What does a goat have to do with the devil?

Answer 1

Think ancient Greece. There, around 1000 BC the goat was an animal sacred to the god Dionysius, a god of fertility (sex) and wine (which led to drunkenness). Dionysius used to hang around with creatures called satyrs, half-men and half-goats. You've probably seen pictures of them. The god Pan was one. Anyhow, these frolicking hooved-footed, tailed, goat-eared fun loving creatures became symbols during Roman Christianity (the formative years of Christianity, from 100-300 AD) for everything that is bad to do. Afterall, partying, having sex, and getting drunk on wine were ungodly activities, so the early Christians (many of whom strangely enough valued virginity) made the symbol of the satyr the depiction of the devil. Thus, the goat comes into Christian mythology from the older Greek mythology.

Answer 2

The association between goats and the devil comes from Christian symbolism, specifically the image of Satan as a satyr-like figure with goat-like features. This image has been depicted in art and literature, leading to the belief that goats are somehow connected to evil or the occult. However, in reality, goats are simply domesticated animals with no inherent ties to the devil.