The story of Adam and Eve, especially as retold by Milton, has the wily figure of Satan plotting the downfall of man.
It is important to understand what stratagems were used in tricking mankind into renouncing its birthright; for, as Eric Hoffer observed, the slaying of the dragon (the taming of nature) in the United States has opened the door to a desperate and protracted struggle with the devil (personified as nature within man). If we are to win the battle, we must study the means used to ensnare us.
Religion and philosophy and books in general can play an important role in discovering the Truth. The true value of religious tradition is that each generation can benefit from the experiences of wise men and women. We are not condemned to repeat the mistakes of the past if we are wise enough to learn from them.
The Christian teaching of the Seven Deadly Sins is a good example of a tradition that warns us of the dangers we face in our daily lives.
What are the Seven Deadly Sins? They are as follows: Pride, Lust, Wrath, Envy, Gluttony, Sloth, and Avarice. These seven devils confuse our minds and poison our hearts and murder our souls long before our bodies die.
We would do well to learn to recognize these pitfalls and to avoid putting our foot into the trap. We should also remember that when Satan appeared to Eve in the Garden of Eden, he wore a cunning disguise. He knew that were he to show his true face, a face twisted by hate and enraged by envy, mankind would flee his presence.
Therefore, we should be on the lookout for fraud, for insincerity and for evil disguised as good. We should be suspicious of those who seek to bewitch and entertain us while picking our pockets and cheating us of a happiness that can only be discovered within ourselves.
