Billy Ray Cyrus is interviewed in this month’s GQ.

And it’s an interesting (and sobering) read.

Here’s a snippet:

Just before moving out to Los Angeles, the whole family had been baptized together by their pastor at the People’s Church in Franklin, Tennessee. “It was Tish’s idea,” he remembers. “She said, ‘We’re going to be under attack, and we have to be strong in our faith and we’re all going to be baptized…'” And there, driving to work each day in the City of Angels, was this sign. “A physical sign. It could have easily said ‘You will now be attacked by Satan.’ ‘Entering this industry, you are now on the highway to darkness…'”

Do you really see it in such clearly spiritual terms—that your family was under attack by Satan?

“I think we are right now. No doubt. There’s no doubt about it.”

And why is that happening?

“It’s the way it is. There has always been a battle between good and evil. Always will be. You think, ‘This is a chance to make family entertainment, bring families together…’ and look what it’s turned into.”

Hannah Montana probably has brought a lot of families together—just not one…

“Yeah. I know. I know. I know.”

And do you see the show as a big part of what has made things not work in your family?

“Oh, it’s huge—it destroyed my family. I’ll tell you right now—the damn show destroyed my family. And I sit there and go, ‘Yeah, you know what? Some gave all.’ It is my motto, and guess what? I have to eat that one. I some-gave-all’d it all right. I some-gave-all’d it while everybody else was going to the bank. It’s all sad.”

Do you wish Hannah Montana had never happened?

“I hate to say it, but yes, I do. Yeah. I’d take it back in a second. For my family to be here and just be everybody okay, safe and sound and happy and normal, would have been fantastic. Heck, yeah. I’d erase it all in a second if I could.” Read the entire interview/story here.

I’m not a fan of “blaming Satan,” but since Billy Ray mentions it as a possibility, I have a question or two: Why blame Satan now when life sucks? If Satan’s attack has brought trouble, is there any chance that Satan had anything to do with Miley becoming a billion-dollar commodity? And in the case of the Cyrus family, did “Satan need to attack” in order for all of this to happen? I mean, I know people who were worried about this family five years ago when they were all at the top of their careers. Whether one believes in a literal Satan or not, I think blaming him is often just Christian denial.

Most of the interview made me sad. But it’s hard to think of Billy Ray as naive, considering he’s seen widespread fame before and certainly knows how it feels when it falls apart. I really hope/pray that good people surround this family and that Miley & Co. let them help.

Thoughts?