Where is that devil and what is he up to? First of all, like in any good horror movie, the devil is always right here in the house. In the case of the current evangelical political machine, the devil is all too often wearing pastoral robes and expensive tailored suits. For many years, the evangelical church has pointed to the devil outside in the world, but the devil is the one doing the pointing. Secondly, the devil is always up to the same thing: creating division through fear.
Believing in the devil certainly has its disadvantages. It's an odd thing. Essentially there's almost nothing I am afraid of, except the dark basement in the triple-decker apartment where I live. It's difficult to admit this, I can often be spotted running upstairs from that basement just in case the devil, or some demon or Freddy Krueger, is going to get me. It's embarrassing. I understand, intellectually, how stupid this fear is. I'm 47 years old, reasonably well educated and a big, strong guy. But if I head down to get my laundry at night, suddenly all 6'2'' and 225 pounds of me is running up my back stairs — because devils are typically slow and won't be able to get through the door to my apartment once I make it there. Plus, my apartment lights will be on. The devil can't survive in the light — which is helpful advice for confronting evil, by the way.
