#and ‘will not take the lord’s name in vain’

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Reference: Names for the Devil

The word devil comes from the Greek diábolos, which literally means “slanderer.” The Spanish diablo and the adjectival diabolical also come from this word.

Satan

Perhaps the most well-known name for the Devil is Satan.

This name appears repeatedly in the Bible, such as in Luke 22:3 when the Devil is blamed for Judas Iscariot’s betrayal of Jesus Christ: Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.

The name Satan is recorded in English before the year 900.

The English word comes through the Greek Satán from the Hebrew word śātān meaning “adversary.”

Ash-Shaytān (Shaitan)

The Devil appears in Muslim scripture as well.

Comes from the Arabic al-Shaytān and is etymologically connected to the English Satan. The “ash” or “al” indicates that one is talking about the Devil (with a capital D) as opposed to a devil or demon.

The name Ash-Shaytān has several different variants in Arabic, including Shaytan, Shaitan, and Sheitan.

Iblis

Often used to tell the story of the origin of the Devil.

According to the Qur’an, God commanded all the spirits to bow before Adam, but a spirit named Iblis refused.

For this blasphemous act, Iblis was cast down from Heaven.

Iblis is actually a source of debate among Islamic scholars and thinkers. Some consider Iblis to be a fallen angel or archangel. Others count him as a jinn (a spirit that is lower in rank than an angel), usually the jinn that fathered all of the others.

The name Iblis comes through Arabic from the Greek diábolos, that same word that is also the origin of the word devil.

Lucifer

Often a source of debate among Biblical scholars.

In the Bible, the story of a fallen angel is mentioned in Ezekiel 28 and Isaiah 14.

According to the Bible, this angel became so vain and proud that he thought himself above God. As punishment for his wickedness, the angel was cast out of Heaven and into the dark pit of the Earth so that he would be even lower than humanity. In translations of the Bible, such as the King James Version, this angel’s name is said to be Lucifer.

The Bible does not say that this angel Lucifer is the same being as Satan. That connection was popularized by poet John Milton in his famous epic poem Paradise Lost (1667), which tells the story of the fallen angel Lucifer becoming Satan after a failed rebellion against God during a War in Heaven.

Paradise Lost is so popular that its depiction of Satan still heavily influences modern depictions of the Devil and the lore many people associate with him.

The name Lucifer comes from Latin and means “morning star” or can be literally translated as “light bringing.”

In classic mythology, Lucifer was the name of the planet Venus, which was personified as a man holding a torch.

Prince of Darkness

This name for the Devil appeared in Paradise Lost, as well as William Shakespeare’s King Lear (1606).

In the Bible, God is often associated with light, while the Devil, the opposing force, is often associated with darkness.

The Devil has turned away from God’s light and embraced the darkness of sin.

Prince of Darkness, then, accurately describes the Devil’s role as the ruler of the darkest darkness that is the pits of hell.

A few other names for the Devil, such as the Lord of Darkness or the Dark Lord, similarly give the Devil a diabolical-sounding title.

The Serpent

Largely based on Genesis 3, wherein Eve is tempted by a talking snake to eat the forbidden fruit. Although the Bible doesn’t explicitly say so, popular biblical interpretation is that this serpent was actually the Devil.

This belief that the lying snake was the Devil was the reason behind his many other duplicitous names, such as the Deceiver, the Tempter, or the Father of Lies.

The Devil seems to enjoy taking the form of nefarious lizards, as he is said to take the form of a gigantic dragon in the Book of Revelation. This explains another of his reptilian nicknames, the Dragon.

Old Nick

An informal nickname for the Devil that has been used since the 1600s.

Although there are many theories where this name came from, nobody can say for certain. This one is surprising given that Old Saint Nick (or Nicholas) is a commonly used nickname for Santa Claus, who is about as far away from the Devil as you can get.

Interestingly, though, there is a bit of a connection between these two in the form of Krampus, a terrifying goat-demon creature who, according to European legend, emerges during Christmastime to beat naughty children or bring them to hell.

The Devil’s age inspired a few other nicknames, such as Old Scratch and Old Harry, which also focus on his long lifespan.

