The two figures strolled in the most relaxed manner, until they came upon what many up there call ‘ The Edge of Heaven’.  They stood on the precipice and together peered down, below the ethers,  through the stratosphere and then the clouds, until they could view the Earth.

Jesus- Well my friend, isn’t that majestic, your domain?

Lucifer- Yes indeed, I have spent so many of their earth years in that atmosphere, doing heaven’s work.

Jesus- Well, it is only right and proper that the hierarchy of heaven chose you, my closest and dearest friend, to do this task… and do it well you have.

Lucifer ( laughing) Well, I guess I did a pretty good job, because then they had to send you down there when they did.

Jesus- Indeed. Your work has been exceptional to say the least. How you worked on the Earthlings’ free will’ to test them with your many temptations.

Lucifer- It seems that in each of their centuries there were so many lusting for power and control…

Jesus- And don’t forget the most common of sins, Greed…

Lucifer- Oh yes, in every inter relationship, regardless of social and economic standing, when I waved that wand of greed, many followed it’s glow.

Jesus- Let’s focus on their new century, the 21st. What can you report?

Lucifer- Well, in the preeminent nation of theirs, America, I was able to tempt their leaders , servants of those who pull their strings, the ‘ Super Rich ‘, to get America to continue with their dream of world control through the infamous 9/11 tragedy.

Jesus- Now , I was busy at that juncture , in another galaxy, so fill me in a bit.

Lucifer- Easy to do. All I needed was a group of religious fanatics of the Moslem faith to stir the pot with their own need to control. Then, I influenced those who ran America to use that excuse to manipulate a fake attack on its soil and blame it on the others. Bingo, a new war was seeded and chaos just continued throughout their Middle East… and it goes on today, and will continue for as long as the greed and power manifest.

Jesus- What about the citizens of this America? Do they fall into line with their leaders or what?

Lucifer- Oh, in America my work was actually done for me by their convoluted political system, that ‘ easy to manipulate’ Two Party system. ( laughing) You see, the super rich who run America actually control both of the parties… they do my work for me!

Jesus- You mean to tell me that there are NOT enough good souls to counteract the greedy and power hungry ones?

Lucifer- Well, I have them so engrossed in either drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, electronic gadgets, 24/7 television, sexual scandals, or just plain lethargy, oh, and throw in terrible eating habits, and of course the age old desires to buy things that they don’t really need. About half of their eligible voters follow the lead of those two parties, and I have the other half so disinterested or fed up that they don’t even bother to vote.

Jesus- And what about their leaders?

Lucifer- Well, in the new century they always, as before, were given the choices, through their Two Party system, of leaders already chosen for them by the super rich who run just about everything.  I get those super rich who own the media to use it for manipulation, and those inside of this media I have personally enticed with the usual needs of greed and power. Then I get their political leaders to follow the bidding of their handlers, so as to insure that extreme militarism , hiding as humanitarianism , calls the shots.

Jesus- And their latest leader?

Lucifer- Oh, he was easy as pie. I just use his already made to order ego to keep him on the path of demagoguery. He has the attention span, not unlike the first president of the new century, of a child. All in all, they all take orders from the ones who follow my lead. Back in ’63, if you recall, I had to take serious steps to thwart the one leader of theirs who decided to go it alone. He was a nice guy too, had his own sins that I helped cultivate.

Jesus- So, will this planet be saved, or has your work been too well done?

Lucifer- THAT is up to you. I know you tried once and failed to make the right impact. Me, I just follow orders.

Jesus- Maybe if I can get the hierarchy to send down some sort of spiritually powerful ether of higher consciousness to get the good souls to act… I’ll keep you posted.

PA Farruggio
May 2019