Attempting Suicide to Hurt Her/him!

Recently I was chatting with an individual (she gave permission to use her story though no name or identifying features will be used) who attempted to commit suicide so that her ex-boyfriend may feel the pain of what she felt. This happened while she was in high school. This is a very common issue with both young people and adults, often after a hurtful situation such as break-up, separation, or divorce. The urge to make another feel the pain of what one is going through in such a situation is probably one of the most powerful emotions resulting from the inability to put things in perspective due to clouded rational mode of thinking one has in times of grief, pain, and anger. How is one expected to handle such thought?

It is important for anyone who is going through distress to think about the reality she or he faces, and if possible, consult another person whom she or he trusts to help them navigate through their emotions. It is also important for anyone who is consulted in such a situation to be firm but loving in their clarification of reality based on basic civic rationality. This is not a time to start pushing the other to see things the way one does, but a time to help them see that there are more ways to deal with their situation. The goal is to propose but not enforce.

To respond to the question we are dealing with, one has to look at the integrity of the human person, both from the divine and natural perspectives. From the divine one can assert the Judeo-Christian revelation on the creation of every human being in God's image and likeness. Since one is created in such a way, it is imperative that one honours her/his person in realization of the fact that God's spirit dwells in him/her. Would one necessarily want to destroy that image even in time of distress? Not really. Even in case of mental illness (which we shall discuss some day), one does not really wish to be destructive. From the natural perspective, one of the most deeply ingrained needs in the human person is the need to preserve one's life. That is why one often fights or flees to preserve herself/himself when faced with danger. That is also the reason behind parents going to any legth to protect their own.

On the other hand, one has to remember that she/he lived many years before meeting that individual and can still live for years with or without that person. In other words, one had a life before meeting the individual, and can still have life without the individual in her/his life. So, when people break up, are separated or divorced, one feels rejected, dejected, depressed and all sorts of emotions. What the one who rejects you is saying is that she/he does not care about you. I often ask people the basic question: "Do you think that it is worth is to destroy your own life for some one who does not care about you, and would be happy to see you gone forever or at least for as long as she/he lives on the face of the earth?" Why would one make the ultimate sacrifice for another if they do not care for the sacrifice (apart from that of Christ)?

Who really gets hurt? I think that the answer is: Not really the one who you intend to hurt by such act! It is the parents, children, friends and those who are close to and care for the individual. The one who rejects you may care for what happens to you but can rationalize it as your choice. And that is in a sense true because it is one's choice to seek other ways to deal with what happened. Suicide is not the best way out because at the funeral for one who commits suicide, it is often those who one does not intend to hurt that end up being there, they are the ones who struggle with this, they are the ones who feel HURT, they are th eunintended sufferers.

What is the best thing to do? If one is hurt so badly, I think it is best to seek someone the individual can talk to, especially a professional who understands how to deal with emotional distress - a psychiatrist, a psychologist, a consellor, a priest. While one may talk to her/his friends, it is important to recognize that one's friends may not be versed in handling such a situation. If one has been involved with someone who commits suicide to her her/him, it is also important to see professional help so that one does not carry an unnecessary emotional baggage.

Please leave a comment or question if you have any. 

Questions from Prayer and Free Will

Thanks Len for the following questions and for your comments. In ressponse to the first question on: "What would life be like if everything worked out “right” in accordance with some pre-determined plan?" I thinkk there may be a bend towards determinism. With this comes the philosophical undertone that every human action is causally determined (causal laws guide all actions) and results can be predictable - life would then be seen as an unbroken chain of events dating back to the origin of the universe. This will in essence take away the possibility of anyone changing his/her course of action as that would be outside the realm of what one can do. However, as we all know, people can change and make decisions that are sometimes unpredictable.

