Thursday 18 November 2010

Tuesday, November 16th, 2010

Does Satan Have A Face?

Toronto, Ontario

I trudged along keeping warm with comfy hemp sannyasi clothes through the dark morning when I started another walk. "Jeeze" she said as she didn't expect in her quiet protected Rosedale neighbourhood to see a person so well covered in cloth and only revealing the head. My face-alone image took her by surprise.

"Sorry!"

I returned to the ashram and on my desk I opened to a page from the publication "Ministry" a journal for pastors. The article by Rael O. Caesor was interesting, exploring what ever happened to the face of the devil? "Where in the world is Satan the devil" was his question. The personification of the master deceiver seemed to be vanishing from Christian theology. The devil first became know as he is in the late stage of Israelite religion according to theologian Brent Ehrman. Another author pointed that the roles of Satan and God are a scriptural unity and "Satan is part of a divine cabinet in which all the members are not good."

The author's thrust was that there is less mention of the sleezy character in dialogue and sermons today. People think less of a personality as opposed to an evil force. Who can deny that Satan or Maya as we say in a Vedic context exists in some form in every person and every society? Some folks will have fun debating whether there is a face to that evil or not.

I am simply content to know that God is personal and He has a face.
Here's a poetic quote from the saint Bilvamangala.

"Sweet, sweet is my dear Lord's form,
Sweeter still His face, so fair,
But His honey-scented gentle smile
Is sweet beyond compare."

7 KM

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