Tag: Judaism
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The evolution of Satan: A God’s servant and the Prince of evil
You think you know him, of course. The red skin, the horns, the pitchfork, the tail. The guy in the basement with a trident, laughing while people burn. That is not Satan, however. That is a cartoon. The real Satan is older, stranger, and far more complicated. He did not start out as the bad…
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The Amish, the Hasidic, and the Taliban: Who is more extreme?
It is a comparison that appears surprisingly often. Images of Amish horse-drawn buggies, Hasidic Jews in black coats and fur hats, and Taliban fighters carrying rifles are frequently grouped together as symbols of religious “extremism.” At first glance, they all seem to reject many aspects of the modern world. They dress differently, follow strict religious…
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Zohran Mamdani: No distinction between radical and secular Islam
The election of New York City’s new mayor, Zohran Mamdani, once again exposed one of the biggest weaknesses of modern political debate. For many people, the word “Muslim” immediately evokes terrorism, religious extremism, the September 11 attacks, or authoritarian regimes. Others react in the opposite direction, refusing to acknowledge that Islamist extremism exists at all.…
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Christianity made Satan far more powerful than Judaism
Most Christians imagine Satan as God’s eternal enemy. He rules hell. He commands demons. He tempts humanity. Moreover, he stands behind much of the evil in the world. Many believers assume this picture comes directly from the Old Testament. It does not. If we compare the Hebrew Bible with the New Testament and later Christian…
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Christian hell is worse than Jewish hell
Skeptics often charge the Old Testament God with violence. They point to floods, plagues, and conquered cities. Apologists counter by pointing to the cross. They say the New Testament reveals a God of love—one who takes the violence upon Himself. But this defense misses the point. If we take the New Testament’s hell literally, the…
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The Old Testament’s God as a true evil
This question is not merely academic. When the Old Testament is used to justify political policies, military actions, or social hierarchies, its moral content becomes a matter of urgent contemporary concern. The same scriptures that inspire charity and justice have also been invoked to defend slavery, colonialism, apartheid, and violence against marginalized groups. The Old…