Predeterminism takes away the possibility of free will. This also takes away the possibility of true love as true love cannot exist without freedom to choose. If a person is forced to marry someone she does not love just because it was already predetermined, then the freedom to fall in love vanishes with it. The same goes with the freedom to do so many other things including choosing what one eats, where one lives, what kind of job one does and so many other things. Granted that there are some areas where one may not have the ability to chooose, for instance, one's parents or children, for the most part, one has greater freedom in choosing other things. Now this does not mean that there is predeterminism in this because such is controlled by biological laws. Natural and physical laws do not mean determinism.

For things to work out "right" does not necessarily mean a realisation of a "perfect" world. Things work out right but sometimes not in the way or order we wish. So, with regards to the speculation of what life would be if everything worked out "right" in accordance with some pre-determined laws, I will say that this will propose a philosophical view of a pure mechanical universe and humans governed by mechanical laws, who are incapable of making choices. This will also take away the possibility to exercise one of the most basic needs, the power of love - love of God, neighbour, children and parents. If one cannot choose, there will also be no need for trying to teach people, no need for people who for instance, have been in trouble with the law to change and become better people. It could also lead to choas as each individual can defend his/her actions as pre-determined and one he/she has no power to change. So, instead of having a perfect world, we may have a very chaotic world.


On the second question "Good judgement is a result of Experience. Does not Experience result from bad judgement?" of course they are vice versa. One learns from experience just as one's mistakes provides opportunity for correcting what one may have misjudged. On the first part - good judgement is a result of Experience - it is important to note that with age comes experience. The knowledge one gets from experiences of either doing something right or wrong helps the individual to make better judgement. For instance, as a teenager, one may not necessarily appreciate the juggling acts parenst do to make ends meet financially and otherwise. As one gets older and starts to work, he or she may realize that it takes a lot to calculate how much money should be spent on certain things. One may also realize why mom and dad would not allow him or her to go to certain places at certain times or do certain things.

On the second section - does not experience result from bad judgement? - I agree with you. We all make judgements all the time with regards to what we do, eat, wear and so on. Many of us have also made mistakes that helped us to learn because they were the wrong things to do. In today's world, many people in the United States, for instance, have made poor judgement regarding buying a house or other major purchases. With this comes the many foreclosures resulting from the housing mortgage bubble burst of the last few years. While this is an unfortunate situation, it is helping some people to realize that one has to weigh one's finances, possibilities of unforseen accidents and the market trend in order to decide if one can afford buying an expensive house or not. Also, if one has had an accident, one is more inclined to avoid occasions that lead to the same kindof accident. We see that in children too. If for instance a child who is able to understand touches fire/candle light, she or he will probably avoid touching it a second time because it hurts.

I hope I fully understand this last one - Human Freedom is advanced from knowing what we actually believe; “know thyself". Is there advancement in Human Freedom from knowing what we are expected to believe?. I can say that depending on what we are expected to believe and what informs it, human freedom can be advanced or diminished. That we are expected to believe something does not necessarily make it right, for instance, people were expected to believe that slavery was good, and they did, but it only diminished some people's freedom. So, knowing what is "right" and by this I mean what is informed by divine and natural law.

There is greater freedom from knowing what we are expected t believe when that is in accordance with expected civic knowledge informed by divine law. Knowing that all humans are created equal, in God's image and likeness helps us to honour and respect all people's rights and dignity. Knowing that all humans desire the same things - to be happy, to be loved, to be accepted, to be part of the community helps us to work towards realizing such goals. We know and believe that children are precious and older people though frail, are valued leads us to enact laws to protect the most vulnerable in our society, and to treat our children in a more respectable way. Knowing that young people become their best when appreciated helps us to learn other ways of getting them to develop rather than using the cane.

So, advancement in psychology, theology, sociology and other human sciences help us to know how we ought to treat others thereby creating a greater freedom of interaction between peoples and age ranges. Since we believe certain things asa a result of the knowledge we have - for instance that all people have the same organs, same kind of blood system - we have come to a better appreciation and a human freedom has been advanced and continues to be advanced.

