THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, January 7, 1995 TAG: 9501060064
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E7 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Religion
SOURCE: Betsy Wright
LENGTH: Medium: 92 lines
LAST WEEK'S ARTICLE about the origin of evil drew oodles of response. The amazing thing is that no two readers held exactly the same theory, which gave me a real dilemma: which ones to print. Usually one letter represents several readers of the same viewpoint. Not so this week. All were pretty individualistic when it came to explaining the origin of evil. Here's a small sampling of the excellent and thoughtful responses received.
From Joseph Kuehling of Chesapeake: ``I find evil to be the separation from God, the shattering or sundering from the Divine presence. (Communion with the Divine presence) is the birthright of every person, and anything which keeps one from that birthright is a manifestation of evil.''
From Pastor Joel T. Luetke of Resurrection Evangelical Lutheran Church in Virginia Beach: ``God's Word, the Bible, is silent on the matter (of the origin of evil). We can speculate all we want and consult the ideas of people modern, medieval or ancient. But since the Holy Spirit has chosen not to explain this mystery to us, we cannot speak with certainty concerning the origin of evil.
``Although God has not told us how evil had its origin, he has told us how we have been redeemed from this evil age (Galations 1:3-5) through his son, Jesus Christ. He also gives his people the confidence with which the apostle Paul spoke at the end of his life: `The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for every and ever. Amen.' (II Timothy 4:18).''
From Robert L. Hengstebeck of Duck, N.C.: ``I would observe that evil in the world is quite easily explained; what is not so easy to explain, however is the presence of good in the world.
``According to the dictates of evolution, all forms of life on Earth evolved to their present conditions through selfish survival of the fittest, mankind included. . . . My observation is that what we term `evil' in the world (robbery, murder, terrorism) derives from people following this ancient instinct to an extreme, aided, amplified and refined by intellect. We seek whatever will help us to survive, and with the addition of intellect, we further seek whatever well help us to survive more comfortably. And if this causes misery and destruction to others, well, that's too bad, they're on their own.
``Therefore, if our nature includes this ancient instinct to be `evil,' then the real wonder is that most of us resist this instinct and actually try to take care of one another, sometimes heroically. It is here, in this singular context, that I dare to seriously postulate an interference in this world by the Creator of the universe, who at some point in our evolution may have instilled in human nature the concept of love.''
From Joseph Scott of Norfolk: ``I offer you an explanation from the Indian-American saint, Paramahansa Yogananda: At the time God created the physical universe and souls to inhabit it, there was no force of glue to hold matter (and later souls) and everything flowed back to its source, God. Therefore, God created a counter energy to attract matter to itself. Our egos are the human energy to attract matter to itself. Our egos are the glue that keeps everything from flowing back to God. Thus we must overcome this counter force in us to reach God. If we didn't have an ego, we would automatically flow back into the consciousness that created our souls.
``Now this force that operates in the physical world is not personalized. It operates without direction. Therefore, the dice do give some a bad shake - heredity, earthquakes and moods. Why the Creator set it us this way, we can't know. But our awareness of the spark of God that is within is enough to tolerate the mystery. . . . ''
From Willard Savin of Elizabeth City, N.C.: ``It is my thinking that when we humans refuse to serve God we create the evil. When we (choose to) serve God, we create the good.''
From Henry E. ``Pete'' Freas of Portsmouth: ``It is my thought that evil, as a negation of God, has to have always co-existed with him. Were there no God, there could be no evil since there can not be a negation of nothing. Conversely, if `it all began with' evil, God would have to be the negation of evil.
``Yet this does not suggest that God created evil, nor that God was created of evil, for a negation creates neither itself nor its opposite. Nor is it necessary that God created evil, since, as the negation of God, evil just is. It exists, just as God exists.
``What is important is the choice I make about my behavior: Does what I do negate or glorify God? All else is but rationalization and excuses. If I truly love God and love my neighbor, I need not even think about whether it is good or evil, nor where good or evil came from.'' MEMO: Every other week, Betsy Mathews Wright publishes responses to her
opinion column. Send responses to Issues of Faith, The Virginian-Pilot,
150 W. Brambleton Ave., Norfolk, Va. 23510; call (804) 446-2273; FAX
(804) 436-2798; or send computer message via bmw(AT)infi.net. Deadline
is Tuesday prior to publication. Must include name, city and phone
number.
by CNB