Now this is just a story, as stories go, because I don't even really believe in the Devil, you know, but here goes...........

God and the Devil was playing checkers and talking.

God was bragging about his latest creation - Man, and the Devil got tired of it. "Man ain't so much," the Devil said. "I could make them forget about you in no time at all," (it was the Devil's turn to brag now).

"Never,"shouted God so loud that he knocked over the checkerboard.

"Now look what you did," the Devil said. "You done ruined the game."But God was mad now. "Don't matter," God replied. "I don't want to play with you anymore no how. Man will never turn away from me, no matter what you do." "Give me two thousand years and then we'll see," said the Devil, "and you stay out of it. No angels appearing, no "Noah, Noah, build thee an ark." None of that. Silence.

You'll see what your man is. What creation you have made.

I'll change their New Year and their religion,introduce the idea of sin and make sex the biggest one! I'll have them sprouting love on the one hand and killing with the other. I'll make them hate and war against each other, male against female, young against old, racial hatred. Ultimately, before I'm finished with your man, I'll make him destroy that whole planet you're so proud of. Trees, rivers, oceans -- indeed!"

"Bet! God responded, "You're on.

Two thousand years that's all you get."

by Oyafunmike Ogunlano