The Jewish Temple And The Origin Of Sat How Christians...

Elaine Pagels seeks to clarify ongoing questions with Christians and Satan and how Christians managed to create such a demonic figure in The Origin of Satan: How Christians Demonized Jews, Pagans, and Heretics. Pagels aims at taking a very complex subject and making her readers understand how Christianity developed along with Satan. Pagels gives several examples from many different time periods. This paper will aim at summarizing main points on how Satan was created. As well, how Christianity used Satan to demonetize Jews, Pagans and Heretics. Further, a brief opinion on if Christians had not developed Satan how would western history be different today. Satan continues to be one of the most recognized figures in today’s culture, considering out how this figure came to be is complex yet fascinating. Pagels describes the development of Satan throughout her book and how Christians used Satan to demonetize others. Pagels begins with the destruction of the Jewish Temple by the Romans in 70 CE. The Jewish war poisoned the relationship between Jews, â€Å"as the revolt spread to towns and cities, the Jewish population divided† (3). Those who were not following Jesus were then labeled as being Satanic and evil for having different views. Pagels describes Satan in earlier times when he was not looked at as a monstrous being but was one of God’s angels, the angel that had a job of â€Å"blocking or obstructing human activity† (39). In many eyes this angel would have been viewed as the evil