i know the title isn’t a very good one. and i don’t play chess; so i don’t really know what i’m talking about. but am i the only who thinks of life as a competition between God and Satan where they both manipulate us (which sometimes involves hurting us, and killing off our loved ones, etc.) in hopes to “win” us which, if Satan won, would result in eternal torment? i think that’s just kinda f*cked up. for the record, i did NOT volunteer for this.
(maybe it’s just a combination of intoxicated thinking and being a teen.)
Why do you automatically assume life is a cosmic chess game?
My wager is that the universal battle between good and evil is much more resemblant of a game of Tic Tac Toe, either that or Paper, Rock, Scissors, or maybe Candyland, yeah, that’s it, life is Candyland.
Anybody else have any ideas as to what type of game God and Satan are busy playing?
The game is obviously Monopoly. God and Satan bidding for our souls. Go is Heaven and Hell is Go to jail. The possibilities here are endless. But I don’t think MB is daring enough to come out with this version.
It’s pretty clear that chess played perfectly is a draw.
So you’d better hope that these Beings are not playing chess, since you’ll be waiting forever for a result.
If it cheers you up, there’s no evidence for either God or Satan. So just concentrate on achieving your goals, while being a decent chap!
For one thing, I would imagine that, if God and Satan were playing with us as pieces, then the prize for winning would probably be more dramatic than getting to keep the pieces. Now, if they were playing marbles…
Besides which, why would Satan want to give us eternal torment, and why would any sane God leave it up to His skill in a game to decide the fate of His beloved children instead of just smacking Satan on the wrist and saying in a stern voice, “No! Bad Evil-Incarnate! It’s a time-out for you! You’re spending this Eternity in the lake of fire! Now GO!” ?
I guess if, as you’re dying after being stabbed by a serial killer, you hear a deep, disembodied voice boom out, saying “King’s bishop to queen’s rook’s pawn. Check!”, you were right.
There’s an inherent logical problem with the notion that “God and Satan” are involved in some sort of conflict or competition. The problem is that at least one of them is supposed to be omnipotent. If God is omnipotent, then any contest would be instantly ended simply by God’s will. There is no need for any grand human pagent at all. God makes evil disapper. Checkmate.
If Satan is also omnipotent, then (as glee pointed out) the only possible outcome would be a draw and the contest would be pointless.
Either way, then, a contest would be meaningless and have a predetermined outcome. Why would either party engage in a competition where the outcome was already known and unchangeable?
Indeed Diogenes, that is why I have a mayor problem with Revelation: do the faithful still think that the devil (assuming he exists) has not read it also? The best move then for the devil is not to play the game.
Before I became an agnostic, I realized also that God can change what he will do for the end of times, he will not care about what any church or prophet “knows” regarding prophecies, one grumpy fellow called Jonah found that already.
I like the Idea of God playing Hide-and-Seek ( See The Book: on the taboo against knowing yourself [Title approximated since I don’t have it in front of me.] by Alan Watts. It is a little dated-- very Sixties-- but the ideas are interesting) The idea is a simplified version of the Vedanta which claims that God is playing this game with 'him’self in order to learn about 'him’self.
I also think there is a quote in the Bible wherein Jesus is asked why people suffer, He replied, “So that the glory of God might be manifest.” (Sorry I don’t know the verse, I’ll do some research.) In other words, if I have it at all right, God-- and by extension, humans-- cannot exist and know reality (manifest reality) without some suffering. We create a ‘Satan’ as a way to explain why an all benevolent God should allow this suffering and then pose this ‘Satan’ as an antagonist in a play, or game of some kind.
It might be kind of trippy to imagine life as a big chess game, but the analogy is limited… that having been said, I bet God gets to be white.
I like your title, gypsymoth3 and I think you have it about right. From the Bible, at least, it seems that human beings are nothing but game pieces manipulated by two beings neither of whom really gives a shit about the game pieces. The book of Job is the best window into the real relationship of god and man. God and Satan are actually about evenly matched, else why would God allow himself to be goaded by an underling? I won’t quote from Job here. Read it yourself. It is most revealing of the true character of the one supposed to 'love" his human creations. Clearly he couldn’t care less.
Oh, and I’m neither intoxicated nor pubescent (although I confess insomnia might play a role in my reasoning at this hour ).
Well, in Jewish theology, Satan is not an independent adversary of G-d, but rather, is a servant of G-d. His duties are to act as the “prosecutor” in the “court of heaven”, which he does by tempting people to sin.
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