy, either. It leaves no place for morally neutral actions. Also, there is a difference between "sins of omission" (failing to act when one knows one should) and deliberate, malicious actions. "Absence of good" seems to fit the former better than the latter.

Agreed.

@ghost-of-a-duke said
If I am indeed sitting at home and void of goodness, then nothing I did would be perceived by me as bad. 'Badness' would only exist as a reality to me when the notion of goodness was reintroduced.

Currently, as I sit at home, my head knows what goodness is, even if I am not actively motivated by it.

You may indeed be sitting at home and devoid of a good thought or action, but that does not make you evil.

@kellyjay said
No, Hell was created for a purpose.

Matthew 25:41
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

And don’t forget the billions of non-Christians too.

Oh and Jesus who you believe will be literally in there overseeing all the eternal flesh-melting torture.

Yes that lovely fleshy-melty version of Jesus you have, the Jesus who did, in fairness, love them all so much that he came and died for them. But hey...faith is tough, so it’s eternal torture for you guys!

@divegeester

Yes that lovely fleshy-melty version of Jesus you have, the Jesus who did, in fairness, love them all so much that he came and died for them. But hey...faith is tough, so it’s eternal torture for you guys!

Being furtive ? Is this what you mean by being "furtive" ?

You are fond of saying that I am ... furtive.

@sonship said
@divegeester

Being furtive ? Is this what you mean by being "furtive" ?

Err, yes “furtive” is what I mean by “furtive”.

Edit: oddball.

@ghost-of-a-duke said
FMF is right of course that 'the word "evil" refers to certain kinds of morally unsound behaviour,' but in the context of this forum I find the word loaded with religious connotations.

Evil simply doesn't exist in the way it is defined by most of the world's religions.

To avoid confusion, the word "evil" is probably best used as an adjective rather than a noun. It's not a 'thing' that exists or that was instituted by some kind of an evil being ~ or at least, I've seen no credible evidence that that is so. The word "evil" is best used simply an adjective that is more loaded up with disapproval than the word "bad".

@kellyjay said
II wonder what others that believe he real, think his great deceptions are that he is doing to the whole world? What truths would he want to hide from everyone in the world?

Revelation 12:9
And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/w20010901/Is-There-a-Devil/

@galveston75 said
https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/w20010901/Is-There-a-Devil/

Satan's main deception has not changed, from the very first lie, "has God said?" from the beginning till today, attacking the Word and the revelations found in it are what he does. Believe this part, not that part, it is all fake, or we stand in judgment of God and His Word, we totally fail to grasp God's righteousness, goodness, and justice when we act against Him.

Many act as if God must bend to our will and desires not His, He must act the way we want, or our rejection of Him will be the result we will show Him! The Almighty, Righteous One who has lived forever and holds the universe together by the power of His Word doesn't need, or requires anything from us! While we owe Him everything from the air we breath to all that we have in the life, He has also numbered our days, are we even thankful?

@kellyjay said
Many act as if God must bend to our will and desires not His, He must act the way we want, or our rejection of Him will be the result we will show Him! The Almighty, Righteous One who has lived forever and holds the universe together by the power of His Word doesn't need, or requires anything from us! While we owe Him everything from the air we breath to all that we have in the life, He has also numbered our days, are we even thankful?

People must be "thankful" to the God figure that you just so happen to believe in and worship? Do you ever stop to wonder how narcissistic your religion makes you sound?

@kellyjay said
The Almighty, Righteous One who has lived forever and holds the universe together by the power of His Word doesn't need, or requires anything from us!

Are you sure?

Doesn't "He" require you to fear him? Doesn't he require you to worship him? Doesn't he require you to believe he sacrificed "his son" for you? Doesn't he require good works from you to prove that your faith is not "dead"? Doesn't he require you to obey him? Doesn't he require you to desist from "sin"? Doesn't he require you to "act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly"?

Are you being serious when you say he doesn't require anything from you?

Perhaps you are just riffing in a self-anointed and pretentious way; perhaps it doesn't really matter what it is you are actually saying?

That ~ and blanking out being called out for it ~ has been, after all, the root cause of you making a prideful fool of yourself here many a time.