so i recently attended a taping of ABC's Nightline in Seattle...the topic: "does Satan exist?" on the panel were Deepak Chopra, the founder of Hookers for Jesus, a crazy fundamentalist megachurch-leading Christian, and a reformed charismatic evangelical. oy. it was like attending some sort of sporting event with rabid fans...all foaming at the mouth to defend their "team."

i was on the side of "healthy people don't need a Satan..." (the only foam near my mouth crowned my cappuccino, thank you very much.) but as i walked out that evening i reflected on how desperately people clung to the idea of either the existence or non-existence of Satan. it is amazing how we, human beings, desperately need (or need to rebel against) the notion of a powerful nemesis. the dichotomy of it echoes in the space it leaves empty.

nice to hear from you! yep, people do seem to need their Dr. Evil. An antagonist. A contrast. And if you ever want to read someone who took evil and the devil very seriously and thought abt evil deeply, check out flannery o'connor. a genius.