The Existence of Evil

The Existence of Evil

Ten children are killed every day in the United States by guns; people are murdered senselessly; Columbine High School; Over one-third of middle school children in Cascade County have used illegal drugs and over one-half have tried alcohol; innocent people in foreign countries are being wiped out (Kosovo); The Holocaust; Hiroshima; Vietnam; poverty, starvation and oppression in third world countries; Capitalism; environmental decay and neglect; the media; Oklahoma City; the uni-bomber; earthquakes, fires, tornadoes, hurricanes, volcanoes, airplane crashes; domestic/child abuse; disease, birth defects and mental disorders. Why?Why?Why?… The question never changes and is asked over and over and over and over. People in every age and every time try to understand why evil exists, what may be its purpose, and why does it seem at times to be so present and powerful, or in other words -- "why did this have to happen to me, again?!" Or better yet -- "What did I/they do to deserve this?!" Oh, and here's another one -- "God must be really angry at you for this to happen!" And finally -- "If there really is a God, then why does He allow such evil to even exist?!" When confronted with the dark side of life, these questions come naturally to most and not so naturally to some. Yet, they still come. They have to. As humans made in the image and likeness of a creator who acted out of pure love and complete freedom, it is our obligation to ask these questions and to confront the evil situations that exist, situations that go against the very nature and Spirit of God.

Many conflicts can rise from determining exactly what is evil and what it is not. I don't want to go there. Of course, that doesn't nec...

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... that I can overcome evil. If a human named Jesus did it, then so can I!

Bibliography:

 Daniel L. Migliore, Faith Seeking Understanding (Grand Rapids, MI: William B Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1991), 101.

 Ibid.

 Mary Christine Morkovsky, A Process view of Divine Providence (Terre Haute, IN: MLX Graphics, 1991), 15.

 Richard P. McBrien, ed., "Evil," Harper Collins Encyclopedia of Catholicism (New York: Harper Collins Publishers, Inc., 1995), 665.

 Catholic University of America, "evil," The New Catholic Encyclopedia (Washington, DC: McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1967), 496.

 Charles Colson and Nancy Pearcey, "How Evil Became Cool. (causes of Littleton, CO Massacre)," Christianity Today, 9 Aug. 1999, 80.

 Barbara Brown Taylor, "It's Hard to Hug a Bully," Christianity Today, 11 Jan. 1999, 74.