Once more, thanks for the questions and input.

GOD is Responsible?

God is responsible for all that happens in our life, right? This is often the assumption behind the question, "why would my ... die early?" Why would people not live longer? Why do young people die and leave heartbroken parents to deal with the loss? Why should my sister/brother die of cancer? Why did God take my mother early? God's responsibility generates all kinds of questions. When it comes to human beings and their longevity, could God have made it so that people live much longer? This is a difficult topic to handle especially if one has had the experience of burying a young family member, a husband or wife who did not live to a ripe old age. More so, it becomes even more touching if one's family member died suddenly, or from illness at a young age.

Granted that people living longer will minimize the grief of burying someoone young and maybe, give more people the opportunity to live and see many generations within their family, the reality is far from this. To try and dabble into this, we need to look at the purpose of creation from the Judeo-Christian perspective. In the book of Genesis God said, "Let us make humans after our own image and likeness... Then God made them, male and female he made them..." God gave them the injunction to increase and multiply. Then Adam and Eve lost the privilege of being in the Garden of Eden. The rest is our history of salvation and the journey to return to the ideal of the place whhere all will live in peace and joy. The choice of our first ancestors led to the initial loss of the place of innocence. So, God's unselfish desire to share himself led to the creation of our first ancestors. Would he have craeted them so that they may die early? Not really. However, the initial choice led to the loss of the privileges of Eden.

What if people could live for ever on earth? Theologically, there will be no need for heaven. The other thing is that the material resources may be quite scarce by now. The human body is also made to start losing its abilities and start declining after certain number of years. While this is a speculation, the possibility of this crosses our minds once in a while.

So, is God responsible for the death of my loved one? When illness occurs, who is responsible? God is in charge of all of human affairs! However, with the freedom we have, the choices we make and/or others make for us may lead to inevitable ends. The human body and indeed all of creation is an intricate and complex masterpiece of God. Consider for instance, how the human brain which controls the movements and thought processes function. To the general population, it looks like a blob of tissues with specialized functions, but to the scientific eyes, it is a very complex and highly efficient body of cells that make all kinds of connections and sensory perceptions leading to different motor reactions. Think of the human torso and the precious organs it protects. Imagine how all these organs work in harmony to keep us alive. Now, what happens when these functions cease, either suddenly or gradually? Death occurs!

Realistically speaking, some deaths could have been prevented, for instance, death from drunk driving if the drunk person made the choice not to drive after drinking, death from unecessary accident if the individual made the choice to not go to the place where the preventable accident occurs, for instance, young people avoiding going for a fight, or avoiding playing in a field during thunder and lightening. On the other hand, there are deaths which could be prevented but the individual has no control over it, for instance, when a person eats contaminated food without knowing - bacterial or viral infection. There is also death from preventable illnesses. There is death due to old age and death due to neglect. In essence, there are certain external and internal factors affecting life expectancy, health/death.

Apart from these, when illness or death occurs, can we question God? Looking at it from the New Testament perspective, yes and no. The reason why this seems contradictory is that it depends on how one sees questioning God. Looking at it from the Passion of Christ, one can see that there were moments when he asked God a very serious question. Though Christ knew his mission and understood what it entails (see also the Transfiguration), he still prayed in the Garden for the cup to be taken away from him. While on the cross, in his human nature he was probably feeling alone and abandoned, and that is why he cried out "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" When we read this passage, we often read it in a mellowed voice but it was a shout oof frustration. Imagine how you would speak to a person whom you trusted and who did not grant you what you humanly wanted, that is probably the way Christ spoke to God at that point. However he also recognizes that God does not abandon his own, and says, "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit." So, can one question God? In time of extreme suffering or distress, one has the tendency to question God. However, it is important to look at all the factors surrounding what is happening to the individual. Sometimes, it is much easier to lay blames on others rather than look at the reality.

