I'm not sure where in my imagination the following piece originated other than the recollection that I was once told the Devil had been given unfettered access to the last century. ' Lucifer' is another name for the Devil.
One day Lucifer went up to the gates of Heaven and when St. Peter asked him what he wanted he stated,
“Well, I certainly don’t want to waste my time talking to the doorkeeper. I want to talk to God.”
At first Peter wasn’t too keen, but finally he decided that only God could deal effectively with this particular Devil so he went inside and brought God to the gate.
“ Now God,” Lucifer said. “ You believe that because your Son became a human being and did all that preaching about how much you love the human race, and went around working all those miracles and things, not to mention letting them crucify Him and then rising from the dead and letting them see that he wasn’t some sort of ghost… You believe the human race will always prefer you to me, and will live their lives the way you want them too?”
God nodded his head in agreement.
“Now I, on the other hand,” Lucifer continued, “ I believe that because my way seems a lot more fun and satisfying, they prefer to do things my way. So what I suggest is that we have a little contest, a sort of test to see who is right… You or me!”
God asked Lucifer what sort of test he had in mind.
“Oh a very simple one really. You agree to give me unhindered access for 100 years, during which I will try to convince them that through science, technology, and human ingenuity there isn’t anything they can’t do for themselves… In other words they can achieve perfect happiness without any help from you.”
God thought about this for a moment but He really believed that after all His Son had done on earth the human race would always prefer His way to that of the Devil. So he nodded His head in agreement and asked,
“Which hundred years do you want?”
“The 20th. Century,” Lucifer replied. “ From 1900 until 1999. It’ll probably take me most of that time to convince them that my way will make them really happy. After all you have had nearly 1900 years to convince them otherwise!”
For some reason God began to feel a little less certain and asked if that was all the Devil wanted.
“Not quite,” Lucifer replied. “ Just two little things more. I want you to let me try to convince them that two realities no longer exist. First of all let’s see if I can convince them that ‘sin’ no longer exists.”
God frowned, and began to wonder if….? But then He had already agreed to the contest so he asked what was the second reality the Devil would try to fool humanity into believing no longer existed?
“ Is it me?” He asked.
Lucifer laughed. “No, no… no problem there. Let them continue to think you exist if they want to. No….let me convince them I no longer exist. Then we’ll see what will happen.”
God realised that He couldn’t go back on the agreement He had already made so He again nodded His head, and Lucifer went off gleefully rubbing his hands together, and hissing,
“ Now we‘ll see who‘se the greatest!”
God meanwhile, now really worried, went back into Heaven and sent for Jesus.
“Son,” He said, “ I’ve just made a deal with the Devil at the gate, and I’ve realised it’s not such a good deal on our part.”
He went on to explain what He had agreed to, and Jesus also looked worried.
“What can we do?” he asked.
“ Well we can’t back out of the contest now, “ God replied, “ And I know how much you did on earth all those years ago to prove we love humankind. All those miracles, preaching, being crucified, then rising and letting people see you risen. You did a really fantastic job…. We have to let the Devil try to prove himself during the 20th. Century, ….but….” and He hesitated for a moment.
“…But I think Son, when the 21st. Century starts…. You’ll have to go back and do it all again!”
The end.
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