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April 17, 2006
What is Evil?
With the news of that guy who’s name I will not mention in Oklahoma City who destroyed poor litttle Jamie Rose Bolin, the issue of evil has been mentioned frequently in the news. “How could someone do something so evil?” “How could such evil exist right next door?” Questions like that are asked over and over again.
A common misconception about evil is that it is some sort of substance or thing that can be caught or transported. I think this odd perception stems partly from movies like Time Bandits where evil is portrayed as both a physical being and a physical substance. It also stems from our innate desire to objectify things unseen, part of the reason for religious symbolism like crosses and such.
The ironic thing is that evil is all around us. It is in each and every one of us. Any time you set your will against another person (or God) intending to defraud them or hurt them in some way, you are doing something evil. You see, evil is not a thing, rather it is an act of will. Therefore, any human being is technically capable of committing an evil act of such proportion that most others would be revulsed.
An act of love is the opposite of an act of evil. To love someone or something is to sacrifice of oneself for the other, to give instead of take, to ensure the good of the other even when it costs you. Love is an act of selflessness whereas evil is an act of selfishness.
The only difference between a normal person and this child murderer in Oklahoma City is that he allowed his selfishness to go unchecked for an extended period of time, partly because he lived alone and partly because he immersed himself in a world of fantasy. He allowed himself to become deluded to the point where he was able to somehow justify his actions. To him, it seemed like the next logical step.
Let this stand, then, as a word of warning to those who know someone reclusive, introverted, cut off from others. Sure, they seem quiet and disarming because they are so unobtrusive, lacking passion or opinion. Maybe they have an exaggerated fantasy life involving role-playing games online or maybe they are a pathological reader of fantasy. Whatever it is that keeps them from having healthy relationships with other real people face-to-face is what propels them toward self-destruction.
Without a healthy relationship with at least one other real in-their-face human being, no one can challenge them to be more than what they are. No one can call upon them to be honorable or sacrificial for the good of another. No one can take the time to invest in them and draw them out of their downward spiral so that they can see that other selves are just as important, if not more important, than their self.
Online relationships may seem real, but they are not. Relating only to characters in books may seem real, but it is not. We all need flesh-and-blood people in our lives to startle us, challenge us and push us toward good instead of evil. Unfortunately, our culture does not encourage that type of investment in others, instead promoting the unreal. Quiet and reserved people who keep mostly to themselves may seem harmless, but often they are the most dangerous.
As it is, this poor sod in Oklahoma City will probably receive the death penalty for what he did, and rightly so. He is responsible for his actions, regardless of what anyone could have done to help him beforehand. He is culpable and should pay for what he did. I, for one, do not want a person who has allowed himself to travel down this road to remain alive, for they almost never return.
Posted by Nathan Dickson at April 17, 2006 06:07 PM
Comments
Regarding your comment: "Without a healthy relationship with at least one other real in-their-face human being, no one can challenge them to be more than what they are."
That's what I live for, baby. To challenge you to be more than who you already are. I live to help you continue to develop your character.
Ha ha,
Your Loving Wife
Posted by: Lisa Dickson at April 28, 2006 12:44 PM