I know a lot of Pagan friends have told me pretty awful stories about how Christians have discriminated against them in one way or another, but in my own experience I've got along with most faiths (and none). I always thought the key was to live and let live provided they extended the same courtesy to me.

So I was pretty shocked today to come across a report that Pope Benedict is going to train up more exorcists to do battle with the devil. Like most Pagans, I don't actually believe in a devil - history after all teaches that in order to supplant another religion, the easiest thing is to first demonise it.

So in my humble opinion the early Christian church just found the most popular deity of the time (Herne, Cernunnos, Pan for example) and demonised him. It's a good way of getting rid of the opposition, after all.

That's not to say that I don't believe evil exists - undoubtedly it does. But the devil has been a useful scapegoat for people without the strength to resist some of the temptations that life throws at them. 'The devil made me do it' is often another way of saying 'I thought I could get away with it but now I've been caught there's no way I'm to blame.'

There has always been - and continues to be - quite a bit of evil in the world - although it manifests itself in different ways at different times and in different countries. Just because I don't happen to buy into the Horned Devil plus Trident brand doesn't mean I think the world is all sunshine and roses. Clearly it isn't.

But I do despair when I see the Pope taking what I see as a backward step, and wonder just how long it will be before he reintroduces the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (or as it was once known, the Inquisition.) But wait, this present Pope used to be in charge of the CDF... maybe it's all a cunning plan to start burning heretics again.

Now who might be a good person to put in charge of such a project? Someone who can argue till the cows come home and even when losing just says 'I'm sorry but you're wrong'

Maybe that's why Tony Blair really became an RC....