This may or may not be a popular opinion. I might not even argue my case well enough here. Let’s chat or debate it further, if you will. But I just can’t bring myself to believe in the existence of evil.
Of course, evil deeds occur. I’m not saying that the actions of all people are good. I’m just saying that they have not occurred as a result of some supposedly satanic influence over which they had no power.
The antiquated theology of metaphysical evil is still managing to hold us back as a society. It gives people room to avoid taking responsibility for their actions, or as is typically the case, from their obligation to love their neighbor.
Essentially, I am making an argument against the belief in the existence of a literal devil or Satan, in favor of society taking greater responsibility for people's welfare. My proposition is that evil action occurs only in the absence of compassion and care, not because some demon/devil is out there making us do things we otherwise would not.
It also seems contradictory to the idea of a loving God who created all things. Why would a loving God create something whose sole purpose is to cause harm?
The notion of a malevolent entity with an independent agenda to screw things up in the world does not comport with the main thrust of nearly all theological teaching that God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-loving.
This is not an argument on behalf of a theological God which is all loving, by the way. I happen to personally believe in It, but that does not factually make it so. This is a pointing out of the fact that those who most readily promote the idea of the existence of Satan have the least theological ground upon which to base it.
Of course, the character of Satan is frequently referenced in the Bible and in the other Abrahamic texts of Judaism and Islam. And those who hold a hard line regarding the literal truth of these scriptures would definitely have a tough time swallowing the idea that the character contained within might simply be a metaphor for the human psyche existing in a state of emotional jeopardy. I can accept the limitations of that belief, even if I do not subscribe to them.
But the Bible is loaded with metaphors and parables that are clearly intended not to be taken literally, even though there is invariably a truth to be discovered in them. So I’m not sure why there must be a dogmatic adherence to a belief in a literal Lucifer. It creates a potentially hazardous spiritual feedback loop that throws off the moral arc of the universe by a nudge.
In other words, choosing to believe that evil exists as a result of some outside force not human is just letting ourselves off the hook for the harm that exists in the world. It tends to prevent us from creating solutions by making us despair. It is a separation of humanity from its agency to influence how loving or unloving the world may be at any given moment.
And right now we need a bit more agency. Right now we need to acknowledge how much power we have to convert this world into one that looks at evil action and sees it for what it is; a cry for help.
Of course responsibility must be taken, and sometimes evil actions have to be regarded as such, prompting the need to confine an individual away from society for their bad behavior.
But what if we were to soften our heart a bit regarding the things we call evil? Or more pointedly, soften our hearts to the humans who have perpetrated them? What if we were to remember that all humans have a right to dignity, even when they have harmed the dignity of others?
In my mind, this is what informs restorative justice versus punishment designed for the satisfaction of revenge. This is what reminds us that crime exists in the absence of wholesome, supportive relationship. This is why Jesus wanted us to visit prisoners. Because even though they have caused harm, they are still human.
The temptation to do harm comes from within, not without. As does the directive of compassion and love. Seek to remember the latter when dealing with the former.
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