Time now for a question that challenges us all ( i think)
What is evil all about ? Clearly I am not the person to
answer all your questions ,but with Bonhoeffer's birthday today , its good to reflect on how he and many
other believers saw it coming .
Background .
Who can not want to read a man who was taken off the Radio
in Germany 8 years before World War 2 started and , like Solzenitzen went back
to suffer in his home country when the West refused to take him seriuosly.
Chamberlain thought he knew but Bonhoeffer could see
it all coming .
Because so many don't
trust Christians to answer this question objectively and productively, I suggest
starting with a thoughtful and effective politician Edmund Burke and other efcetive people in democratic history who
said ( more or less ) " The greatest evil is done in the name of the best intention'".
So , simply , for anyone who wants to give this more than a moment's
thought........ its not about what's on the surface ,and, its not just whats
underneath but .....what's directly underneath what appears to be good .
Truth is often hidden (Even God hides the truth ---so if you believe what believers believe , you can forget being awefully clever!) .
Remember Eve's desire to know more about this - seems
reasonable doesn't it ? The knowledge of the difference between good and evil . Have you ever factored in Hilters , Mussolini .....and
Lenin's desire to make the world a fairer place ? Test Burke's assertion with
people you know,....... like yourself .
We never know what goes on in other people's minds ( only got to read our own to know we don't want to know - thankfully the evil thoughts in there go no further than headspace , most of the time - I'm speaking for myself of course )
What we do know is that Jesus, Bonhoeffer ,Martin Luther King, Solzenitsen tried to confront the little hitlers, not with swords, but with words .Herod confronts Jesus with accusations and wastes his words , Pilate confronts Jesus with a question and he answers it . Getting to the truth is hard work but at least then ,we know what we are REALLY fighting over. Games fought over anything but the tough stuff are common .
I am posting
elsewhere on just how important it is
that we speak up after trying to share my passion for young people getting good
jobs yesterday . It's confrontation that we are called to, to DO it , to
practice it , to take back what we say when we lose control of our mouths -in
love .To know when to open ones mouth and when to shut it and,......... when you have
gone too far .
The above men were angry men --read Matt 11or
" Strength to Love "MLK . Be angry , as they were ( passion for right
is not wrong ),but don't sin - confront others with the truth in the hope that
they might have faith in the power of one and the power of us together (
Tolkein stories come to mind!)
