Ever wonder where and when the concept of evil and the devil originated? Research suggests it began centuries ago when people were trying to cope with contagious illnesses. Infectious diseases were widespread long before germ theory was known. Plagues were devastating and no one could explain their origin. People believed in the evil eye, witches, and the devil (add a “d” to the word evil) as the cause of horrible suffering.
Recently researchers reported: "We uncovered consistent evidence that historical pathogen prevalence was related to the belief in forces of evil at work."
Because of the connection between illness and evil – sick people – those assumed to be showing signs of evil, were isolated, shunned, and even killed. Crazy as it seems there were benefits. Abandoning the sick protected others from the spread of pathogens – an advantage when the risk of contracting disease was high. At a time when information was missing and fear was rampant, superstition may have controlled infection and limited outbreaks.
This superstitious way of explaining the unexplainable was widespread. Scientists found the correlations between belief in the devil and disease was strong in Nigeria, Bangladesh, and the Philippines, and weakest in the Czech Republic, Germany, and Sweden. Cultures in Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America used supernatural forces to explain disease. This explains the surge in witch hunts in medieval Europe when the continent was ravaged by the Black Death.
In the fall of 1348, this horrible scourge spread from China and India across Asia and Europe. Eventually it reached Ireland and England. The epidemic took a catastrophic toll. An emergency cemetery in East Smithfield received more than 200 bodies a day in addition to bodies buried in other graveyards.
Depiction of The Black Death from a 15th century bible.
Painful swollen nodes and high fevers marked the illness. The pandemic raised fears and once again focused on sources of evil. The Black Death killed at least one of three Europeans within a few years time. Today we recognize it to be Bubonic Plague – a bacterial infection that we can now heal with antibiotics.
When beliefs become embedded in a culture, their influence lingers for generations. The last witch burning in United States was in 1878. Even today, with scientific explanations readily available, a correlation between disease and evil is still evident. We still hear stories of exorcising demons to remove symptoms of illness or undesirable behavior. Ailments are attributed to the will of God, the work of the devil, or witchcraft.
With the corona virus dominating our news I hear whispers of superstition arise among colleagues feeling anxiety about its contagion. It’s practical to respect the wisdom behind quarantine and screening. It makes sense to limit exposure and take precautions that prevent its spread – like simple hand washing.
Now that science informs the cause of most dreaded diseases, can we rethink the concept of evil? Can we eliminate the idea of dark forces at work? Can we assume instead, that when something is beyond our understanding, time and science will solve the mystery?
Sources: Proceedings of the Royal Society B., livescience.com, historycollection.com.
Image Credit: HultonArchive/Getty Images.