A question from my friends

[mormonguy]

Ok, so I have a friend at school who is Pinacostel (I think I spelled that right) and he keeps asking "How can you believe that Jesus and Satan are brothers?". The idea that Jesus and Satan are brothers is something I've never really thought about, nor did I think it would bother anybody looking at our church and what we believe. How do I handle this? What do you guys think I should tell him? He's asked me this several times and I've tried answering him, but he keeps bringing it up. Help?

[tubaloth]

To understand this idea, you have to explain a couple of other ideas that we believe, these also aren't that easy to understand.

First is about Pre-mortal life. Second is that we our Spirit Children of our Heavenly Father. Explain that we lived before we came to this earth. You can try to explain how Satan was this "evil" person, that Satan was there in the pre-mortal life like all of us where. Because of the choices satan made in the pre-mortal life he was cased out or fell. Once we understand where Satan came from, it makes sense why we see him the way we do. We understand what Satan is trying to do.

Try to expalin that to the best you can.

[zookeeper]

Something I think I might do, after being asked multiple times without satisfaction, I might say that perhaps for one to understand all of the LDS gospel, one must first understand and be OK with our basic beliefs...like the restoration, Joseph Smith, the BofM, and the plan of salvation. If they are not willing to look into those doctrines then I would just respectfully let it go. Of course, who knows where inspiration may lead you.

[georgia2]

Revelation 12:7-9

This speaks of the war in heaven and says plainly that Satan was there, rebelled and was cast out.

If he wasn't of a holy nature, why would he have been in heaven?

Many Christians other than LDS know about and acknowledge the war in heaven.

Since this guy is so interested, ask him to talk to the missionaries!

[NeuroTypical]

It's spelled "Pentacostal".

"How can you believe that Jesus and Satan are brothers?".

We don't believe in the trinity. We believe in the Godhead - that means 3 different people. We're not going to spend any time apologizing about it - we really do think The Father is our Father, we believe The Son is His Son, and we believe we're His sons as well. We do not believe we're creations, we believe we're the same species as God - and that goes for satan also. So, we're all children of God, which makes us all brothers and sisters.

All of these notions are firmly explained in the Bible, it ain't our fault that the rest of Christianity got together 300 years after Christ's resurrection and voted to start believing all this stuff about 3-in-one and how not everyone is a child of God.

LM

[a-train]

It's spelled "Pentacostal".

Pentecostal

-a-train

[NeuroTypical]

LOL Yeah, I've probably got the world's record for correcting a misspelling with my own misspelling.

LM

(went to dictionary.com to make sure "misspelling" was spelled right...)

[Islander]

A friend told me she feels it is a "horrible error to believe Satan and Jesus are brothers". It points to the fact that she had not thought much about it and was just having a gut-driven reaction to that consideration.

God does not work evil. Evil people do evil things and Satan exercised his agency to do evil and rebellion before the Father of ALL. The Firstborn Son made a choice to exalt the Father and do His work and thus became the Savior of mankind. Agency and how it was used was the only difference.

Disowning one's relatives (because of evil-doing) does not negate their or our origins.

[AnthonyB]

I can't comprehend how you don't understand how TC's (traditional Christians) find this alarming.

Jesus, the darling of heaven, the ultimate example in the flesh of all goodness, righteousness, love, mercy etc.

Satan, the tempter, source of lies, death, deceit and evil personified etc.

Describing them as having a sibling relationship just seems beyond revulsion. Bit like saying your favourite hero shares a family with the most infamous villian ever. (eg Mother Theresa and Chalres Manson, or Gordon B Hinkley was Adolf Hitler's son).

It may seem reasonable to LDS as you have grown used to, it is an idea that fits your world view and faith landscape. For TC's it is immensely jarring. I think maybe that we feel it as a personal assualt on Jesus to attempt to smear him with such a sibling.

May I suggest you reassure that your not meaning to smear Jesus nor diminishing all his goodness etc and neither are attempting to rehabilitate Satan.

[Islander]

I can't comprehend how you don't understand how TC's (traditional Christians) find this alarming.

Jesus, the darling of heaven, the ultimate example in the flesh of all goodness, righteousness, love, mercy etc.

Satan, the tempter, source of lies, death, deceit and evil personified etc.

Describing them as having a sibling relationship just seems beyond revulsion. Bit like saying your favourite hero shares a family with the most infamous villian ever. (eg Mother Theresa and Chalres Manson, or Gordon B Hinkley was Adolf Hitler's son).

It may seem reasonable to LDS as you have grown used to, it is an idea that fits your world view and faith landscape. For TC's it is immensely jarring. I think maybe that we feel it as a personal assualt on Jesus to attempt to smear him with such a sibling.

May I suggest you reassure that your not meaning to smear Jesus nor diminishing all his goodness etc and neither are attempting to rehabilitate Satan.

What we call "knowledge" or "understanding" is the byproduct of prior information and conclusions derived from such and our acceptance or denial of such as valid. We design a belief system based on that and formulate on opinion. Such opinion has nothing to do with truth or fact. That becomes a stumbling block to the acquisition of new knowledge since, by necessity, it requires us to discard information and a belief system based on that previously acquired "information".

The key questions are: Who is Satan a.k.a Lucifer? What descriptions do we have of him from the scriptures? Who created him? How did he get to be who he is?

Isa 14

Job 1 & 2

Zech 3

Luk 10

I can understand that if one (TC) has never pondered such issues it comes as a shocking revelation. But it is just one more evidence that agency and how we use it determines our place in the kingdom of God. Most TC may have not spent much time thinking about this issue, not that they should. The awareness we have of this issue comes from modern revelation. The nature of Satan is not an important part of our theology. It is a fact of creation and we just understand it that way. And it is not relevant to our everyday worship.

It is Christ whom we worship and He sits at the head of this church. He is the author and finisher of our salvation. He is our example and we aspire to be like Him. We believe and trust in His infinite mercy thru the Atonement to clean our sins and redeem us at the last day; when He will stand as our advocate before the Father as we seek life eternal in His kingdom. That is what we preach and proclaim to every people across the world.

The rest is not very important when it comes what people believe in regards to the enemy of the children of God, namely Satan.

Edited November 6, 2008 by Islander

[mormonguy]

Thanks for the help guys. I'll be sure to use your advice next time they bring it up.