[SuddsMcDuff]

It's not a religious argument by any means. It's a common idiom which means that "if people don't have anything to do with their time, they are more likely to get involved in trouble and criminality." (see https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/devil+finds+wo...).

[chadcmulligan]

but it does come from the religious / patriarchal mind set of a bygone era. I would put it to you that the devil find work for idle hands who have no money.

If this was true then why aren't the prisons full of retirees? - because they have money and so can afford to occupy their time.

It's time to remove these trite sayings from the public discourse imho they add nothing to an argument.