"The object of the game is find your Adversary. Your Adversary's game plan is to persuade you he does not exist."

        --William S. Burroughs

Satan is the supreme adversary of man, the devil. Evil incarnate.

The Christian name for the angel that God kicked out of Heaven. Also known as Lucifer, Beelzebub, and various others.

Supposedly out to destroy the world, by turning people to evil and/or away from God.

Also used to refer to any person that is just generally evil, mean, cruel, or disliked, though usually as part of a phrase, such as the spawn of Satan.

Great track from Orbital. The beginning goes something like this:

(voice of small boy, distorted): "Daddy?"
(voice of All-American father): "Yes son?"
"What does regret mean?"
"Well son, a funny thing about regret is, that it's better to regret something you have done, than to regret something you haven't done. By the way, if you see your mom this weekend, would you be sure and tell her
SATAN SATAN SATAN SATAN SATAN SATAN SATAN SATAN"

Hebrew for "adversary". Judaism casts this fellow as a sort of heavenly D.A., charged with pointing out people's sins. (q.v. the Book of Job.) Hence, perhaps, the modern expression "devil's advocate".

In Christianity the idea of Satan became conflated with several other mythological figures:

As a result, we now have this image of Satan as a sunburnt fallen angel with goat feet, ruling over hell. It's a total pastiche, but then, Western culture is good at pastiche.

Some medieval mages and alchemists claimed to be able to summon Satan (amongst other angels and demons) safely, without harm to their souls, on account of their status as Christians. Later, this practice became considered demonolatry, or demon worship, and was condemned by the Inquisition among others. "Consorting with demons" (which meant fucking them as well as worshipping them) was a charge laid against supposed witches during the Burning Times.

Later, when magick underwent a bit of a revival in the Renaissance and after, it was believed that summoning Satan or demons was characteristic of the left-hand path (or black magick), and white magickians would have nothing to do with it.

Today, we have Satanists of several ilk: some are demonolaters, while others are simply black magicians using the image Satan as a ritual focus, and others are atheist anarchists who identify with the image of Satan as rebel.

(Satan Adama Tabat Amada Natas.)

SATAN (Security Administrator's Tool for Analyzing Networks) was also the name of one of the first security tools I've seen that hit the news here. MikroBITTI mentioned it as some sort of great cracking tool.

So cool, in fact, that one of my friends wanted me to download it. Well, I had Windows 3.1 at that time, UNIX software probably didn't work that well so we aren't l33t hAx0rz now... =)

In retrospect, I don't see what the fuss was about. It's just a port scanner. And even that article mentioned programs that detect portscans.

Besides, the program is horribly outdated, it won't even compile on modern Linux dists without serious stabs with Knife of Kluge. The successor was called SAINT. But truth to tell, nmap is the port scanner.

The program's logo graphic was donated by Neil Gaiman.

http://www.fish.com/satan/

Also known as Iblis in Islam. Satan is responsible for not respecting mankind as a creation of Allah, and was thus cast out from Heaven, and given the task of trying to tempt mankind away from the right and the good. His main way of doing this is pride, which is ironic since it was his own pride that caused him not to respect man, and thus caused him to be cast out.

At the end of time Satan is to be punished for all the evil he has caused, and even though he is a supernatural being his powers over people are limited to those who willingly assent to him. As such most muslims believe that when they worship and live an Islamic way of life, they are immune to Satan. They may even be right. Time will tell.

Satan as portrayed in South Park and Memnoch The Devil.

I am writing these 2 portrayals of the Devil up together because they are very similar. (I believe the South Park Satan was based on the one in Memnoch).

This Satan is in my opinion the most believable portrayal of the Devil I have ever seen. It has always been said that the road to hell was paved with good intentions. Satan means well, but he is weak willed and easily pursuaded. Those are the exact same character traits that lead to evil in the real world. Satan wants to be accepted by people, he wants to be loved, and sexually fullfilled, but he cannot be. This leads him to fits of self hatred, anger and doubt. (As shown by his unfullfilling relationships and by his habit of asking advice of everyone). He knows what he is supposed to be, but he doesn't really feel strong enough to handle the weight of his responsibility. He threw the battle against Jesus in order to bet on himself, choosing money instead of the added responsibility of ruling eternally. This character was later expanded upon greatly in the movie South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut, where he is one of the major characters in the movie. His song "Up There" perfectly illustrates his longing to be normal and to be accepted into a world that does not want him.

