^lol HM, I love that guy's videos. I found the channel a while back and went through all of them.
Anyway, very interesting thread, and something I've thought about a lot as well. In fact, it's one of the reasons
Paradise Lost is my favorite epic and one of my favorite pieces of literature. It actually explores the whole Bible mythos from, among others, Satan's perspective. I love how he is portrayed as proud and strongwilled, ie not willing to be subjugated by God and treated like a glorified slave in Heaven, not to mention clever and intelligent. "Better to reign in Hell than to serve in Heaven" and all that.
you also have to consider that the quran is only one side of the story. God is basically writing his own review, and he is a bit biased.
This. A hundred times this. It's interesting how religious folk assume that God's word is incontrovertibly true, and conveniently ignore the other possibilities. For example, I love imagining Satan as a real laidback kind of guy who doesn't harbor any ill will toward humanity, who doesn't even hold a grudge against God. Just an average guy who sits around in his little out-of-the-way shack in Hell, strumming his guitar and smoking a joint and seeing his (fiery) world with cheer and optimism, minding his own business. Every now and then, a sinner who gets sent to Hell and wanders the scorching wasteland happens upon Satan, who offers the wayward traveler a drink and a place to crash for the night.
"I don't understand," the traveler might say. "I've heard all these awful things about you, but you don't seem that bad at all."
"Yeah, man," Satan might respond. "I get that a lot. Kind of a funny story."
"Funny story?"
"Yeah, man. It was after God created the Heavens and the angels and the Jinns, and Adam and his wife, Eve. He asked us to bow down to Adam. All I did was say, 'hey, man, I think this new creation of yours is coolio, God. But I don't believe in bowing down to anybody. A sentient being's gotta have his self-respect, right? Anyway, it's nothing personal, and I hope you don't think I mean any offense. It's just, well--I'm not really the bowing down type, know what I mean?'"
"That's all?" the traveler might ask.
"Yeah," Satan might reply. "I didn't even insult him or nothin'. Then God banished me to this little piece of Hell, and He spread all these rumors about me, about how I'm this horrible guy who wants to hurt Him and His creations."
"But didn't you convince Eve to eat the apple?"
"What? That serpent story? No way, man. I'd never do that. Eve and Adam were real cool cats. We hung out all the time. I'd never do anything to try and get 'em in trouble. God set me up, man. I was framed. I wasn't nowhere near that tree, and I sure as heck ain't never disguised myself as a snake." A shiver might run down Satan's spine. "Jeez. Snakes give me the creeps. Hey, you want a hit, man? Primo stuff. Grew it myself."
The traveler might accept the offer graciously, then continue. "So you don't try lead people astray so they'll spend eternity in Hell?"
"What? Heck no. How could I? I'm stuck down here. God just made up that story so you folks would have someone to blame. And even if I could, why would I want to? My friend, I've never even hurt a fly. Not even those really big, freaky-lookin' ones with the yellow stripes. Bugs give me the creeps. But they got as much right to live as I do."
"Aren't you mad at God for sentencing you to eternity in Hell?"
"Mad? Nah. Well, I guess I was upset at first, but after I thought about it awhile," Satan might say in his languid drawl, "I realized it ain't God's fault. Now, I don't mean no offense to God, but He's got a bit of a temper. Except it ain't His fault. It's just the way He is. He can't help it, any more than you can help being black or white or straight or gay. I know He probably didn't mean anything by it. So I've forgiven Him. And besides"--Satan might point at the row of flowerpots sitting by the window sill, the flowers bright but wilting at the edges--"Hell ain't such a bad place, once you get used to it. The way I see it, you gotta find beauty in the world, man. No matter where you are."
"Wow," the traveler might say, gazing wide-eyed into the blazing desert dunes. "Hey, you mind if I get another hit of that joint?"