God was the first to teach by interpretive dance.
June 10, 2011 5:52 PM   Subscribe

Is "The Devil was the first to teach by metaphor" a real saying?

Rambling around my head is the phrase in question, but I can't seem to puzzle out whether it's something I've misheard, different sayings I've jumbled I've together, or just something I've "misremembered." The only things my memory banks are turning up is a vague remembrance that it might be an Islamic saying, and that I may have read it in a Slate article, but my Google-Fu is failing me.
posted by Panjandrum to Writing & Language (5 answers total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
 
Best answer: And after a decent search, the good news is: If nobody claims it -- it's yours!
posted by LonnieK at 6:04 PM on June 10, 2011 [1 favorite]


Maybe you're thinking of "even the devil can quote scripture?"
posted by skewed at 6:39 PM on June 10, 2011


Well, it's a semi-logical claim, I guess, since the serpent is "subtle" in his attempts to persuade Eve in the Garden. But I've never heard it before.
posted by SMPA at 7:37 PM on June 10, 2011


It is now that I plan to use it. Thanks!
posted by Renoroc at 7:40 PM on June 10, 2011


Never heard it before, but I want to start using it.
posted by J. Wilson at 9:29 AM on June 11, 2011 [1 favorite]


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