To Face Evil

Evil takes on many forms and guises that each individual percieves differently. We would like to face it, scream at it, tear at it, eradicate it. We go on this site as an indirect way of facing that evil. We want to share our view with others so that we can face this evil together. You justify what others call as evil. You and them dare each other to face this evil. We would very much like to face this evil. We would all like to be the vanguard against the vanguard. It's up to us to denounce this evil and be champions of peace.

-to denounce evil, you must denounce choice.
-to denounce choice is to denounce free will
-to denounce free will is to denounce life
-to denounce life is the becoming of evil
-the becoming of evil is you

We are hesitant to face evil because to face evil.......is to face yourself.





[edit on 24-11-2009 by Chad_Thomas89]

reply to post by Chad_Thomas89

The sad truth is most of us co-operate with evil, because mostly evil is only recognized in hindsight.
Many things that are normal now, will be things our children curse us for.
I imagine in my westernized culture factory farming and the criminalization of addiction and the revolving prison system will be some examples.

-to denounce evil, you must denounce choice.
-to denounce choice is to denounce free will
-to denounce free will is to denounce life
-to denounce life is the becoming of evil
-the becoming of evil is you

In Catholic terms, Evil is anything that goes against the will of God.

It is possible to use man's free will in accordance with God's will, by living our lives in accordance with God's moral laws and the rules and teachings of The Church.

Adam & Eve were created with natural gifts of soul and body intact, they possessed sanctifying grace, which made them children of God and partakers of the nature of the heavenly Father. They had the wonderful order in man's nature whereby the inferior part was completely and submissively subject to the higher, rational facilities. As a consequence he was free from all inclination to sensuality. Neither was there any conflict in him between nature and supernature; both were in complete harmony. All the rest of visible creation was completely subject to man.

Satan seduced Eve into violating God's law with the promise of "the knowledge of good and evil" (power to distinguish between good and evil). Thus tempted, man desired to decide for himself what was good and evil, and not rely upon another for that knowledge.

Thus man's relationship with God was broken, sanctifying grace was lost, death entered the world and man was forced to survive off of the "sweat of his brow". No longer was man free from the longings of his lower (sensuous) nature. Concupicince (the desire for what is wrong) entered the world.

It is very hard for modern man to live in accordance with God's will in today's day & age due to concupicance and the temptation thrust into our faces everyday. It is possible for man to live free from evil but it is a struggle he must battle every day.

Most of us lose that battle and dispair of having fallen to evil, accepting it as just human nature.

Some few pull themselves up by their bootstraps (or confession) try to get back on the horse, and try again to ride through the temptations of everyday life according to God's will.

For them, everyday is a battle...

Edit: Source - Everyman's Theology, Leo Rudloff, O.S.B (Roger McCaffrey Publishing)

[edit on 24-11-2009 by FortAnthem]

reply to post by FortAnthem
God had to of allowed Eve to be seduced by Satan. Otherwise, that would make god's power of love impotent to Satans seduction, wouldn't it? Why was Satan allowed in the garden of eden in the first place? Did god allow Satan to challenge Adam and Eve's faith? God should've known before hand. Why risk all this?


On a sidenote: I thought god welcomed hard work?

reply to post by Chad_Thomas89

God had to of allowed Eve to be seduced by Satan. Otherwise, that would make god's power of love impotent to Satans seduction, wouldn't it?

God gave Adam & Eve free will. Satan tricked Eve into sin through the use of her free will. Adam followed out of duty to his wife, not wanting to see her outcast alone.

Why was Satan allowed in the garden of eden in the first place?

Satan was cast out of heaven but still allowed in those days to roam free outside of heaven as he is to this very day.

Did god allow Satan to challenge Adam and Eve's faith?

God does not will evil, but permits it to exist as a consequence of free will. God permitted Adam & Eve to use their free will when faced with Satan's challange.

God should've known before hand. Why risk all this?

God is omniscient (can see all things, past present and future simultaniously). He did know beforehand but knows that, in the end, everything will work out according to His plan.

On a sidenote: I thought god welcomed hard work?

If God didn't welcome hard work, He never would've created man nor sent his Son down to lay down His life for our redemption.



[edit on 24-11-2009 by FortAnthem]

[edit on 24-11-2009 by FortAnthem]

reply to post by FortAnthem
Why did Adam and Eve have to bear the consequence of evil if god permitted free will in the first place?

Originally posted by Chad_Thomas89
reply to post by FortAnthem

 

Why did Adam and Eve have to bear the consequence of evil if god permitted free will in the first place?

Without free will, it impossible to love or be loved. God loved His creation and wished for man to share in his love. An atomiton without free will cannot love or truely be loved.

Adam and Eve CHOSE evil by rejecting the will of god by desiring to decide for themselves what was to be good or evil. The consequence for their choice was a separation form the divine will.


P.S. I am not a theologian, I just enjoy reading Catholic theology. I make no claim to be an authority on this subject, I am just sharing what limited knowledge I have.

reply to post by FortAnthem
By all means share.

Anyways, if it was Adam and Eves personal choice to except this evil, why must we have to face this same evil? It's not like the choice they made was on a universal level? Granted they were the only humans and is like what you said about hindsight. Don't you think it unfair that not everyone has the luxory of being aquainted with Satan directly? That we could all have the frank question presented upon us about whether to "eat the apple" or not?

I think it harder for us than Adam and Eve because we are born into a world of evil while they were created whole.....

reply to post by Chad_Thomas89

How propagation can transmit sin, is and will remain, one of the mysteries of the faith that we can never comprehend.

According to St. Thomas Aquinas, all the decendants of Adam may be considered as so many limbs of ONE body. Just as the actions of one member of the body, say the hand, shares in the decision of the will to do something good or evil, with the result that this action becomes either a good deed or a sin, so all members of the human race share in the sin of Adam.

According to St. Augustine, Adam is, as it were, the root out of which mankind springs forth. If the root be corrupted, corruption affects the entire plant.

But we must realize and remember that it is not a sinful DEED but a STATE of sin which is transmitted.
After Adam had sinned there remained in him an attitude, a state of rebellion against God, i.e., an inclination toward evil.

The state of rebellion and inclination toward evil is what is passed on through original sin.

Source - Everyman's Theology, Leo Rudloff, O.S.B (Roger McCaffrey Publishing)