The Devil, You Say!: Man and His Personal Devils and Angels

There are forces of evil within each of us. And whether or not you call them "devils," argues Andrew Greeley, is less important than the fact that they often confound our will to so good. Why? Why do we often experience an inner struggle between good and evil, life and death, love and hatred?THE DEVIL, YOU SAY! sheds much-needed light on the whole mystery of human evil while it affirms man's potential for rising above it. Father Greeley cleverly matches up the lines of conflict between good and evil to help us get a better grasp of our faults and realize our positive abilities to the full. In separate chapters he probes various human weaknesses - such as shame, pride, envy, fear, self-pity, misuse of wealth or power - and counterpoints each with its antidote. Through this method, he makes an effective case for superior intelligent beings (call them "angels," if you wish) who are on our side to help us - no matter how difficult the battle. Thus, for example, we find the angel of humility striking down the righteous demon; the angel of self-respect quelling the pride demon; and the angel of hope as victor over the fear demon.All in all, these provocative reflections offer all Christians a healthy, reassuring perspective for dealing with those forces of evil that impair our growth in Christ.