The Witches Devil

[Eeeloxddx]

Hey, how do you view the witches’ devil? I’d like to share my perspective on this concept with you, and I’d like you to tell me whether you agree with me or not, why, and how you see it. In my opinion, the witches’ devil can be viewed in two ways.
1. A single power/entity with many faces, appearing in different parts of the world in various forms, under different names, etc.; it is multidimensional but singular—for example, Bucca, the King of Elfame, the Man in Black, and Cain are its faces, but all these figures are one and the same being. I’ve noticed this approach while reading books on the craft, and I know there are people who view it this way.
2. A title for many distinct spirits; in this case, we view the aforementioned figures as distinct, and we can use the title “devil” to refer to many spirits—for example, in the folklore of my country, witches collaborated with many distinct devils who were fully individual and often acted more like familiars, and during the sabbath, many devils appeared—not just one—and they were mainly derived from ancient Slavic demons.
Personally, I believe that “devil” can be a term for many spirits one can work with, but I also think it’s possible to work with a single multidimensional devil—the Old One—an archetypal being. What do you think about that??? I’m very curious. Actually, if you have extensive knowledge about the devil in traditional witchcraft, could you recommend some books and describe where he came from and who created him in traditional witchcraft? It seems to me that the concept of the devil in this tradition stems from Robert Cochrane.

 

[speculumphilosophi]

The gnostics teach we have it back to front. The serpent in Genesis offered knowledge to be as wise as the gods. Knowledge and virtue are intrinsic to one another. Evil is what we do when we fail to perceive reality and this isn't a willful choice but a distorted view of what we imagine to be good. So, the more true knowledge you have, the better you will make those choices that create inward peace, harmony, oneness with the natural world. Therefore, the serpent is a symbol of knowledge, healing and power. The serpent is represented in occult mythology and was also associated with Moses, who carried a serpent staff.
As to the devil per se, my own philosophy recognises the absolute necessity for positive and negative polarisation to produce one healthy medium. There can't exist any virtue without evil, the same way there is no electrical voltage without negative polarity. It's all in the balance. I guess this sounds a bit sectarian but it goes way back to ancient Greek sages and gnostic thinking.
Just a quick summary really.

 

[Medea]

I think the witch’s devil is a bunch of different things depending on the practitioner and the context. But I think one of those things is basically the egregore of witchcraft.

 

[solxyz]

Spirits are mercurial, and the Devil is especially mercurial. Trying to pin him down in this way is pointless.

 

[diskrete]

This is the question i was pondering on fpr years. Now i am thinking that both A - SIngle Entity with many Faces, and B - countless Crossroads Spirts (local) are called by the same name, but the reality behind them is vastly different. "A Devil" is not "the Devil".

 

[ahathoor]

We can't forget that the very idea of the "witches devil" has its origins in an early modern moral panic, and age-old (as in pre-Christian Roman) stories of harmful cults of evil.

This had then been syncretized with remnants of European (both Roman and "barbarian") pagan deities, and finally adopted as a symbol of rebellion by the modern witchcraft movement in the 20th Century.

So the "devil" will mean many things to many people. To some, the Gnostic serpent, bearer of knowledge; to some, the Horned one, master of wild and death; to some, the Adversary; to some, the spirit of untamed life, violent and sensual; to some, death and darkness; to some, pure rebellion; to some, pure evil.

In a way, all this can cohere. And if you call "the devil", someone will answer. What that someone is like depends on who you are.

 

[speculumphilosophi]

Just as a thought, anyone who hasn't yet seen The Ninth Gate will probably love it. Roman Polanski has always been great at this sort of film. The film concerns a book dealer Johnny Depp, who is requested to trace two other copies of Nona Porta, the ninth gate to determine which one is genuine. The book was supposed to have been written by the Devil. It is filled with drawings and riddles. Occasionally you get the odd twist of humour.
Personally, I don't believe in the Devil. I do enjoy these kinds of films, however, as they are rarely violent and the story line with Polanski is well put together. I.wasn't quite sure what happened at the end but it seemed to me Johnny Depp was the only one to be given the secret.

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"So the "devil" will mean many things to many people. To some, the Gnostic serpent, bearer of knowledge; to some, the Horned one,"

This from a gnostic writer:

"And the woman said, "It is the serpent who instructed me." And he (God) cursed the serpent, and called him "devil." And he said, "Behold, Adam has become like one of us, knowing evil and good." Then he said, "Let us cast him out of paradise, lest he take from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever."
But what sort is this God? First he maliciously refused Adam from eating of the tree of knowledge, and, secondly, he said "Adam, where are you?" God does not have foreknowledge? Would he not know from the beginning?"