Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Hubble head · 05-17-2003, 09:21 AM

I hear the quote "The greatest thing the devil ever did was convince the world he didn't exist." alot these days.

Does anyone know who said it first or where/when this quote was first popularized? I suspect some time during a renaissance period but someone else I know said its in the bible.

Ironic how those repeating it all the time are probably the devil's army in the flesh if there ever was one...

livius drusus · 05-17-2003, 09:44 AM

The quote is "the greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist" and it's a line spoken by Verbal Kint (Kevin Spacey) in The Usual Suspects. It gets used with astounding frequency on creationist and other fundy sites, and yet, is never once correctly attributed. Scroll halfway down the page here to see my personal favorite provenance mangling for a cause.

cydonia · 05-17-2003, 09:56 AM

this is funny. I asked this question here maybe a year ago and learned it was kevin spacey. I had assumed it had been around for years and years.

cydonia · 05-17-2003, 09:58 AM

"It's an old fable that the greatest trick the devil ever pulled was to convince the world he didn't exist."

Is it an old fable or not?

livius drusus · 05-17-2003, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by cydonia
"It's an old fable that the greatest trick the devil ever pulled was to convince the world he didn't exist."

Is it an old fable or not?

No. It's from a violent and twisted movie, however, so religious reich websites have to come up with some bullshit provenance in order to sound good. In this case, Jonah Goldberg pulled the aged fable story out of his ass. Most sites simply don't attribute it at all. Click here for an example of non-attribution.

cydonia · 05-17-2003, 10:15 AM

Really is all over the place. But I hope that what they said in that link comes true.

Marduk · 05-17-2003, 03:51 PM

"The quote is "the greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist" and it's a line spoken by Verbal Kint (Kevin Spacey) in The Usual Suspects."

Spacy was quoting from an even older movie with Paul Muni who played the Devil in "Angel on my Shoulder" 1940's era, rather corny but not a bad movie.

Yellum Notnef · 05-17-2003, 03:59 PM

I thought it came from Sean Hannity.

I heard him say it a couple months ago on his stupid TV show. I think Pat Robertson was the guest that night.

cydonia · 05-17-2003, 04:16 PM

Pat Robertson was claiming that he didn't exist?

Yellum Notnef · 05-17-2003, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by cydonia
Pat Robertson was claiming that he didn't exist?

No such luck.

Sean said it in response to some crap Pat was saying about this country being in trouble because we've turned our backs on god.

05-17-2003, 09:21 AM	#1
Hubble head Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Corn rows Posts: 4,570	quote question I hear the quote "The greatest thing the devil ever did was convince the world he didn't exist." alot these days. Does anyone know who said it first or where/when this quote was first popularized? I suspect some time during a renaissance period but someone else I know said its in the bible. Ironic how those repeating it all the time are probably the devil's army in the flesh if there ever was one...

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05-17-2003, 09:44 AM	#2
livius drusus Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Selva Oscura Posts: 4,120	The quote is "the greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist" and it's a line spoken by Verbal Kint (Kevin Spacey) in The Usual Suspects. It gets used with astounding frequency on creationist and other fundy sites, and yet, is never once correctly attributed. Scroll halfway down the page here to see my personal favorite provenance mangling for a cause.

05-17-2003, 09:56 AM	#3
cydonia Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: southern california Posts: 1,002	this is funny. I asked this question here maybe a year ago and learned it was kevin spacey. I had assumed it had been around for years and years.

05-17-2003, 09:58 AM	#4
cydonia Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: southern california Posts: 1,002	"It's an old fable that the greatest trick the devil ever pulled was to convince the world he didn't exist." Is it an old fable or not?

05-17-2003, 10:15 AM	#6
cydonia Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: southern california Posts: 1,002	Really is all over the place. But I hope that what they said in that link comes true.

05-17-2003, 03:51 PM	#7
Marduk Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: the 10th planet Posts: 5,065	"The quote is "the greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist" and it's a line spoken by Verbal Kint (Kevin Spacey) in The Usual Suspects." Spacy was quoting from an even older movie with Paul Muni who played the Devil in "Angel on my Shoulder" 1940's era, rather corny but not a bad movie.

05-17-2003, 03:59 PM	#8
Yellum Notnef Banned Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Gone Posts: 4,676	I thought it came from Sean Hannity. I heard him say it a couple months ago on his stupid TV show. I think Pat Robertson was the guest that night.

05-17-2003, 04:16 PM	#9
cydonia Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: southern california Posts: 1,002	Pat Robertson was claiming that he didn't exist?

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