Mike wrote:
> Perhaps others on the list can answer this. Do ALL major
> religions include a devil-like entity?
To put it simply: No.
Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Mananoism, and a very large number of
other religions do _not_ accept the existence of a devil. In fact many
don't accept the existence of a deity, either.
> If the answer is "no", then we have an example of the worst
> type of Eurocentric thinking!
Why "Eurocentric?"
Judeo-Christian, yes. But Eurocentric? Hardly--the same views are present
in Latin America, much of Africa, and pretty much everywhere else that
Christianity, Judaism, or Islam have influenced beliefs. In addition,
while _all_ religions don't share this particular myth, many do including
some very primitive ones in remote areas of the world.
The concept of a devil shouldn't surprise a psychologist at all--any more
than the concept of a deity should. Deities came about from a desire to
explain the often terrifying effect of nature. For example, to explain
lightning and thunder, the creation of a being who "threw" bolts of fire
was a logical and reasonable action for a primitive human. Because people
want a "father" to turn to for protection or guidance, the concept of a
more theological deity was needed--and since people (as we know) attribute
negative events or conclusions to external forces whenever possible, the
creation of a "negative deity" was equally predictable.
Of course, creation of a deity doesn't "prove" its existence any more
than the creation of a Santa Claus or Easter Bunny "proves" they exist
(the Tooth Fairy, of course, DOES exist--he's a dentist in the Castro
district of San Francisco who identifies himself that way on his door).
> If the answer is "yes", I am still not sure of the
> importance of the observation. Does a universal belief in
> something make it real?
Why would it?
If every person on earth believed that Santa Claus (the one in our
traditions, not the original Icelandic model) was real and that reindeer
can fly (well above the speed of sound, btw), would that make it true?
Belief is just that--belief. Unless it is based on demonstratable
evidence it is no more likely to be "true" if everyone believes it than if
only one person does so.
Rick
--
Rick Adams
Department of Social Sciences
Jackson Community College
Jackson, MI
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
"... and the only measure of your worth and your deeds will be the love
you leave behind when you're gone. --Fred Small, Everything Possible "