In Ann Rice's portrayal of Satan in Memnoch The Devil, Satan disagrees with God on the proper way to handle people. He doesn't think it is fair the way God treats them. He feels that God has infinite power, so there is no reason for people to suffer at all. When he tempts Christ it is not out of evil, but out of shame and pity. "Why do you sit here when you could have all of this?" Satan as this weak willed pitiful creature seems so much more real than some unimaginably evil creature who wants to torture you. I really suggest this novel to anyone who would like a different viewpoint of Satan.

Satan Fills out a job application:

"Please list here any other aliases or pseudonyms you may have used in the past for employment or schooling:"

Satan (Job 1:6-9; Matt. 4:10) Translated: 'adversary, one who withstands.'

The Devil (Matt. 4:1, 5, 9; Eph. 4:27; Rev. 12:9; 20:2) Greek word diabollos: "slanderer, defamer."

The Serpent. Duh. Genesis and Revelation.

Lucifer (Isa. 14:12) Latin for "the bringer of light."

The Evil One (John 17:15; 1 John 5:9)

The Dragon (Rev. 12:7)

The Dark Prince or Dark Ruler (John 12:31)

The God of This World or Age (2 Cor. 4:4) This is especially predominant with the paranoid people who think the world is ending.

The Prince of the Power of the Air (Eph. 2:2a) AKA "our" (humanity's) air.

The Accuser of the Brethren or just The Accuser (Rev. 12:10) Greek "accuser" is kathgor.

The Tempter (Matt. 4:3; 1 Thess. 3:5) You know you want an apple.

Belial (2 Cor 6:15) This means "worthless" or "hopeless ruin." Fun stuff.

Beelzebul, Beelzebub, Beelzeboul or (Matt. 12:24; Mark 3:22) "lord of the dung," "lord of the flies," these are used to make fun of our friend Satan. (3) Beelzeboul: "the lord of the dwelling." It's not the most popular but is mostly correct . . .

Abaddon, Apollyon (Rev 9:11) Destroyer.

The Proud One The five "I wills" (Isaiah 14:12-14)

The Father of Lies (John 8:44)

A False Angel of Light (2 Corinthians 11:14)


Here is a larger list with less information about each one. I'll node the individual entries instead.

Also, some people have issues with these names and faiths used in a node about Satan, but I'm gonna keep them here because they can and are and were used as alternate names for, could it be, Satan(?). I guess this could also be a list of rough equivalents.

