Dear david f,

You obviously have different ideas about what it means to be a Catholic than I.

>>As long as you don't try to put it on me you can believe what you like.<<

I certainly did not try to put anything on you, only tried to explain something that is not only hard to explain to an outsider, but also where I am far from an expert. So I apologise if my clumsy attempts gave you the impression that I was “putting something on you”.

The question of Catholic dogma is certainly not the only question where simplified answers are just that - simplifications. And I am sure, Archbishop Little was not the only one to be aware of this.

>>I think it better to accept only those items which seem reasonable to me to accept.<<

This is a very wise position, but please tolerate that others also accept only those items which seem reasonable to them, even though the acceptance of those items (concerning the nature of reality and how it is modeled from this or that perspective) might not seem reasonable to you.

Dear Banjo,

>>I see bigotry as a perversion of faith.<<
I agree, perversion or degeneration.

>>The corollary of God is the devil.<<

I did not understand why “corollary”. Of course, I agree that the opposite (in the second, contrary, meaning of the word) of the concept of God is the concept of Devil. Rodney Star, whom I like to quote, finds this in his anthropological investigations:

“To more plausibly picture God as rational and loving, it is helpful to assume the existence of other, if far lesser, divine beings. That is, evil supernatural creatures such as Satan are essential. In this manner Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are dualistic monotheisms—each teaches that, in addition to a supreme divine being, there also exists at least one additional, if less powerful, supernatural being who is the source of evil. “

So evil is the opposite of good, devil of God. However I think applying the Yin-Yang (female-male) complementarity to this pair is misplaced. The complementary, Yin (female) aspect of the God of Abrahamic religions, with His predominantly Yang (male) projections is to be sought elsewhere. It is interesting, that Tao Te Ching describes Tao (in one translation) as the “Mother (not Father) of ten thousand things.”

In Catholic tradition this complementary Yin role is played by Mary. Although theologians vehemently oppose assigning any divine attributes to Her that could imply worship, this complementary function is visible at least on the psychological level, as “veneration of Mary”, especially through its many folkloristic manifestations

george/re-quoted..<<..supernatural being..who is the source of evil.>>“

george reply..<<..So evil is the opposite of good,..devil of God. However..I think applying the Yin-Yang (female-male) complementarity to this pair is misplaced.>..

god has no..equal..thus no opposite
the opposite..of building/creating..=destroying/breaking it

destruction..is a mindless act
building takes skill*..destroying is a thing children..do

we the children..of the fat'her..
*DID..every..bit of evil..recorded into word!

[lest we forget..satan...is
a fallen angel..[one of many other angels

satans opposing angel..could be the man..we knew as jesus
satan/christ..if you will..ARE passable/possible... opposing/opposites

god created ALL created..[including satan]

george feels..<<..The complementary,Yin (female) aspect of the God of Abrahamic religions, ..with His predominantly Yang (male) projections is to be sought elsewhere.>>

and i..would suggest opposite ANGELS*
not opposing creators.

..<<..It is interesting,that Tao Te Ching describes Tao (in one translation) as the “Mother (not Father) of ten thousand things.”>>

i just cast em

11..tranquility..
line 3

[in my translation?..it reads as follows

<<...while there is no state of peace..
that is liable to be disturbed..and no departure..of evil men
[that will..*not be followed..by their return..YET..when one is firm AND correct....

..<<..AND accepts..that disorder..MAY occur..
the one will commit..*no error

There is no occasion..for sadness..at the RE-occurring changes..AND in this mood..the happiness..of this present moment..may long be en-joyed...>>..by who isnt...clear

but commentary follows..<<..THINGS are always changing..
so you can..*expect..bad fortune..to follow good..accept this as natural..and you will savor..the present favorable moment..>>

it would be interesting to hear
...how georges i chin..read the call of 11/3...[in his translations]

noting..we each
get..the versions..as our guides saw fit to give
[i have many ichin/books..but only use this one..that via word visualization..matched my thinking]

i never decide anything..by ichin
only using it as a second chance to re-think the decision..of this issue

the memory basically..as a way..is good
then its balancing..vile..[for fairness]
and to..enjoy this brief respite..of niceness..for now..

and how

Dear George,

You wrote: ““To more plausibly picture God as rational and loving, it is helpful to assume the existence of other, if far lesser, divine beings. That is, evil supernatural creatures such as Satan are essential. In this manner Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are dualistic monotheisms—each teaches that, in addition to a supreme divine being, there also exists at least one additional, if less powerful, supernatural being who is the source of evil. “”

That is not true for Judaism. In Job Satan is pictured as a servant of God and not in opposition to God. Christianity and Islam absorbed traditions from Zoroastrianism. It is explicit in the Jewish Bible that God is the source of everything including good and evil.

Isaiah 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

The basic statement of faith in Judaism is: “Hear, O, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.

Some later branches of Judaism have absorbed ideas from Zoroastrianism. Like Christianity and Islam Judaism has many different sects. However, mainstream biblical Judaism is a unitary monotheism. Rodney Star is wrong in this instance.

david f..quote..<<..Isaiah 45:7 I form the light,..and create darkness: I make peace,..and create evil:..I the LORD do all these things.>>

lets get it straight..
god KNOW'S..the sun..*dont "rise"

ie see issiah 45;6..<<..''..so that the RISING sun..lol
to the PLACE..of its..SETTING"..men may know*..there is none..but me''...I AM..the lord..>>..

ie..[satan..*lord..OF THIS MATERIAL REALM.]
recall he offrerd it to jesus/jesus refused..this world

and as lord*..of the material realm
satan/lord satan..says...<<..and there is no other >>..

and there isnt

yet god is still..god
never a god..'in the flesh'..not alone in one man/beast/being
but to be found within..*all mankind/the beats..and every living thing

i do not recall..god judging his creation..
beyond SEEING it..*'was good'..[good of god]
not vile that built up the scape goat/satan

satan..never MADE anyone..*CHOSE to do vile
we chose..*!*,..and as grownups..MUST mature..

we..[must KNOW..
our true masters..loves graces mercies..[recognize../chose which *is/which..*is not..HIS*..still/quiet/inner voice..

if its not good
its not of the one true eternal..good..even..
[only]..innocent children are not deceived..by the lord deceiver

deceiver..also dont have an specific [falsifiable]..opposing
it has believers..and those who believe not..

and..never the twain..shall meet..
ECEPTing..here..in satans realm*

<<..Hear, O, Israel,
the Lord our God, the Lord is one...>>

ie..@..very skill full..deceiver

[the darkness light can reveal
as opposed to the darkness that con-seals]

Dear david f,

Thank you for the correction to Rodney Stark, by pointing out the differences between the Judaic and Christian views of Satan who, I suppose, in both traditions is an angel who rebelled against God. Note that Stark in his general statement admits that Satan is “less powerful” than God, so perhaps even more generally Satan should not be seen as the “mirror image” of God along the good-evil scale. Perhaps Stark should have used the term “Devil” rather than “Satan” in that quote, but that is going too much into detail that I really am not at home with.