“To paraphrase the late Christopher Hitchens, religion was mankind’s first and therefore worst tool for understanding the world.”
As a clergyman, Crimmings is well-read. He's more academic than Gregory, his inferior. He attempts to help Gregory rethink his relationship to religion, encouraging him to incorporate the darker, evil parts of life into his ideas about God and mankind.
“Beelzebub is the name of Lucifer’s lieutenant. The name Beelzebub, in Hebrew, means Lord of the Flies.”
Gregory is less concerned with the possibility of demonic possession as Susan's father. For a man who doesn't really believe in religion, Garth sure is convinced its the answer to his problems. Gregory patiently tries to explain the academic implications of his suspicions.
Gregory smiled inwardly. It was such a quaint, old-fashioned word, “fits.” In young women, they were often rooted in sexual hysteria.
At first, Gregory is inclined to believe that Garth is exaggerating his daughter's symptoms. He does not immediately -- or ever -- jump to the conclusion of demonic possession. As this quote demonstrates, he first tries to explain her actions rationally. One may be inclined to believe based upon this excerpt that Gregory indulges in some good old-fashioned misogyny, but he actually treats Susan with great respect as an individual.
"Is it such a sin to have a mind?"
Based upon his own life experience, his academic knowledge of Christianity, and his observations of Susan, Gregory finds himself struggling with his previous convictions. Whereas before he would argue that men are evil because of evil, but now he seems to believe that humanity contains a certain amount of evil. He becomes increasingly frustrated with the case because at every turn he is accused of malpractice. Eventually, he breaks out with this desperate outburst which reveals his true concern. He believes that every person holds some evil in their soul, but he doesn't understand why it has to be that way.
