I love the devil. Not in the bow-down-to-the-dark-lord kind of way. I'm averse to sacrifices and midnight meetings in the forest -- who has time for that? No, I love him aesthetically and philosophically. He can be found on my kitchen wall, on my keychain, on my vehicle (as a she), and if I ever decided to finally get that tattoo that Bev is always on about, you would find him just above my left hipbone. Yes, he's scary-sexy, but it's more the idea of him that compels me to hang him about.
I'm not much a fan of the sodomizing, Bosch-inspired devil or the three-mawed, frozen-in-hell devil of Dante. I like the pitchfork devil, the bifurcated-tailed devil, but most of all, the winged devil. Lucifer. The fallen angel. I like him because he had the balls to balk at the idea of being given life simply to worship someone else. God called it pride when Lucifer challenged him and cast him out. Maybe there was something in him God hadn't counted on. Ultimately, Lucifer was creative. Maybe that's what pissed God off. Like Dr. Frankenstein... there's nothing more irritating than when your own creation gets a mind of its own.
Next week I'll have a little to say about Cain and Ham and other biblical shaftings. But it's almost Halloween. So I'm giving the Devil his due.
6 comments:
Have you seen the picture of the Fall of Lucifer on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel? He is trying to pull up his pants while his bottom is exposed, poor fellow.
Yes, well, it's difficult to pull trou with that tail in the way. What's your estimation of the dark lord's backside?
Hmm, not a huge fan of The Devil myself, I can't help think he's a bit meretricious, e.g. I once bought a bottle of "extra-hot" chilli sauce that had his picture on the front and it was rubbish, not hot at all, sorry.
Yes, well, he's not everybody's cup of chili sauce... I actually prefer Dante's vision of a frostbitten hell. Very uncomfortable, don't you think?
I read about half of Dante's Inferno and have to confess that I didn't take to it, though I suppose consigning all one's enemies there is acceptable poetic licence.
if you ever get that tattoo let me know! I've been itching for another one, one tattoo is never enough!
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