I come from a Christian background as I have said before and so hell and Satan are a part of my foundational beliefs. Tonight my sun asked me if the devil really had a pitchfork and horns. I said that I didn't know. Then I asked him if the devil really existed. He said that he did. I asked him how he knew and he said that he knew because he is really smart. While I agree that my son is really smart, I'm not so sure that I believe in the existence of a devil. If I do, it would be for the purpose of balancing out the traditional belief of God. You can't have a God without a devil in most religions. They serve their purpose and are not necessarily to be hated. After all, they make God look that much better. Polarity helps us to appreciate both sides just that much more. What is sun without rain, light without dark, good without bad, man without woman, child without elder, etc? They are nothing at all without their polar opposite and in many ways would cease to exist.
When I look back at Christianity I find that most of time hell and the devil were used to keep us in fear. Very similarly in history people have used similar stories of monsters of the night/woods to keep children from wondering off.
I my opinion, I have found that the devil is simply a scapegoat. He is blamed for stuff that simply can't be his fault. You will hear Christian cliches like the devil stealing people's joy, messing with finances, destroying families, causing preachers kids to act out, etc. Not likely. Upon closer inspection, you will see that we are responsible for all these things if they occur in our lives. If the devil exist, he is at best a trickster. He simply offers options that may effect our lives in a less than desirable manner.
The reality is that if he does exist, he is no more than an irritant, much like a mosquito or a fly.