Abaddon Hebrew The destroyer
Adramelech Samarian Devil
Ahpuch Mayan Devil
Ahriman Mazdean Devil
Amon Egyptian Ram-head, god of life and reproduction
Apolloyon Greek Synonym for Satan, the arch-fiend
Asmodeus Hebrew Devil of sensuality and luxury, the god formerly known as "Creature of Judgment"
Astaroth Phoenician Goddess == Babylonian Ishtar
Azazel Hebrew Taught man weapons of war, make-up
Baalberith Canaanite Lord of the covenant who was later made a devil
Balaam Hebrew Devil of avarice and greed
Baphomet Templar symbolic of Satan
Bast Egyptian Goddess of pleasure: cat
Beelzebub Hebrew Lord of the Flies: scarab
Behemoth Hebrew Pachyderm satan.
Beherit Syriac Satan
Bilé Celtic God of Hell
Chemosh National god of Moabites, later a devil
Cimeries Rides a black horse, rules Africa
Coyote American Indian Devil
Dragon Philistine Avenging Devil of the sea
Damballa Voodoo serpent god
Demogorgon Greek Name of the Devil, it should not be known to mortals
Diabolus Greek "flowing downwards"
Dracula Romanian Name for Devil
Emma-O Japanese Ruler of Hell
Euronymous Greek Prince of Death
Fenriz Son of Loki, depicted as a wolf
Gorgo Greek dim. of Demogorgan
Haborym Hebrew Synonym for Satan
Hecate Greek Goddess of the underworld and witchcraft
Ishtar Babylonian Goddess of fertility
Kali Hindu Daughter of Shiva, high priestess of the Thuggees
Lilith Hebrew Female Devil, Adam's first wife (And you thought Eve had a bad rap)
Loki Teutonic Devil
Marmmon Aramaic God of wealth and profit
Mania Etruscan Goddess of Hell
Mantus Etruscan God of Hell
Marduk God of the city of Babylon
Mastema Hebrew Synonym for Satan
Malek Taus Yezdi Devil
Mephistopheles Greek He who shuns the light, q. v. Faust
Metztli Aztec Goddess of the Night
Mictian Aztec God of Death
Midgard Son of Loki, depicted as a serpent
Milcom Ammonite Devil
Moloch Phoenician and Canaanite Devil
Mormo Greek Kings of the Ghouls, consort of Hecate
Naamah Hebrew Female Devil of Seduction
Nergal Babylonian God of Hades
Nihasa American Indian Devil
Nija Polish God of the Underworld
O-Yamma Japanese Satan
Pan Greek God of lust, later relegated to devildom
Pluto Greek God of the Underworld
Proserpine Greek Queen of the underworld
Pwcca Welsh Satan
Rimmon Syrian Devil worshipped at Damascus
Sabazios Phrygian Identified with Dionysos, snake worship
Saitan Enochian Equivalent of Satan
Sammael Hebrew "Venom of God"
Samnu Central Asian Devil
Sedit American Indian Devil
Sekhmet Egyptian Goddess of Vengeance
Set Egyptian Devil
Shaitan Arabic Satan
Shiva Hindu The Destroyer
Supay Inca God of the underworld
T'an-mo Chinese Counterpart to the devil, covetousness, desire
Tchort Russian Satan "Black God"
Tezcatlipoca Aztec God of Hell
Thamuz Sumerian God, later relegated to devildom
Thoth Egyptian God of magic
Tunrida Scandinavian Female Devil
Typhon Greek Personification of Satan
Yaotzin Aztec God of Hell
Yen-lo-Wang Chinese Ruler of Hell

Satan is a catfish.

Satan is a Texas catfish.

Satan eurystomus is better known as the "widemouth blindcat", a type of eyeless albino catfish that lives deep in the ground (hypogean or stygobitic), in the water filling the rock interstices of the deep Edwards Aquifer under San Antonio, Texas.  Feeding on any creature it encounters in its underground travels, the widemouth blindcat is a top predator that can grow up to 13.7 cm (about 5.5 inches) long.  Lacking eyes, it must detect its prey by sensing electrical disturbances with its lateral line and barbels.

We know about this creature due to its being pumped, along with irrigation water, from five Artesian wells around San Antonio.  In 1938, Carl L. Hubbs, an ichthyologist at La Jolla University near San Diego, California, was invited to San Antonio's Witte Memorial Museum to view several blind catfish which had been pumped out of nearby wells.  Carl Hubbs is a giant among ichthyologists, a prolific author on fishy subjects.   When he determined that one of the fish was an unknown  species, he gave it this whimsical name because its deep, dark abode (or a somewhat drier version) was once thought to be the location of Hell. The fish's somewhat repulsive appearance probably helped matters.

Genus Satan
Family Ictaluridae
Order Siluriformes
Class Actinopterygii
Superorder Pisces
Subphylum Vertebrata
Phylum Chordata
Kingdom Animalia
Domain Eucarya

The Hubbs Story
http://www.hswri.org/HubbsLegacy.htm

Aldemaro Romero's Lab,
http://www.macalester.edu/~envirost/ARLab/
(HypogeanFishes/ictaluridae_satan.htm)

The above website gives a citation for the original paper naming the infernal fish:
Hubbs, C. L. & R. M. Bailey. 1947. Blind catfishes from artesian waters of Texas.
Occasional Papers of the Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan (499):1-15.

