Why is there Evil in the World?

[DGS49]

We see terrorism, war, atrocities, genocide, and countless examples of cruelty in the world, and many of us ask Why? Why is there Evil in the World?

There is no answer to the question, because it is the wrong question.

The appropriate question is, "Why is there good in the world?" Why is there mercy, kindness, charity, and love? Why are there missionaries, cops, firemen, soldiers, doctors, nurses, and other humanitarians - people who willingly risk great harm to themselves for compensation that cannot possibly repay them for what they risk and do? Why are there HEROES who willingly risk their lives so that others might live?

Because EVIL is the normal and natural human reaction to the World. We want to take what we want, harm people we don't like, kill people whom we think threaten us, remove anyone who we see as threatening anything that we want, whether it is a thing, a person, or a condition.

Hitler was not an aberration: he was the normal and natural result of endemic hate on the one end, and out-of-control self-love on the other.

So we need to find out why people behave well and whatever that is, we need to nurture it and cause it to grow. Evil doesn't have to be fertilized or encouraged, it will thrive on its own.

And this reality is completely lost on the political Left, which scorns religion and believes that Government can provide everything that used to be provided by the Family, the Church, and local charities - formal and informal. This is complete folly. A paid government employee can never replace a loving teacher, friend, church member, or beloved community leader. A welfare case worker can never replace a concerned parish member and the parish community striving to help someone get "back on their feet again." You see the results of this silliness: generational welfare dependency.

Ask yourself, Why is there good in the world? And ask yourself whether we, as a society, are going everything possible to promote the Good.

We manifestly are not.

 

[Auld Phart]

Used to ask myself the same question, but I think George Burns put it best in Oh God Book 2

"
God: [answering Tracy's question about why there is so much suffering in the world] I know this sounds like a cop-out, Tracy, but there's nothing I can do about pain and suffering. It's built into the system.

Tracy Richards: Which You invented.

God: Right. But my problem was I could never figure out how to build anything with just one side to it.

Tracy Richards: One side?

God: You ever see a front without a back?

Tracy Richards: No.

God: A top without a bottom?

Tracy Richards: No.

God: An up without a down?

Tracy Richards: No.

God: OK. Then there can't be good without bad, life without death, pleasure without pain. That's the way it is. If I take sad away, happy has to go with it. "

 

[ding]

We see terrorism, war, atrocities, genocide, and countless examples of cruelty in the world, and many of us ask Why? Why is there Evil in the World?

There is no answer to the question, because it is the wrong question.

The appropriate question is, "Why is there good in the world?" Why is there mercy, kindness, charity, and love? Why are there missionaries, cops, firemen, soldiers, doctors, nurses, and other humanitarians - people who willingly risk great harm to themselves for compensation that cannot possibly repay them for what they risk and do? Why are there HEROES who willingly risk their lives so that others might live?

Because EVIL is the normal and natural human reaction to the World. We want to take what we want, harm people we don't like, kill people whom we think threaten us, remove anyone who we see as threatening anything that we want, whether it is a thing, a person, or a condition.

Hitler was not an aberration: he was the normal and natural result of endemic hate on the one end, and out-of-control self-love on the other.

So we need to find out why people behave well and whatever that is, we need to nurture it and cause it to grow. Evil doesn't have to be fertilized or encouraged, it will thrive on its own.

And this reality is completely lost on the political Left, which scorns religion and believes that Government can provide everything that used to be provided by the Family, the Church, and local charities - formal and informal. This is complete folly. A paid government employee can never replace a loving teacher, friend, church member, or beloved community leader. A welfare case worker can never replace a concerned parish member and the parish community striving to help someone get "back on their feet again." You see the results of this silliness: generational welfare dependency.

Ask yourself, Why is there good in the world? And ask yourself whether we, as a society, are going everything possible to promote the Good.

We manifestly are not.

Evil exists so that good can come from it. Order from chaos.

 

[froggy]

Because Eve was easy...

 

[onefour1]

Man is eternal by nature. When God made the universe he didn't create it from nothing. He organized it from self-existing matter and intelligence. For this reason God could not make man perfect. He could have forced us all to be good beings but that would have thwarted his plan to have us all become more like himself. God is a being of free will and gives free will to his children so that they can learn to be good in and of themselves. Only in this way can man truly become more like God and have true happiness.

 

[ding]

The best that people who don't believe in God can hope for is to suffer through life without complaint.

 

[Mudda]

God made everything in the universe, including evil.

 

[ding]

God made everything in the universe, including evil.

Evil is not extant.

 

[DGS49]

Evil exists because of free will. Every organism up to and including mankind is inclined to take what it wants, and everyone else, everything else be damned. But mankind has an intellect, and can see that the greatest universal happiness requires altruism in one form or another.

Which, in practical terms, is the function of religion.

 

[tyroneweaver]

God made everything in the universe, including evil.

Interesting thought, at best

 

[BreezeWood]

Evil exists because of free will. Every organism up to and including mankind is inclined to take what it wants, and everyone else, everything else be damned. But mankind has an intellect, and can see that the greatest universal happiness requires altruism in one form or another.

Which, in practical terms, is the function of religion.

.

Which, in practical terms, is the function of religion.

Every organism up to and including mankind is inclined to take what it wants

funny, I do not see that in most Fauna or Flora in the regard you have portrayed their existence as beings. humanity, a few vines and maybe a tic or two but your premise does exist for their consideration.

Because EVIL is the normal and natural human reaction to the World. We want to take what we want, harm people we don't like, kill people whom we think threaten us, remove anyone who we see as threatening anything that we want, whether it is a thing, a person, or a condition.

i take it you are a 4th century christian ...

Which, in practical terms, is the function of religion.

for the beings not covered by your premise that would not be true, saving grace for yourself. highlighted by your 10,000 page document.

interesting, the Triumph of Good vs Evil is the religion of the 1st century (5 words) - take it or leave it no harm either way for non compliance except termination or Admission to the Everlasting for those that accomplish the goal. all Beings included.

 

[ding]

Evil exists because of free will. Every organism up to and including mankind is inclined to take what it wants, and everyone else, everything else be damned. But mankind has an intellect, and can see that the greatest universal happiness requires altruism in one form or another.

Which, in practical terms, is the function of religion.

.

Which, in practical terms, is the function of religion.

Every organism up to and including mankind is inclined to take what it wants

funny, I do not see that in most Fauna or Flora in the regard you have portrayed their existence as beings. humanity, a few vines and maybe a tic or two but your premise does exist for their consideration.

Because EVIL is the normal and natural human reaction to the World. We want to take what we want, harm people we don't like, kill people whom we think threaten us, remove anyone who we see as threatening anything that we want, whether it is a thing, a person, or a condition.

i take it you are a 4th century christian ...

Which, in practical terms, is the function of religion.

for the beings not covered by your premise that would not be true, saving grace for yourself. highlighted by your 10,000 page document.

interesting, the Triumph of Good vs Evil is the religion of the 1st century (5 words) - take it or leave it no harm either way for non compliance except termination or Admission to the Everlasting for those that accomplish the goal. all Beings included.

MLK Jr. was a 4th Century Christian too!