Pope Francis says people shouldn't argue with the Devil because they will lose

Pope Francis warned people never to underestimate the powers of the devil, and suggested that people turn their backs on him. Reuters

There is a popular saying that goes, "There is no arguing with an idiot." Well, according to Pope Francis, the same principle applies to the Devil.

Pope Francis said during a television interview with TV2000 that Satan is not a mere metaphor or a concept, but a real person equipped with dark powers. "He is evil, he's not like mist. He's not a diffuse thing, he is a person. I'm convinced that one must never converse with Satan - if you do that, you'll be lost," he said.

Even the most intelligent person cannot win against Satan, said the Pope, so the best thing they can do is to just turn their backs on him. "He's more intelligent than us, and he'll turn you upside down, he'll make your head spin," said Pope Francis. "He always pretends to be polite - he does it with priests, with bishops. That's how he enters your mind. But it ends badly if you don't realise what is happening in time. (We should tell him) go away!"

Pope Francis has repeatedly warned people against the Devil, according to the Catholic News Agency. Some people might be fooled into thinking that Satan is gone, and there is no way he is still destroying lives in this day and age. Others don't think he even exists. But the Pope said people of faith must always be ready against his attacks.

"The Prince of this world, Satan, doesn't want our holiness, he doesn't want us to follow Christ. Maybe some of you might say: 'But Father, how old fashioned you are to speak about the devil in the 21st century!' But look out because the devil is present! The devil is here... even in the 21st century! And we mustn't be naïve, right? We must learn from the Gospel how to fight against Satan," he said.

related articles
Pope Francis prays for 'world without nuclear weapons'

Pope Francis prays for 'world without nuclear weapons'

Pope Francis accused of failing to uphold Church teaching on abortion by 13 pro-life leaders

Pope Francis accused of failing to uphold Church teaching on abortion by 13 pro-life leaders

World Evangelical Alliance meets Pope Francis for religious freedom discussions

World Evangelical Alliance meets Pope Francis for religious freedom discussions

News
Easter sees bumper church attendance
Easter sees bumper church attendance

Church leaders report packed sanctuaries and queues outside.

How is the new pope chosen?
How is the new pope chosen?

As far as we know, the film Conclave is basically accurate

What can the CofE learn from Pope Francis?
What can the CofE learn from Pope Francis?

As the Church of England continues its lengthy process to appoint a new Archbishop of Canterbury, are there lessons it could learn from Pope Francis? Well, maybe.

Will any of these men become Pope?
Will any of these men become Pope?

If you've seen the film Conclave, you'll know it's never the frontrunner.