Its surprising to me what takes root in young minds.

On television from 1970 to 1974 was a breakthrough comedy program “The Flip Wilson Show.”  I say breakthrough because at that time there were not too many network programs that featured African-Americans.  This one not only featured an African-American, but had content that pushed the envelope in many ways.  Flip’s comedy challenged us (regardless of race) to reconsider what is humorous and why.  He broke down barriers of separation though the tool of humor.  Flip embodied the “Trickster” archetype, also known as the Divine Fool, the archetype that elevates irony to art and in the process teaches deep and profound truth.

One of Flip’s stock characters was a sassy lady named Geraldine Jones who really wasn’t to blame for her behavior because, as she famously said, “the Devil made me do it!“  Even my young mind (I was ages 5-9 when the program was on), doubted the existence of “the Devil,” but I loved Miss Geraldine!

BTW – She also is credited with another famous line, “what you see is what you get!”

So what about the Devil?  In Unity we teach that the Devil is a metaphor for our human capacity to think and do  things which are hurtful (or worse!) towards ourselves or others.  The Devil, like the Trickster, is an archetype of consciousness; that is, an energy inherent in everyone.  This doesn’t mean that everyone will do hurtful and mean-spirited things, it simply means that everyone has the capacity or possibility of doing such things.  Rather than seeing the Devil (or Satan) as a deity or power outside of ourselves, we recognize that the stories about the Devil are about the desire people often have to not take responsibility for their own actions.  Or their stories that explain where the temptation to do “the wrong thing” come from.

I hope you enjoy the attached Geraldine Jones clip – and don’t let the Devil talk you into buying clothes you don’t need!