The Handbook of Texas Online
http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/WW/tfw1.html
 

Many people have misconceptions about who Satan is, or at least who Christians believe he is. For some reason, possibly due to the animistic religions of Europe, and then some in Asia and the Americas and in Africa, this notion of Satan as a sort of anti-God has arisen. This is by all means not true. I guess to understand the Christian view of Satan, we must also understand what evil is.

In Christianity, God and good are one in the same. Evil is simply the absence of good, the absence of God. A good model for understanding would be the relationship between heat and cold. Cold is really the absence of heat. Evil is by and large a complete absence of good, that is, God is not present. So, to oppose the will of God, that is, to do something God will have no part of, is rendered an evil deed, a sin. This idea of God being all that is good is not limited to the Christian scope, but is found in almost anyone's idea of God.

That said, if evil at its base form is nothing but the lack of good, then Satan has no real power. He is not a 'bad god'. And furthermore, God did not 'create' evil, as some people claim. Evil is more of a vacuum, a place or state devoid of God. Earliest mentions of Satan refer to him as The Adversary, a servant of God who tested man's love of God and his will to do God's work. He did anything from tricking humans to outright hurting them (Job). He, Lucifer, was considered one of Gods finest creations. That is, until he opposed God's will.

Satan/Lucifer as we all know, was once an angel. He basically got uppity and decided that he was powerful enough to question and oppose God. His damnation to Hell was his own doing, not God's retaliation. By separating himself from God, he separated himself from all that is good and beautiful. Satan is not the monarch of the underorld, as many people see him, but a soul who is just as tortured and pathetic as any other in Hell. His only power is to lie, to deceive, bluntly and simplistically put, he is the little devil on your shoulder.

To say Satan represents free will is ignorant of all Christian beliefs. To say that man is a slave of God is also ignorant, in light of the Christian viewpoint (I'd say so for Judaism and Islam too, but I don't know enough...maybe someone can help me out). Satan is an angel. In Judeo-Christian 'mythology', there are a number of sentient beings created by God to love and adore Him. There are the cherubim (not the fat little babies, but majestic warriors), the seraphim (6-winged creatures whose true form no one knows), and all the other angels and ethereal beings. The last to be created was humankind. The Christian view on the reason God created humanity was so that he could have people who choose Him out of will and love rather than any constraint. An angel literally cannot choose to serve or to love God. They ar emade to do it, and that's what they do. The minute one gets any ideas about not doing so, by nature he is immediately separated from God, from good, and has no chance to ever return. Satan has no free will. He had one chance and blew it, end of story. Human beings can constantly choose to reject or accept God, and will always be forgiven for their wrongdoings, no matter how bad they are, if only they seek it. True, humans will meet the same fate as Satan if they reject God, but its not God who sends people to Hell, but arther their own will. In fact, the belief is that God will do everything in his power to stop a soul from falling into Hell. His love is unconditional and it pains Him to see someone leave Him. The fact though, is that humans can, at any time, choose God or reject Him. Humans, and humans alone, have this freedom.

The question still remaining is what does Satan do? Satan, embittered by his fall, can feel only hate. He hates God for creating Him, and he hates everything associated with God, particularly mankind, who have the ability to choose God freely. So, he attempts to turn people against God, because this hurts Him. It's the only thing Satan can hope to do against God, and that's ehat he does. The temptation of Satan in the Christian viewpoint can be seen as a man luring someone else over a cliff with false promises. But the truth is that man can at any time, choose God or reject Him. Hell is not seen as punishment for bad deeds, but a self-brought separation from God and all that is good, meaning absolute suffering and darkness.

Once again, I am only showing a particular belief about complex ideas, the one I believe, but I will not say that this is absolute. Everyone has their own beliefs, and although I believe one way does not mean its wrong for other people to believe differently. I am merely expressing my viewpoint, and the viewpoint of Christianity on this issue, which is often misunderstood at best.

Sa"tan (?), n. [Heb. satan an adversary, fr. satan to be adverse, to persecute: cf. GR. , , L. Satan, Satanas.]

The grand adversary of man; The Devil, or Prince of darkness; the chief of the fallen angels; the archfiend.

I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Luke x. 18.

 

© Webster 1913.

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