As I’ve said, most of what I've learned about the Devil comes from the Bible. Certainly, there is wisdom, truth, and goodness in the Bible. But fables and myths are also full of wisdom, truth, and goodness. So, what is the difference between fables, myths, and the Bible. The difference is that the Bible shifts the emphasis of many of its stories from the message to the messenger, from the Creator to the created. Romans 1:25 KJV ’Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.’ The focus must be on the message for people to get the Bible’s full benefit. People stuck on the messenger are matter oriented and give little to no worth for anything outside of the physical world. They believe the Bible’s stories are historical for the same reason. However, the truth is that most of the Bible’s stories are symbolic, including the story of the Devil. It represents a common theme shared by ancient myths and fables, other Bible stories, and Disney animations alike, the everyday struggle between good and evil. The stories illustrate how to manage various ethical situations common to all people the right way. So, why don’t religious leaders demystify these stories and talk about them in more commonsense ways?
The fact is that, although today’s religious leaders think of themselves and are recognized as spiritual authorities, they cannot be. Because they are not independent thinkers. They just keep parroting the same tired stories used for thousands of years with very little positive effect. They bet everything on people and places that they cannot prove existed. Rather than giving their all to ideas and principles that can be applied with immediate benefit. What they ought to be concerned with is the profound, damaging effect that evil, wrong, hate, lies and negativity have on people. Untrue teachings, that is, lies, are the reason that evil in the world is increasing even though priests and preachers have promulgated the ‘good news’ for millennia. So, exactly how should we approach what the Bible says about the Devil? By using common sense or through the lens of those preaching the same dysfunctional message that has led us to the mess we are in today. Let us reason it out.