Is the devil really just a myth?

Whether you are religious or not, demons have played a large part in mythology, books, movies, and even music. Films, such as “Paranormal Activity”, “The Exorcist”, “The Exorcism of Emily Rose”, “Fallen”, and – more recently – “The Last Exorcism”, have made demons something to fear. Movies, however, rarely scratch the surface of just how evil these former, corrupt servants of God (or many gods) can be.

Everywhere the New Testament sees a great conflict between the forces of God and of good, on the one hand, and those of evil led by Satan, on the other. This week’s reading tells us that Jesus was casting out a devil (gospel of Luke 11:14) and some people in the audience accused Jesus of having alliance with Beelzebub, the chief of the devils. The Lord rejects such accusations as baseless and untrue. But what both Jesus and his accusers acknowledge is that the devil is real, present in the world and perpetually trying to destroy humans’ lives.

In Christianity and various religions, devils and demons are evil or harmful supernatural beings. Devils are generally regarded as the adversaries of the Gods, while the image of demons ranges from mischief makers to powerful destructive forces. Devils and demons stand on the opposite side of the cosmic balance from God and angels. Although devils and demons have been pictured in many different ways, they are usually associated with darkness, danger, violence, and death. The general view is that devils are trying to destroy humans, to tempt them into sinning, or to turn them against their God. Devilish and demonic forces have taken many shapes and forms around the world. Frightening and dramatic stories and images of them have always had considerable appeal.