Mark,

You bring up some interesting points. I remember some years ago reading a book entitled , _The People of the Lie_. It dealt with the phenomenon of evil in human beings and human society. It was primarily a psychological book, but the author identifies his Christian bias openly. The author's name is M.Scott Peck.

Peck recounts exorcism(s) in which he participated and describes a "snakey-ness" or reptilian change that is discernible in the possessed person during the exorcism.

On the other hand, the Hindus have a god they call Hanuman, the Monkey God. Forgive me for saying it, but the Hindu pantheon seems to me a great deal like the World Wrestling Federation or the Marvel Comic Universe - peopled with super-villain scoundrels and super-human heroes. Hanuman is one of the Hindu "good-guys."

Hal Lindsey, author of the _Late Great Planet Earth_ is sort of like the Geraldo of the Christian sub-culture in the West, only not as liberal. Lindsey writes engagingly and for a popular audience, but his scholarship is considered by many to be suspect. He's also written an entertaining book about Satan.

I think you're right, and we should be communicating with the flesh and blood people around us as well as with our electronic correspondants.

vM