Photo by Chris Floyd / Camera Press The cover of Russell Brand’s How to Become a Christian in 7 Days features a swarm of flies, corralled into the shape of the cross. It is a curious choice, given that in the Bible, flies are associated with death, decay and divine retribution. In Exodus they are the fourth plague sent by God to “consume” the Egyptians as punishment for enslaving the Israelites. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, Beelzebub, also known as the Lord of the Flies, is a major demon. Mostly, thanks to the use of this symbolism in horror films such as Hereditary (2018) and The Amityville Horror (1979), they made me think of an exorcism. Reading this book, I at times felt like I was witnessing one. What do the flies represent here? The former demonic, depraved form of Brand’s life, now reshaped into something Christlike? Or is the imagery of the divine being used as a front for darker purposes?…