▁from ▁much ▁higher . ▁Sho oting ▁the ▁scene ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁s nake ▁goes ▁down ▁the ▁st airs ▁proved ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁challenge , ▁as ▁the ▁creature ▁kept ▁falling ▁onto ▁the ▁floor ▁after ▁sl ither ing ▁down ▁the ▁steps . ▁A ctor ▁Dan ▁Butler ▁was ▁ter r ified ▁of ▁the ▁animal , ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁unable ▁to ▁talk ▁while ▁shooting ▁the ▁scene ▁in ▁the ▁bas ement . ▁However , ▁Butler ' s ▁o ph idi oph ob ia ▁had ▁an ▁up - side : ▁the ▁show ' s ▁art ▁department ▁did ▁not ▁need ▁to ▁apply ▁fake ▁swe at ▁to ▁his ▁face . ▁ ▁Th emes ▁Robert ▁She ar man ▁and ▁Lars ▁Pear son , ▁in ▁their ▁book ▁W ant ing ▁to ▁Bel ieve : ▁A ▁Crit ical ▁Guide ▁to ▁The ▁X - Files , ▁Mill en ni um ▁& ▁The ▁L one ▁Gun men , ▁proposed ▁that ▁the ▁episode ▁is ▁a ▁par ody ▁of ▁organized ▁religion , ▁most ▁specifically ▁those ▁who ▁follow ▁a ▁religion , ▁but ▁only ▁pay ▁it ▁lip ▁service . ▁The ▁two ▁argue ▁that ▁the ▁principal ▁jo ke ▁in ▁the ▁episode ▁is ▁" to ▁look ▁at ▁the ▁way ▁religious ▁faith ▁has ▁been ▁so ▁water ed ▁down ▁and ▁paid ▁nothing ▁but ▁lip ▁service , ▁its ▁rit uals ▁and ▁do ctr ines ▁re inter pre ted ▁so ▁that ▁only ▁what ' s ▁comfortable ▁is ▁ad her ed ▁to ." ▁This ▁par ody , ▁however , ▁is ▁turned ▁on ▁its ▁head : ▁the ▁follow ers ▁pay ing ▁lip ▁service ▁in ▁" Die ▁Hand ▁Die