Belial

In the Bible, the name Belial is used to directly refer to the Devil in 2 Corinthians when it is used to contrast the Devil as being the evil to Jesus’s good.

Used throughout the Old Testament to describe wicked or sinful people as being men, children, and sons/daughters of Belial, meaning that they have turned away from God and serve the Devil.

Comes from the Hebrew bəliyyaʿal and is equivalent to a combination of the words bəlī (without) and yaʿal (worth).

Used in the Bible to say that a person embodies wickedness and is therefore “worthless” in the sense that they only take from others by performing evil deeds.

Beelzebub

Used to refer to the Devil himself or another devil that serves under him.

Appears in the New Testament in the Gospels of Luke, Matthew, and Mark.

According to the Bible, some onlookers accused Jesus of having the power to exorcise demons because he serves Beelzebub, who is said to be “the chief of devils.” Jesus assures the people that his power comes from God and not Satan.

Comes from the Hebrew bá`al zebūb, which literally translates to “lord of flies.”

In popular culture, Beelzebub is often depicted as a horrifying fly demon when he is considered to be a separate being from the Devil.

Apollyon

Mentioned in Revelation 9:11 and is used to refer to a king of demons.

The Bible names Apollyon as “the angel of the bottomless pit” and states the name Apollyon is the Greek name for the being known in Hebrew as Abaddon.

Common interpretation of this passage says that Apollyon is Satan or a powerful demon that serves him.

As the Bible hints at, the name Apollyon comes from the Greek apollýōn, which is a participle of the verb apollýnai meaning “to destroy.”

The name Abaddon comes from the Hebrew ăbhaddōnōn, which means “destruction.”

Whoever Apollyon/Abaddon is, they are also often referred to as the Destroyer.

Mammon

Appears in the Gospels of Luke and Matthew when recounting one of Jesus’s sermons. Jesus uses this term to refer to the wicked greed and desire for wealth. He states that it is impossible to serve both God and mammon.

As time went on, writers would interpret this passage to mean that Jesus was talking about a demonic entity named Mammon that embodied wealth and obsessive greed.

Comes from the Aramaic māmōnā, which means “riches” or “wealth.”

Legion

The name of a demon or a group of demons that Jesus encounters in the Gospels of Luke and Mark. Jesus asks a demon who is possessing a man their name and receives the famous answer of “My name is Legion: for we are many.”

The name Legion comes from the Latin legiōn, which refers to a body of soldiers.

Ancient Rome was famous for its legions (of soldiers) that made it a dominant military power.

Azazel

Used in translations of the scapegoat ritual as mentioned in Leviticus 16.

According to the account of the ritual, a goat would be offered to God and a second goat bearing the sins of the people would be offered to Azazel.

This being known as Azazel is also referred to as “the scapegoat.”

Interpretations of this passage would suggest that Azazel was some kind of demonic entity, possibly even the Devil himself.

Mephistopheles

Comes from the German legends of Faust.

In the legends, Faust is bored with life and pleads to the Devil to give him knowledge and pleasure. Happy to oblige, a demon named Mephistopheles appears before Faust. Depending on the story, this Mephistopheles is either the Devil himself or a devil who works for him.

Either way, Faust makes a deal with the Devil and gets the sinful pleasure he wants in exchange for his soul and an eternity in hell.

The Antichrist

Only briefly mentioned in the Bible in First and Second Epistles of John as some kind of being that is acting in opposition to Jesus.

However, the role of the Antichrist would be expanded on in other Biblical texts and by many Christian writers.

In most versions, the Antichrist is imagined as an unholy opposite to Jesus Christ; the Antichrist is a being that will bring sin and damnation to mankind.

It is said that the arrival of the Antichrist will signal the end of the world.

In modern depictions, the Antichrist is frequently imagined as the son of Satan, mirroring how Jesus is the son of God.

More Devils and Demons

While Satan is the Devil, he doesn’t rule alone in his fiery pit of hell.

He has many devils that work under him, gleefully spreading evil and corrupting humanity. More words used to describe these infernal denizens of hell:

devil

demon

fiend

imp

succubus

incubus

jinn

The Devil is often said to have many lesser demons that help him rule over hell. The names of these were catalogued in the Dictionnaire Infernal (1818).

