On the Devil.

Do we really still have such a notion in our modern age? Haven't we progressed past nonsense of this sort? Apparently not. I was watching 'Big Questions' on BBC1 this morning, and the second question brought up was 'is the Devil real?' Being a Christian audience, a large number did profress a belief in 'a' Devil - although in differing degrees of madness.

What immediately came to me was the question: why would an omnipotent, all-wise, all-benificent god create a devil? Out of boredom? Out of hate? Out of incompetency? The Devil exists only because of religion - and only in certain cultures (although most have concepts of demons, spirits and djinns).

One man - an exorcist - kept harking on about his experiences. I had an inkling from the first that he was deeply ignorant of psychology and science, and he claimed that certain amazing things happened when he expelled demons from poor subjects (such as a shack blowing down in Nairobi and illnesses being miraculously defeated).

Straight away, I thought: why do all these subjects seem to be Christian? Why are only Christians ever the subjects of demonism and exorcism? Well, naturally because they're Christian - and they've read the mad book that's preached from every pulpit in Africa. Only this book hypothesises the existence of ghosts, unicorns, witches, demons, Satan, and exorcism. Christian dogma inculcates feelings of shame, sin, inferiority and unworthiness in its subjects - and it encourages them to be deeply ignorant of anything that might contradict their beliefs (from science to other cultural beliefs). It wouldn't surprise me if religious belief actually tends to increase mental illness - mental disorders stemming from sexual neuroses, extreme physical abuse, extreme pressure and fear, and extreme belief in things that are literally nonsensical and horrifying (like hell fire). 

When one doubts one's beliefs, one begins to think either one is being 'tempted' by the Devil, or one is questioning ultimate religious truths. Inevitably, mental disorders arise. So the root and the 'cure' of these particular disorders is religion: religion inspires madness, and makes people think that priests are best equipped to remove these blights. It is self-feeding and depends on the ignorance of its subjects. The 'cure' is nothing more than instilling more shame; making subjects try not to doubt the madness but have 'faith'. This abuse happens in children and adults - and children in some African countries are routinely labelled witches and are subjected to the most cruel and unthinkable treatments.

The Devil is a notion because of religion, and religions wouldn't have such power without the concept. Religion perpetuates belief in the Devil, and relies on such belief. Religion does evil, but somehow thinks of the Devil as being somehow exterior. It never thinks to look at the inner potential - for both good and evil - of humans. Religion excises blame and puts it in some other dimension from which it can't harm it. Religion is the main force of evil and confusion in this world, and it does nought but obfuscate and destroy minds.


Relevant texts:

The God Delusion
The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark
Why People Believe Weird Things: Pseudoscience, Superstition, and Other Confusions of Our Time