rap@oliven.UUCP (Robert A. Pease) (04/13/85)
GAAAHHHH!! Karen, you and I have very different beliefs. Thats fine. I usually don't reply to your articles (and boy am I behind in reading them), but sometimes I cannot let it go. >Well, it's been said many times before, but it is still true.... > >evil is a result of SIN. Pure :) and simple. I guess sin can't be pure. > >God does not initiate evil in any way. Don't forget about Satan (though >we sure would like to). Evil is not a result of anything but *choice*! People *choose* to do things that either helps themselves or others, or they *choose* to do things that will bring sorrow and hurt. Wether you want to believe it or not, Satan is primarily a Christian deity. (I'll admit that the concept may have come earlier on, maybe even from the Jewish community, but *not* from the Pagan community.) The point is, however, that the concept of a POWER of EVIL is highly specific to a very small number of the Earth's religions. It seems to be correct to you, I believe, because the religion that you choose to follow has a majority of the population believing in it also. Please realize that just because the majority sais that something is true, doesn't mean that it is. Jesus rebuked the Rabis and claimed that they were wrong. They did have the majority of the population on their side. Did this mean that Jesus was wrong? No, it meant that he was bucking the established authority. He was rocking the boat. He got a whole lot of flack about it too. >Only those who are followers of Jesus can be guaranteed that it will >all work out in the end. They will still have suffering, but there >suffering will have purpose. If we rebel God will also let us >feel the evil we have done (reap what you sow principle). > >It is a little more complicated than this but you get the general >idea. God does not initiate evil, but He does punish those >who are choosing evil (now and at later judgement). > >karen First, we always experience the results of what we do. Thats the law of cause and effect, and it happens wether we do "good" or "evil", and it also happens socially as well as physically. I quote the words above because I want to point out one last thing. "Good" and "evil" are judgemental words. They are usually interpeted in context and in relationship to other things similar. Example: Electricity is good. It helps us see at night, communicate at a distance, and warm ourselves in the cold. It also kills, sends the signals to launch MX missiles and lets unscrupulous people mess up your credit record. Now, I am about 400 articles in the rears in net.religion, so I will either just jump up to the current point or it will be a while before I can read your reply. Have fun, -- Robert A. Pease {hplabs|zehntel|fortune|ios|tolerant|allegra|tymix}!oliveb!oliven!rap
davet@oakhill.UUCP (Dave Trissel) (04/16/85)
>Well, it's been said many times before, but it is still true.... >evil is a result of SIN. Pure :) and simple. I guess sin can't be pure. >God does not initiate evil in any way. Don't forget about Satan (though >we sure would like to). > >..... God does not initiate evil, but He does punish those >who are choosing evil (now and at later judgement). > >karen > Well, Karen, how do explain such Bible passages as these: "And the evil spirit from the Lord was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his javelin in his hand..." I. Samuel 19.9 or "And the Lord said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew these my signs before him.." Exodus 10.1 among many others. Is the Bible true when it says that the Lord sent an evil spirit to Saul? How could the words be any clearer? The Bible says God sent the spirit, not Satan. Do you ever think about such contradictions? Dave Trissel {seismo,ihnp4,gatech}!ut-sally!oakhill!davet