[net.religion] Why is there evil in the world, Karen

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