No devil in Genesis. No demon army in the Torah. Satan starts as God’s heavenly prosecutor—on payroll, not rebellion. Demons? They show up after Israel’s exile, when Zoroastrian dualism gave folks a cosmic boogeyman to blame for suffering.
Jesus? He met people in their worldview. Cast out what tormented them—literal or symbolic. Paul? He called it “powers and principalities.” Systemic, not pitchforks.
The Satan we got? A stitched-together myth from poetry, politics, and panic. Less theology, more fanfiction.
Sometimes naming the demon helps. Sometimes the demon is just fear in costume.
In my studies, I’ve discovered that the O.T. mentions Satan directly only 3 times (Job 1–2, Zech. 3, 1 Chron. 21) and gives zero accounts of demonic possession. By contrast, the New Testament explodes with over 560 references to Satan or demons—especially in the Gospels where exorcisms and cosmic conflict are front and center. (I account this to Zoroastrianism)
This shift reveals a powerful evolution in the Jewish-Christian imagination—from sparse references to a full-blown cosmic battle where Jesus defeats the forces of darkness.
And let’s be real: every great story needs a great villain.
As written in John, “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8).
That makes Satan less of a Side Show Bob—and more like a ‘Thanos’ that makes the mission of Christ shine.
I've mentioned in a previous post that I've experienced things I can't explain. Most of which was disembodied voices, but a few times I have been physically touched by something I couldn't see and it terrified the piss out of me each time it happened. (3x's to be exact.) I've even had my emotions fucked with during a ghost tour I went on in Denver last fall. I prayed for God to protect everyone who had been part of the tour before I went to bed that night because I saw no other way I was getting to sleep that night after my experience. I think I'm gonna need to sit with this one for a bit. Not sure where I'll land or if my current feelings on the topic will stick with me.
Wow! This is a helpful article. My friend and I have a podcast about Hell where we’re exploring some ideas about Satan and Hell in culture and this is a handy guide to the history. Thanks!
I'm so grateful for ur help in deconstructing the religious influence that I grew up in. I found thinking of myself as a Christian Democrat, then a Christian Buddhist and now I don't have a label for myself but it's beginning to feel ok.
I always learn something new from your writing. Such good stuff! Thank you so much.
I do have a question for you, which I hope doesn’t offend you. I’d ask you your source(s) for your historical information but I’m guessing there are multiple sources too numerous to list.
My question is simple and the answer probably obvious, but I’ll ask it anyway. Are you confident the sources are correct? I don’t believe you’d ever consider publishing it if you didn’t trust it. However, as someone who now realizes how misled or misguided I was by things I read or was taught to believe to be undeniable truth and fact, at least up until 10 or so years ago when I just couldn’t make the dots connect anymore, I feel compelled to ask.
It certainly all tracks with my new understanding of Biblical interpretation. My concern always comes back to me worrying about believing something because it sounds right to me. I have little faith in my discernment anymore so if it’s sounds right, I’m automatically suspicious!
Since I’m going on and on in this message, let me throw in that I absolutely loved the Zoom call with Brian on Tuesday. Great Q&A.
Thank you for helping this struggling deconstructionist.
Fran, thank you for asking this. It’s great to see your self awareness around your journey. I don’t quote sources a lot because it some cases I don’t remember where I learned things and in other cases it makes my writing start to feel more like a term paper. I am in a particular lane these days, so much of what I say would be very consistent with people like Marcus Borg, John Shelby Spong, Dan McClellan, Crossan, Ehrman, etc. I fall in that more liberal theological zone these days—but with less letters after my name than those people for sure. I’m sure I’m wrong about something :) I’d suggest taking my thoughts as my educated opinion and if something feels off then study it yourself. I’m glad you asked me about it.
Thank you for stirring critical thinking and provoking questions! I believe our minds desire tidy explanations, which can deviate from truth.
It is difficult to discern between manufacture and discovery. Many prophecies fulfilled by Jesus were recognized only after the fact. How can we govern our conclusions to account for this?
Thanks for this, I'm glad you have explained the evolution of demons and Satan it clears a few things up for me that I was uncertain about. I like to personalise my thoughts (in poetry) using gods and false gods but demons could be an addition, the alcohol demon, the petrol demon, the gluttony demon etc. On second thoughts things could get very crowded and an unwanted dualism introduced into my perspective. CS Lewis wrote about temptation to turn away from God as the result of demonic scheming in the symbolic (I think) Screwtape Letters, an interesting concept but not one I embrace.
Oh I needed this…. Thank you! I’ve started to wrestle with some of these same conflicting images and ideas myself but most believers I know are pretty certain about what they think, so I don’t have anyone to explore with.
You’re really good at taking complex and condensing them and making them simpler and approachable, all with a non-judgmental approach. And I’ve really appreciated your work.
No devil in Genesis. No demon army in the Torah. Satan starts as God’s heavenly prosecutor—on payroll, not rebellion. Demons? They show up after Israel’s exile, when Zoroastrian dualism gave folks a cosmic boogeyman to blame for suffering.
Jesus? He met people in their worldview. Cast out what tormented them—literal or symbolic. Paul? He called it “powers and principalities.” Systemic, not pitchforks.