Some interesting names include Belphegor, Lamia, Astaroth, and Garuda.

Source ⚜ More: Notes ⚜ References for Poets ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

[yappacadaver]

It’s gotta be a real kick in the nuts, going from being a very attractive young man with his whole life ahead of him, freshly released into the world after a childhood of abuse/neglect and ready to build new love and relationships… to being hit with the demon curse and becoming The Killer and losing the potential to ever be loved and known again

And now you’re all old and cringe and people avoid you cause you’re obviously fucked up and creepy

[optogeneticist-nsfw]

thanks @thrumbo for the beautiful recontextualization above and for sharing my brainworms

link to full image set

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Whatever Man and Whatever Sword

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[enchantedchocolatebars]

@talisman975

[maxiemcsoda]

[ch 3 survivors au]

a little impulsive

[happenssweet]

this song is so dodge mason coded... walk with me... let me present you with something...

when you'd first met dodge, you knew you wanted him as your first. your dad had hired him to help with some busy work around the church, and while dodge was neither particularly religious himself, nor interested in the way your father could turn anything into a sermon, he figured helping the man that was likely privy to everyone's thoughts and troubles could gain him some information.

what he had not anticipated was you coming up to him after a long day of getting the grassy yard beside the church set up for carp's easter breakfast.

what he had not anticipated was the way your legs kicked flowing white fabric forward, or how your fingertips felt over his as you handed him some water.

you could just tell, from the way his shirt hung from his shoulders and his adams apple bobbed, the way he thanked you in a voice full of distrust, that this was the boy for you.

he knew, vaguely, that you were the preacher's daughter. a little chaste, a bit more modest than most of the other girls your age. he'd once heard a guy make a joke in passing about getting 'struck down' being worth getting in your pants. and quite simply, that wasn't his speed. so he never thought much of you. until that afternoon.

now, dodge mason, who had been all but dubbed a recluse, was showing up for wednesday mass. who the fuck showed up for wednesday mass? dodge did. as long as he could sit next to you, letting you help lead him along during hymns, your fingertip drifting below the words long past the time he'd memorized them.

he even let you keep him after for a mini bible study each time, just the two of you discussing what had been on your mind regarding the book lately. he still didn't think he really believed in it all. but he liked the way you spoke about it, soft and kind and hopeful, a stark contrast to what he had experienced as religion in the south up until that point. until you.

so, yeah, when he asked your father for permission to take you out, you guessed you weren't too surprised. and you definitely didn't say no. he was respectful, always getting you back home on time, never going further than a few kisses and a hand on the waist or jaw. everyone else was a bit shocked, just to see the restraint. to see the way he'd soften his shell around you, letting you lean on him, talk to him all softly. even more shocked to see the way he'd do the same right back.

you supposed it didn't quite make sense. you'd known what he was like before, gruff and introverted, keeping to his family in terms of socialization. but then he took you home for the first time, and the moment you saw him with his mom and sister, it clicked. when he loved, he loved hard. and to introduce you to the most important people in his life? god, he must love you more than you ever could've guessed.

he didn't stay so restrained forever, easing you into longer kisses, then to makeouts, then to kisses on the neck and hands that wandered along your sides and arms. but they were never alone, always accompanied by an "is this okay?" or a "good?". and it always was.

once you were more comfortable, he became bolder, fingers slipping beneath fabric, tongue slipping between your lips and down your jaw. there were a few times you thought he might try and take it further, but it never turned to more than just heated makeouts. maybe he was trying not to scare you? you didn't know. but the way he groaned into your mouth before needing to cool off made you think when you finally did go all the way, it would be beyond passionate. borderline animalistic, you imagined. something you'd have to take your cross necklace off for.

but when you told him you were ready, the words dripping with implication, you could tell he was shocked. it wouldn't happen then. no, not when he hadn't prepared. not when he knew he couldn't give you all the time in the world.

and when it did, a week later, you never could've anticipated what it was. flickering candles sitting on his dresser and desk, fresh sheets, and flowers he'd handed you at the door. the faint smell of his cologne in the air, as if he'd sprayed some extra around the room earlier that day.

