The question of "evil"

During the Saddleback Presidential Candidates' Forum, host Rick Warren put a question to the two contenders on the subject of evil. He asked them to affirm there is such a thing as evil, and to declare what an appropriate response would be. In both cases, the candidates described evil in terms of an undesireable effect on people's well-being.

Barack Obama steered the question of evil toward the social ills of our nation, in particular the injustices suffered by the many people for whom he seems to be aiming most of his speeches. And truly, the mistreatment of our citizens, especially the poor and disadvantaged, is a mirror of God's rebukes of ancient Israel's sins against the poor of the land, including widows, orphans and other dis-empowered individuals.

John McCain took the discussion, also true to his campaign strategy, toward the international front of the war against terror. And, also truly, there is much to be abhorred in the acts of cruelty and violence wrought by self-identified terrorists like Osama Bin Laden and his cronies.

As for a definition of the idea of evil, however, both candidates isolated the concept of evil to a specific example of evil behavior, rather than giving a comprehensive description of the nature of evil that would answer the question, "Is there evil in the world?" Granted, both men are politically motivated in perhaps everything they do and say. They may consult the polls before deciding where to stop for lunch for all I know. (Just kidding fellas.)

If there really is such a thing as evil, I think it would have to be seen from one of two views. For the evolutionist, evil would be something destructive, contrary to progression and stability and, since it is being defined by human beings, not cats and dogs, something contrary to human welfare and happiness (except maybe for PETA, who would include the animals in the discussion).

But if the Bible is true, then evil takes on a different meaning than the man-centered one espoused by politicians and judges. And that's not only my belief but the more reasonable idea, in view of the absurdity of creatures evolving by some mindless system of "natural selection" into, not only thinking, dreaming, artistic, philosophizing anthropoids, but into rational beings who universally judge the merits of each other's behavior by an idea that there is such a thing as "evil" behavior and motives.

Indeed, the real nature of evil is seen in the Bible as that which is contrary to the character, will, heart and nature of Almighty God, the One true and perfect Good, by whose standard all reality is judged. And, not only is evil opposite to His character, it is an offense to His perfect justice. So, evil includes far more than what individual humans call "evil." Sin is evil, regardless of how the majority may feel about it. There is great evil in people chasing madly after things to their destruction, like a horde of lemmings over the crest of a hill called "self-indulgence".

And the "evil-est" of all is simply trying to run our own lives, ignoring or resisting the authority of God, and rejecting the price of eternal life offered by the death of His only Son, Jesus. Sadly, in this world you won't be likely to get elected campaigning against sin. The average voter may think that evil is "what feels evil to me." The good news is that God is still willing to forgive attitudes like that, like He did for me. I'm sure glad He doesn't need to run for re-election.