The devil is real

A poll came out recently from a Catholic data and polling group (the Center of Applied Research of the Apostolate, CARA) which found that only 17% of Catholics in the United States believe that the devil is real.  The other 83% believe he just a symbol.  Other discoveries were noted.  The following is quoted from an article by author David Nussman on the website Church Militant:

Mark M. Gray, editor of CARA's research blog, dug deeper into the survey's raw data. He noted that Catholics who admit Satan's real existence are more likely to support pro-life initiatives, see the world as divided between good and evil and believe in spiritual and moral obligations.

Gray explained these numbers using basic human psychology. "Symbols aren't really going to stir the same concerns in someone that a being might," he explained. "Catholics who believe in the devil and Hell are more likely than those who do not to be religiously active."

It seems we can infer from the data here that people who believe the devil is real are more likely to take their religious obligations seriously.  They are more likely to go to frequent the Sacraments regularly, pray regularly, and do works of charity.  They also see the evil in the world more clearly, which, I venture, would also include the evil in themselves.

Now, as we all know too well from the recent election, polls are not always 100% accurate.  But in my opinion, at least, this poll seems reliable, and even if it is off, I highly doubt that its primary finding is off, that the majority of Catholics do not believe in the reality of the devil.

This is a problem. If we do not take the devil seriously, what else in reality do we not take seriously?  Do we take heaven and hell seriously?  Do we not take our own souls seriously?   Do we not take the welfare of our brothers and sisters seriously?   If we do not believe the devil can affect us, then we certainly do not believe he can affect those whom we love.  This is a problem.

For now, I just want to confirm Church teaching, with quotes from the Catechism that the devil is real.  Here are some noteworthy quotes that highlight this reality:

Paragraph 391: Behind the disobedient choice of our first parents lurks a seductive voice, opposed to God, which makes them fall into death out of envy. Scripture and the Church's Tradition see in this being a fallen angel, called "Satan" or the "devil". The Church teaches that Satan was at first a good angel, made by God: "The devil and the other demons were indeed created naturally good by God, but they became evil by their own doing.  Satan used to be good, but he refused, out of pride, to serve God and his creation, man.  His pride became his fall.

Paragraph 392: Scripture speaks of a sin of these angels.  This "fall" consists in the free choice of these created spirits, who radically and irrevocably rejected God and his reign. We find a reflection of that rebellion in the tempter's words to our first parents: "You will be like God." The devil "has sinned from the beginning"; he is "a liar and the father of lies”   Satan makes his presence known at the beginning of the world, and he will try to influence it to the end.   He hates creation, especially the crown of God’s creation, man.

Paragraph 394: Scripture witnesses to the disastrous influence of the one Jesus calls "a murderer from the beginning", who would even try to divert Jesus from the mission received from his Father. "The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil." In its consequences the gravest of these works was the mendacious seduction that led man to disobey God.  Jesus fought against the devil, not just in the desert, but throughout the course of his public ministry.   He alluded to his reality on multiple occasions.

Paragraph 395: The power of Satan is, nonetheless, not infinite. He is only a creature, powerful from the fact that he is pure spirit, but still a creature. He cannot prevent the building up of God's reign. Although Satan may act in the world out of hatred for God and his kingdom in Christ Jesus, and although his action may cause grave injuries - of a spiritual nature and, indirectly, even of a physical nature- to each man and to society, the action is permitted by divine providence which with strength and gentleness guides human and cosmic history. It is a great mystery that providence should permit diabolical activity, but "we know that in everything God works for good with those who love him.   Acknowledging the reality of the devil should not lead us to despair or discouragement, but rather a firm hope in the love and providence of God.  

Acknowledging the existence of the devil awakens us to the sober realities of the spiritual combat that exists in the world today, and exists in each of us.  It can be terrifying to discover all this, but this is still much better than pretending he does not exist, and furthermore, as I just said, there is hope.

I did a blog post back in 2015 in which I spoke of the tactics the devil uses to knock us off the road to life and truth.   It was 4 D’s if you recall; deception, division, diversion, and discouragement.   The link is here:

http://jimscatholicblog.blogspot.com/2015/12/work-of-devil.html

If we do not believe in the reality of the devil, then we are much more prone to be victim of the devil’s tactics.  Let us not fall into that trap. 

Joseph, terror of demons, pray for us.