The Devil just needs a character rewrite

[Disagreeable]

I'm pretty sure this is right.

Oh good! We agree, then

[Belacqua]

I'm pretty sure this is right.

Oh good! We agree, then

A rare occurrence on a site designed for fighting! It's nice to find a kindred spirit.

[Disagreeable]

Oh good! We agree, then

A rare occurrence on a site designed for fighting! It's nice to find a kindred spirit.

It's not just rare on this site ... it's rare in life. Although, despite the fact that we agree on this issue, I'm still looking out for other issues before I deem you a kindred spirit. But, yes, I do hope so.

[Ferrocyanide]

Is there any way to verify which version is the correct one?

Personally I don't think there is a correct version. There is no devil.

When used as a character, there are more intelligent, useful, and rich versions, and stupider versions. The writers I named earlier use the figure of the devil in ways that enrich our thinking. Versions in pop culture merely reinforce our cliches, because that's pretty much all pop culture does -- repeat cliches. And that makes people stupider. 

Some new smart, creative person could give us a new take on the devil that might be very interesting to read. Is there a new Goethe out there somewhere, typing up a new book in obscurity?

As for the folk beliefs in Africa, with witches, etc. -- that's all kind of up to them. I'm not going to go do atheist missionary work in a foreign culture.

You think there is no devil and some writers think there is and they use the devil to enrich our thinking?
Maybe that is what Belacqua is missing. You need to believe in the devil and write so that you too can enrich people.

---

The Devil also conflicts with monotheism. Bible believers generally claim only one god exists in the universe. But the Devil has properties of a polytheistic god.

That's why Christianity is Henotheism and not monotheism.

Maybe the jews used o be henotheists and at some point, they became monotheists.
I think christians are monotheists.

---

Sure, this is describing the pop culture / traditional version, but I think that is what a lot of casual Bible fans really do believe. Is there any way to verify which version is the correct one?

Nope, there is no way to figure out who's version of the devil is correct one.

We've had this discussion before.
Religions evolve over time. Ideas evolve over time. Just because some writer wrote a 1000 page book on the topic doesn't automatically make him an expert since these are fabricated characters + fabricated stories or heavily distorted stories.

These aren't newspaper articles from a journalist who values reporting information accurately. In such cases, you can email the author about an error and they will print out their mistake next time if it is paper based.

Religions are fantasy tails. You will never be able to determine which one is correct since there is no evidence to analyze.
All you can do is put them in chronological order.

If tomorrow, a new christian sect opens its doors and claims that the devil is blue skinned, we can't tell them that they are wrong. (We can only tell them that they have no evidence and thus, they don't have a ***reasonable reason*** for their belief.)
Of course, the various sects will fight over who's version is the correct one.

On a rare occasion, a religion might make a claim that falls in the domain of science. In that case, we can tell them that they are wrong since the evidence says that they are wrong.

[no one]

When B.L.Z. Bubb and daddy g separated, daddy g's PR peeps spread some vicious rumors, thoroughly sealing poor old Luci's fate.

[GrandizerII]

If you want to rewrite the character, OP, go for it.

[Paleophyte]

The concept of the Devil as portrayed in mainstream tradition presents continuity problems for the Biblical Fictional Universe (BFU)

>snip<

Anyway, this Biblical Fictional Universe is never going anywhere until these plot holes are fixed. Get this to Zack Snyder for a rewrite asap.

Seriously? You have an all-powerful hero who can't defeat a bungling nemesis to save the planet and a main character who ends up "dead" for the weekend. This has to be a DC product.