The History of the Devil
October 2nd 2008 00:34
The documentary itself is made up entirely of mostly still images alternating sporadically with talking heads; religious scholars, theologians and reverends. Directed by Greg Moodie and written and produced by Dave Flitton, it was researched by Eibhleann Ni Ghriofa, Deirdre Learmont and Craig McGregor (Gaelic names if ever I heard them!) It’s an impressive and very open-minded account and offers some fantastic insight into the evolution; the hows and whys the spectre of the Devil has existed and morphed through the ages from the dawn of civilization through to the new millennium.
Lucifer brooding
Satan loses his bearings
Mephistopheles takes flight
The Greeks had Hades who ruled the underworld. Although he wasn’t particularly liked by the other Gods, and had a disgruntled disposition, he was not evil by nature. He was more of a God of justice, deciding whether the dead should be punished for bad deeds or patted on the back for good ones. Hades did however provide the Devil with his inherent moodiness and powers of damnation.
St. Mchael defeats Lucifer
By the time Christianity was in full swing the Devil was black with talons as feet and huge dragon-wings. The Church used the Devil as a way of staying in power, basically a scare-mongering tactic. Armageddon was when the big show-down would take place between the Devil and the Second Coming, and if you weren’t on the right side you’d feel the heat.
Pan gets panned
During the Middle Ages, after 1000 years of Christian rule, the diabolical Inquisition was instated and over the next 300 years anywhere between 60,000 to 300,000 innocent people were accused of being witches or involved in witchcraft and killed (usually burned alive at the stake). The superstitious date of Friday the 13th stems from this period (from the year 1307). Necromancy was a dangerous past-time, and women were the most susceptible, apparently much more prone to temptation than men.
An incubus won't let the women sleep at night
The Hammer of Witches
Let's burn some people!
Tarot card
With Romanticism came a dark, anti-hero, a Byronic Devil who could be admired. The 20th Century turned the Devil toward commerce and advertising fare such as absinthe (a devilish concoction if ever there was one!) The Devil was considered “fun”, a mischievous imp. The ‘60s meant rebellion and in 1966 the Church of Satanism was formed by Anton Levey, holding weekend witch circles and promoting a strictly non-conformist approach to one’s lifestyle, but it was mostly a bunch of charlatans eager for 15 minutes of fame in front of cameras.
Roman Polanski's Rosemary's Baby
The ‘80s produced conspiracy with the Satanic Panic; supposed child kidnappings and sacrifices which spread like hellfire across America. But authorities dismissed it as mostly the product of hysteria; it seems human nature lends itself to this kind of behaviour, especially in this exponentially-curved age of telecommunications.
Apparently in a recent survey 50% of Americans believe in the Devil. I’m sure the events of 9/11 didn’t do much to dispel that belief. The whole “us and them” concept was compounded and hammered over Americans’ heads; President Bush’s Axis of Evil being the centerpiece. In fact, the War on Terror crusade is uncannily like the witch-hunts of hundreds of years ago; arresting and detaining without real reason and the torture. Osama Bin Laden became the new face of Satan.
If only the history of the Devil was just a bad dream
The History of the Devil DVD is courtesy of Siren Visual, many thanks!
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Comment by Damo
I have hanging on the wall to my right a puppet of a Sri Lankan Devil called a Yakka.
I have also seen painting of the Devil on Buddhist temples including visions of Hell for evil doers.
So demonology has some deep roots on the Asian culture also.
There are still exorcism being carried out by Buddhists under some circumstances. Supposedly the exorcist uses a drum to make the Yakka dance unwillingly to his rhythm. If the Yakka refuses to leave then he makes it dance until it is fed up.
There a terrific scene in a a Sri Lankan film called Guerilla Marketing where a presidential candidate is driven away by an exorcist making him dance to his drum. Brilliant stuff. I am sorry that the film was never released here.
Definitely Demonology is here to stay and without out it I think Horrorphile may have fewer posts.
Comment by Lady Henrietta Muddling
Potter in a Harry
Call me a sceptic or call me a Catholic, or call me both, but the modern media is the devil's pulpit; to paraphrase St Padre Pio, the Italian, Franciscan stigmatist, who called the newspaper the Devil's Gospel.
Like the dude says in The Usual Suspects, "The greatest trick the devil played on mankind was convincing them he doesn't exist."
To learn about Satan himself, the doco makers would have to do a bit more research than they have done on this doco. And read a few books no-one reads nowadays.
Satan is the master at watering down info about the reality of his own existence. Confusion is one of his chief weapons. Divide and conquer? Ever read The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis?
Don't think I'll take this comment much further. I could write volumes and volumes on the subject. And I really only wanted to say, I read the post, and there's nothing wrong with the post at all, but as to the doco makers?
As my grandma used to say, "I've forgotten more than these people will ever learn."
If you water down the true nature of the spiritual life and the dangers inherent in it? You end up with Harry Potter, and parents saying, "Isn't it great our children are reading books?" The tragedy to me is that they actually believe it. Why not give them Anton Le Vay's Satanic Bible. At least the guy could write.
I'm glad The Exorcist was mentioned, because that's a true portrayal of demonic possession.
Have you ever seen a possessed soul? If you haven't? Don't bother. Just go to a rock concert.
brb. I'm going to listen to Metallica and Ozzy Osborne.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Damo, "folk law"? ... was that misspelling intentional?
I'd love to read the Demonology book.
Lady David, I love that quote from the Usual Suspects. And you're so very right about delving deep into publications that would not be easy to find. But it's only a 50-minute doco and there's a lot of ground to cover. consider the doco to be more about a skim over the surface, but it's not an unintelligent one by any means.
Comment by Damo
You underestimate my willingness to bite at controversy for the sake of it and you over estimate my spelling. I made a typo.
However I have not seen the film so I cannot judge how academic it is as opposed to whether someone has an axe to grind. A lot of docos from Britain tend to select the experts and the evidence to match the line that they are pushing.
The question of Pan being the model of the Devil was discussed in a documentary on Sri Lanka over 15 years ago. The conclusion was drawn because they fit the same description. Pan, from memory, was no saint in the Greek Mythology either and would have symbolized hedonism and self indulgence. Even in ancient Greece the Hedonists and the Stoics battled over what was the correct path.
From what I have read of Hinduism demons and devils are handled in unusual ways. Some Hindus worship them and other do not.
Buddhism has a traditional view that demons are bad. However you can still find people who seek out local magic man to purchase a curse or two. They have menus, just like a Chinese fast food joint.
So demonology has multiple roots from different directions.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by Damo
However the pipes of Pan can get on my nerves.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
The Greeks wrote damn fine stories indeed, arguably some of the best ever.
Comment by Damo
Picnic at Hanging Rock was the final straw for me.
Comment by Wynona Lavota
Generation Y Life
Comment by Carol Itoh
Luv Peek
Daily Dirt
Style Btch
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Wynona, "Lightbringer", interesting moniker ...
Carol, oh yes, they had some doozy torture toys back then.
Comment by Damo
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by Wynona Lavota
Generation Y Life
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile