Lucifer
According to Revelations, Lucifer was an Archangel who challenged God out of Envy and Pride and he lost. Lucifer literally means "Light bringer". Lucifer and his minions were cast out of heaven. According to I Peter, they prowl like lions around a campfire, looking for the unwary who stray from the light, the weak and the gullible.
According to Genesis, Lucifer/Satan took the form of the serpent and tempted Adam and Eve, the proto-humans, with fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. He promised that it would make them equal to God. He might have over-promised. God-sized knowledge on human-sized shoulders is an unbearable burden.
Prometheus
Prometheus of Greek mythology was a human Titan who stole fire from Apollo as his chariot (the sun) arched across the sky. Zeus, the Patriarch of the Gods in Greek mythology, was not pleased and condemned Prometheus to be chained to a rock atop a mountain and have his liver pecked away by buzzards every day, only to regrow every night.
Compare and Contrast
The most obvious comparison is that by bringing mankind fire, Prometheus was truly a "light bringer". Lucifer and Prometheus were also comparable in that they challenged the supreme being and lost. Lucifer was an archangel (Not God but not man, either). Prometheus was a Titan (A class of god who lost to the Olympians).
The contrast is that Zeus was a god who was very man-like in that he was flawed and Prometheus's motivations were primarily altruistic. The God of the Old and New Testaments is presented as entirely benign and loving (sometimes tough-love) while Lucifer's motives were self-aggrandizing.
Prometheus brought the Greeks the benefits of "fire": To cook grain and warm the home. To provide light during the long nights of winter. To vanquish enemies and smelt metals.
Lucifer brought the Hebrews and Christians sorrow, sin and death.
While the Greeks ended up with a "light-bringer" who was much more appealing than the Hebrew/Christian version, I much prefer the God of the Hebrew/Christian tradition.
Hrrmpmpmppffffff.
ReplyDeleteJoe i wouldnt be at all surprised if early protohumans just stole the fire of the gods (or God) - who mistakenly thought his hairless monkeys were better than that and we caught Him by surprise…?
Ughhhh, I suppose that’s blasphemy. But… I’m watching this stuff with quantum computers and wonder if we aren’t getting ready to do the same thing again? Those things are peering into the very mind of God. We don’t know how or why they work, we only know that they do. The development of the atomic bomb is kid stuff compared to the can of worms quantum computing has the potential of opening.
I swear I can hear the devil laughing sometimes.
There is no shortage of Pride and Envy. Nor is there a shortage of the unwary, the weak and the gullible.
DeleteBut is it any worse than before? The old-man in me says it is but I have enough self-awareness to understand that my perceptions might be inaccurate.
Fred in Texas, we grow old too soon and wise too late... The gospel light counts. The teachings of Christ illuminate our path of we want them to. If we want them to...
DeleteNo guarantees that we will last long enough to "grow old".
DeleteSatan's biggest lie "There will always be another tomorrow."
If Prometheus was worthy of the wrath of the gods for kindling the first fire on earth, how must the gods and men honor the men who make it their business to put it out - from the busiest company in FDNY (is that still Engine 86?) to the smallest volunteer companies in rural America. May God bless all y'all. Ol
ReplyDeletePrometheus was a Titan. A god, not one from Olympus, who sided with the humans. His reward for giving fire (civilization) to the humans on Earth was to forever be chained to a rock and have his innards ripped out daily by eagles. All for the 'sin' of interfering with Olympus' ability to screw over the humans.
ReplyDeletePrometheus should be seen as a heroic figure for going against his 'peers' and doing the right thing.
Thanks for the clarification regarding Prometheus being a Titan. Adjustments were made to the text.
DeleteObama is referred to as the Lightbringer in some articles. Coincidence?
ReplyDeleteFreudian.
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