The concept of Satan, or the Devil, is an extraordinary mixture of confusions. Satan is a figure of theology, of politics, of practical ideology, and of strangely associated pictorial traditions. He is generally real to the Christians, but he is not just an abstraction or an imagination of the Church as many think.

Historically, the Devil seems to be a primitive idea. It is considered as a western invention. There is no Devil in other religions except in Judaism, Islam and Christianity, though there are demons in other cultures and religions.

Ancient civilisations tended to regard Good and Evil as two sides of the same coin. Zoroastrianism, the Iranian religion, which remained in existence until the third century A.D. and the Parthian conquest, greatly helped mould the image of the Devil.

The Devil in Judaism was influenced by Iranian thought, and later it was adopted by the Christians. In the early centuries of the Church, there were two streams of influence on the idea of the Devil. One is based on biblical analysis, the other is the stream of philosophy which attempted `rational' explanations of the existence and activity of the Devil found in the Patristic period. On the whole, the concept of the Devil was basically biblical in the early part of the first six centuries.

Traditional Muslim view of the Devil is closely related to that of Judaism and Christianity. In Islam, the personal name of the Devil is Shaytan (the Devil) and Iblis.

The nineteenth century saw a radical change and evaluation of the concept of the Devil. The Western civilisation then was greatly influenced by rationalism and scientific theories. This brought about a change in the perception of evil, and the Devil.

Romanticism of the nineteenth century saw the expression of rebellion by artists against both traditional Christian morality and science. Hence, the biblical writers of the nineteenth century were forced to make changes to adopt a more acceptable biblical concept of the Devil in line with scepticism and rationalism. But, in the twentieth century, the Devil generally represents radical evil such as genocide, and world dominance.

Many people argue that if the Devil exists, why do people not see him\her? The fact that something is not seen by humans does not mean it does not exist. For those who have personally came face to face with the Devil, no one can convince them that this being does not exist.

Amongst the many theories about the Devil, one of them is the assumption that there is a collective mind and that the Devil is the collective evil in humankind. This dark side of the archetype is called `the shadows'. But the Devil is not merely the dark side of ourselves. Where does this Darkness originate from, before humans can tap into it? The fact that human beings can be influenced by it suggests that there is a force outside of humans. Jung's archetypical image of the Devil has influenced many current thoughts about the Devil being an archetype in humans.

In Christianity, the Devil is viewed as a fallen angel. But nevertheless the vision of cosmic struggle - forces of Good against the forces of Evil - could not have derived originally from Jewish apocalyptic sources as some, like Elaine Pagels, claim. This cannot be so because the concept of a cosmic struggle between the forces of Good and Evil had long existed in various civilisations before the Hebrew Bible.

The Devil is fundamentally a cosmic principle of evil, and not just a creature or a fallen angel. By attributing the evil principle as the source of evil in this world, we are not excusing our responsibility of examining ourselves. In fact, it should alert us to the reality and the importance of rejecting evil as much as we can, and taking responsibility for our own spiritual well-being. Humankind is determined not only by reason but also by dark impulses. If one can accept this concept, this truth, it can immensely assist one in understanding the reality of humankind.

The evil principle is contained in matter which forms the human body. As a result there is this inherent tendency in humans to do evil. The Rabbinic literature portrays an evil principle, the Yetzer hara as the equal or synonym for Satan, and also as a principle in humankind by which Satan acts. This evil principle can and does manifest evilness via individuals.

Good and Evil are existential realities. If Christ was outside God, without being a creature, why could not Satan, as Christ's foremost enemy, be similarly outside God without being a creature? Further, if the Devil is in fact a creature, he would not be a true power and a worthy opponent for Christ. While Satan might be a misunderstood word, the essence of Satan (Devil) as evilness remains true. Its existence does not depend on how well the theories of the Devil are best argued. It does not depend on the consensus of the majority of people. Instead of equating the evil entity as the Devil, we can say the evil entity of absolute evil exists.

The concept of evil cannot possibly be a human invention, as many claim, since humans cannot invent natural evil, animal evil or galactic evil. Therefore, evil has to be an external force/entity. Clearly, evil has an intelligence of its own, and this, for want of a label, we call the Devil, or any other name.

The Devil may not be a person, but nevertheless, there is an evil force or principle. We can still rationally believe in the existence of the Devil in the context that the Devil is not the Devil of the Bible, myths, and folklore, but that it is a manifestation of an evil principle/nature/force. Indeed, the evil principle exists. Thus, within the context of the evil principle, the Devil exists. This dualism goes against the traditional Christianity. The Devil within the context of a principle of evil is anthropomorphised as Satan, Jehovah, and others. This evil principle is responsible for the evil in the world, in the universe, in this evil creation.

An evil principle is one which is evil by nature, one which is opposed to the True God by nature, i.e. originality. Satan is an ever-present, constant, and direct influence on humanity, and as a universal, cosmic principle is able to constantly insinuate himself into human beings, indeed, he is in them.

God is not a person and neither is the Devil. However, these two can manifest themselves in any form, including the human form. The evil principle can be recognised for what it is under new names, and entirely altered appearance. Evil is personified because we feel it is a deliberate malignancy that intrudes upon us from outside ourselves.

The dualist view of the Gnostics is in opposition to monism. However, the concept of sin, and the notion of metaphysical evil inherent to existence, originated in Mesopotamia. This notion was later adopted by the Christians, encapsulated in the notion of Original Sin.

Generally, the Gnostic concept of the God of Good is only a secondary deity on par with Evil or the Devil. The Devil is always considered the secondary deity. Though Zoroastrian Satan was not taken over by the Old Testament writers, it did influence later Jewish writings.

The Devil is not a figment of our imagination. It exists and it has many names. It is a powerfully evil essence which can manifest itself as, and through, humans, animals and plants and all forms of creation. It generally manifests not just as a negative force but as a truly evil, subtle or direct force.