Must there be evil in the world?
Let's look at this question from a different perspective. Can there be freedom without evil?
No there can't.
If we can't chose evil… if we can't chose to do wrong, there is no freedom. Thus the potential for evil (doing wrong) is necessary. And the risks in freedom must be exactly proportional to the potential for doing good.
Here's a quote from an excellent book I highly recommend, "Letters From A Skeptic" by Dr. Gregory A. Boyd and Edward K. Boyd.
"The fact that we humans have such an incredible amount of potential for evil, then, is to my mind indicative of the fact that we also have an incredible amount of potential for good. Yes, there are Hitlers and Stalins in the world. But there are also the Ralph Walenbergs, the Mother Teresas, the Martin Luther King, Jrs. And I don't see how you could have the latter without at least risking the possibility of the former. If we have the potential to oppress or slay millions, it's because we also have the potential to liberate and love millions."
God has given us the freedom to chose. Most importantly He has given us the freedom to chose Him, or to turn our back on Him. It's an important decision because what we chose here and now, will be what we get for eternity.
No there can't.
If we can't chose evil… if we can't chose to do wrong, there is no freedom. Thus the potential for evil (doing wrong) is necessary. And the risks in freedom must be exactly proportional to the potential for doing good.
Here's a quote from an excellent book I highly recommend, "Letters From A Skeptic" by Dr. Gregory A. Boyd and Edward K. Boyd.
"The fact that we humans have such an incredible amount of potential for evil, then, is to my mind indicative of the fact that we also have an incredible amount of potential for good. Yes, there are Hitlers and Stalins in the world. But there are also the Ralph Walenbergs, the Mother Teresas, the Martin Luther King, Jrs. And I don't see how you could have the latter without at least risking the possibility of the former. If we have the potential to oppress or slay millions, it's because we also have the potential to liberate and love millions."
God has given us the freedom to chose. Most importantly He has given us the freedom to chose Him, or to turn our back on Him. It's an important decision because what we chose here and now, will be what we get for eternity.
posted by BrickBalloon
Read This Post In Our: Christianity in America Blog Archive
4 Comments:
With all the sharing going on. I could not be left out..
http://www.sciam.com/print_version.cfm?articleID=000E555C-4387-1237-81CB83414B7FFE9F
Take a look at how well the scientific community does at discerning the truth when it comes to publishing "scientific" papers.
Scientific Papers
People are fallible. Scientists are people. Scientits are fallible.
Is there a college level science textbook, ublished more than 50 years ago, that has not been significantly revised? No, there is not. Some of what we thought was scientific truth 50 years ago, has since been found not to be true.
Do you have a point?
Just for the record. This idea that there has to be evil in the world is lame. Suppose there was one person on earth. That person decided to spend his/her time helping kitty cats out of trees. The individual was free to choose being positive and productive.
Anyway, the real problem is the difficulty with defining evil. What is evil to you is not to me. So, where is the line drawn. Perhaps you or God think cats belong in trees.
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