The Satan we got? A stitched-together myth from poetry, politics, and panic. Less theology, more fanfiction.
Sometimes naming the demon helps. Sometimes the demon is just fear in costume.
—
Virgin Monk Boy
❤️
fascinating and enlightening.
🙏🏼
In my studies, I’ve discovered that the O.T. mentions Satan directly only 3 times (Job 1–2, Zech. 3, 1 Chron. 21) and gives zero accounts of demonic possession. By contrast, the New Testament explodes with over 560 references to Satan or demons—especially in the Gospels where exorcisms and cosmic conflict are front and center. (I account this to Zoroastrianism)
This shift reveals a powerful evolution in the Jewish-Christian imagination—from sparse references to a full-blown cosmic battle where Jesus defeats the forces of darkness.
And let’s be real: every great story needs a great villain.
As written in John, “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8).
That makes Satan less of a Side Show Bob—and more like a ‘Thanos’ that makes the mission of Christ shine.
Love your point here, Fred! And Thanos is a great correlation. :)
I've mentioned in a previous post that I've experienced things I can't explain. Most of which was disembodied voices, but a few times I have been physically touched by something I couldn't see and it terrified the piss out of me each time it happened. (3x's to be exact.) I've even had my emotions fucked with during a ghost tour I went on in Denver last fall. I prayed for God to protect everyone who had been part of the tour before I went to bed that night because I saw no other way I was getting to sleep that night after my experience. I think I'm gonna need to sit with this one for a bit. Not sure where I'll land or if my current feelings on the topic will stick with me.
Joe, so you mean the devil really didn’t go to Georgia looking for a soul to steal?
Thank you for this. My paradigms are shifting.
❤️
Wow! This is a helpful article. My friend and I have a podcast about Hell where we’re exploring some ideas about Satan and Hell in culture and this is a handy guide to the history. Thanks!
Well it IS a Hell of a good podcast but it’s called, Perdition City Station. It’s where we take the train into Hell for our discussions. Lol
Please tell me it’s called “Hell of a podcast” :)
I'm so grateful for ur help in deconstructing the religious influence that I grew up in. I found thinking of myself as a Christian Democrat, then a Christian Buddhist and now I don't have a label for myself but it's beginning to feel ok.
I think we can feel negative energy. Just like we feel positive energy.
Sometimes you get the heebie jeebies!
I always learn something new from your writing. Such good stuff! Thank you so much.
I do have a question for you, which I hope doesn’t offend you. I’d ask you your source(s) for your historical information but I’m guessing there are multiple sources too numerous to list.
My question is simple and the answer probably obvious, but I’ll ask it anyway. Are you confident the sources are correct? I don’t believe you’d ever consider publishing it if you didn’t trust it. However, as someone who now realizes how misled or misguided I was by things I read or was taught to believe to be undeniable truth and fact, at least up until 10 or so years ago when I just couldn’t make the dots connect anymore, I feel compelled to ask.
It certainly all tracks with my new understanding of Biblical interpretation. My concern always comes back to me worrying about believing something because it sounds right to me. I have little faith in my discernment anymore so if it’s sounds right, I’m automatically suspicious!
Since I’m going on and on in this message, let me throw in that I absolutely loved the Zoom call with Brian on Tuesday. Great Q&A.
Thank you for helping this struggling deconstructionist.
Fran, thank you for asking this. It’s great to see your self awareness around your journey. I don’t quote sources a lot because it some cases I don’t remember where I learned things and in other cases it makes my writing start to feel more like a term paper. I am in a particular lane these days, so much of what I say would be very consistent with people like Marcus Borg, John Shelby Spong, Dan McClellan, Crossan, Ehrman, etc. I fall in that more liberal theological zone these days—but with less letters after my name than those people for sure. I’m sure I’m wrong about something :) I’d suggest taking my thoughts as my educated opinion and if something feels off then study it yourself. I’m glad you asked me about it.
Thank you for stirring critical thinking and provoking questions! I believe our minds desire tidy explanations, which can deviate from truth.
It is difficult to discern between manufacture and discovery. Many prophecies fulfilled by Jesus were recognized only after the fact. How can we govern our conclusions to account for this?
Thanks for this, I'm glad you have explained the evolution of demons and Satan it clears a few things up for me that I was uncertain about. I like to personalise my thoughts (in poetry) using gods and false gods but demons could be an addition, the alcohol demon, the petrol demon, the gluttony demon etc. On second thoughts things could get very crowded and an unwanted dualism introduced into my perspective. CS Lewis wrote about temptation to turn away from God as the result of demonic scheming in the symbolic (I think) Screwtape Letters, an interesting concept but not one I embrace.
Oh I needed this…. Thank you! I’ve started to wrestle with some of these same conflicting images and ideas myself but most believers I know are pretty certain about what they think, so I don’t have anyone to explore with.
WOW! Your understanding of the Bible and ancient history fascinates me. This was a great read.
You’re really good at taking complex and condensing them and making them simpler and approachable, all with a non-judgmental approach. And I’ve really appreciated your work.
Here are links to short videos about satan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8ijpct1EZI&t=27s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzrRJPU0YzE&t=14s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMXrsftCwTU&t=28s