despite how long he'd waited, there wasn't even the smallest indication of a rush, not for the entire night. eagerness? yes. desire? most definitely. but through each and every step, dodge took as much time as he needed to treat you with the utmost care and consideration.

coming up behind you as you looked around his room, brushing soft kisses along the backs of your almost bare shoulders. gentle hands lifting the straps off of them, giving him full access to the typically-hidden expanses of skin.

he'd made sure the house would be empty for the weekend. he needed the time. needed to spend an hour just kissing you. just slowly uncovering every bit of you, not wanting to leave a single inch without reverent touch.

nothing had ever felt so right, regardless of what you may have been taught about premarital intimacy. "they have no idea what they're talking about", you thought as he held you, straddling his lap, stripped to your underwear, giggling softly as he kissed down past your cross necklace, the gold gleaming in the flickering candlelight. he laughed with you, his fingertips tracing deftly down your spine before slowly unhooking the clasp of your bra.

there was no way this could be wrong. there was no way this could be anything but holy, the way he looked in your eyes, the way he held you so carefully. this was goodness, this was God. what could be more sacred than this love?

you would both later describe it as a religious experience, in separate conversations, at separate times. that's exactly what it was. no need to take the necklace off. in fact, you couldn't imagine the experience without it. it belonged in that room, between the two of you.

it was in the way he hooked his fingers under the waistband of your panties, slowly pulling them off of you without ever breaking eye contact. it was in the way he kissed up your thighs, singing your praises, little whispers and breaths dancing across the tender flesh. this was his sacrament, getting his first taste of you, giving you your first taste of the rest of your life.

it was in the way he let himself come last, both literally and figuratively. it was in the way he let you look at him, hold him, observe him, before even thinking about spreading your legs again and settling between them. it was in the way he ran himself through your folds, making sure he was coated enough to not cause you even the slightest discomfort. it was in the way he held your hand next to your head, fingers interlaced, as he gently slipped in, asking how you were after every inch, making sure you were totally comfortable before letting a soft string of curses out through his lips.

and it was in the way he held you the whole time, made sure you knew how much he adored you every single second. there was no denying it anymore, if you ever could before.

every single minute of time he'd carved out for you, he spent worshipping you. even once he'd cleaned you up, even once the two of you had dressed again. until the second he had to drive you back home, he was holding you, kissing you, checking in on you, and loving you. making you feel as divine as the being that had brought the two of you together.

every single laugh, every single kiss, every single touch. that was what was holy.

[solreefs]

a few years ago at (catholic) school I overheard someone say “jesus!” out of frustration, probably about homework. to which the teacher in the room at the time said “don’t bring him into this” which is simultaneously the most and least catholic response to that I can imagine. I think about that at least once a week.

[friendrat]

The problem with the church today is that so many "Christians" do not actually believe in redemption.

[a-bucket-in-the-void]

i need to start saying oh my stars instead of oh my god

think of the panache, the flair

[djevelbl]

Y'all don't know how HARD desperation can claw at you until you have to sit still for 25 mins at a time bc you're getting your hair bleached. help me

[swinging-stars-from-satellites]

it's actually pretty easy to get me to devolve into saying fuck but you won't get me to use god as a swear

[imissthembutitwasntadisaster]

Replacing every time someone says "god" in a pop song with an extremely emphatic "fuck" which unfortunately to like 90% of people is in fact worse.

[jthm-opinions]

down with mod eddy >:(

He's over here trying to "cancel" Jimmy for "emotionally abusing" him, but what about that time you made me listen to four Cavetown albums in a row on VC, Edgar? Where's my emotional compensation for that, you fucking sick freak? Do you remember the time you berated me for drawing Johnny two shades lighter than your liking, even though Jhonen Vasquez draws him whiter than a Tally Hall concert, you complete ass? Jesus Christ. ☆Mod Johnny ☾

[butterflies-and-bumble-bees]

OMG girl, I just got to know your thoughts on Bulgarian history!

It happened in Bulgaria

[twowolvesinsidem3]

just fucked myself stupid in a church parking lot while the mass was ongoing. pretty sure some passerby saw me but kept walking by when we made eye contact.