Christ's purpose for coming as one of us is to die in order to redeem us from the power of the consequences of our first ancestors' mistake. What about the one's who came to live for as long as they can but unfortunately die young? The answer may be in the choices being made for us trough the generations. What if there are no pollutions in our skies, food, water, materials we use and lawns? What if people could live in harmony and enjoy each other's company without fighting over all kinds of trivial matters? What if humans are able to respect each other and make the earth a ppeaceful place? What if all human stressors no longer exist and people can enjoy the sunshine (with lots of sunscreen), the rain, the warmth of summer, and the cool winter breeze? This would be an ideal situation, and could lead to humans living longer and a drastic reduction in the number of illnesses and death. Research shows that stress, lack of rest, lack of proper nutrition, inadequate amount of liquid intake, and pollution in food and air are responsible for most illnesses.

When people struggle with illness, death or other difficult situations, this could lead to asking questions of God. Personally I asked the same kind of question when my father died suddenly from heartattack while I was on the phone with him. My initial reaction was to ask God the question, "WHY?" I soon thought about it and realized that there were laws that controlled what happens in the human body. Unfortunately, most of us do not pay much attention or in some cases ignore them entirely even when we know the consequences of such action. My father's situation is probably one of such. While none of us knew that he may have had heart problems, he could be dismissing it as nothing more than a strained muscle around the heart or other things. He may not even have known that he had any issue with his arteries. This does not excuse him from the consequences of what happens to people with such problems - atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. That he probably did not know he had the illness does not excuse the laws guiding the effects on the human body. So, should we question God at this situation? Probably not. We accept it and then see what can be done to avoid such happening again. There are ways to avoid such early and untimely death.

I want to note that God is responsible but we are also responsible. God's responsibility is to put laws in nature to help us live happily and survive different situations on earth. However, we or others sometimes make choices that affect us either positively or negatively. It is our responsibility to try to understand the laws guiding creation, the human body, and our relationship with one another and God. Respecting these laws may help us live longer and avoid some unfortunate situations.

Please let me know your reaction to this.

On Prayer

Please read FOLLOW-UP ON "WHY DO BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE?" for a better understanding of my take on prayer.

Some readers have e-mailed requesting for input on prayer. While it is not an indepth explanation of types of prayer, the follow-up on why bad things happen to good people explores my understanding of prayers and God's will.

I also have to note that as parents, many people know what their children need and provide those, they also know what their children want. Often the wants are made available but depending on the parent's determination of the need of the child, she or he may or may not provide what the child wants even when the child asks for it. In not granting that, the parent also answered the request - she/he says NO. No good parent will, for instance, allow the child to eat only cookies for days because the child wants to do so. While this may seem good to the child, the parent knows that this may eventually hurt the child's health. Along the same way God knows what we need and what we want. In accordance to his will, he allows certain things and does not allow certain things depending on the need/want of the individual. What we sometimes perceive to be our need may not necessarily be a need, just as what our children often perceive to be need may end up not being so.

There sometimes seem to be discrepancy in the way that people get certain things while others do not. It is important to note that these may be as a result of the possibility that two persons may react to the same thing in different ways. One may say, why would God not give what I "need" and leave the rest to me? Often we do not give our children everything they think they need so we can leave the rest to them. To do so may spell trouble for our children.

Free will and choices

One of our readers presented a question that often occupy the minds of people: "...Why did God give us free will?" Looking at the situation many people get themselves in and how often they wish they never got that far, this question becomes even more legitimate. Why would a loving God allow one to make a choice that may end up going against social norms, civic obligations, respect for the dignity and rights of others, and above all, against the will of God himself? If he is all-powerful, why would he not make things go smoothly and make us always make perfect choices. Some people insist that God should have made it in such a way that all our actions are predestined and we just have to act accordingly. As enticing as this may sound, it may present a few issues. I think that we need to ask, do we really want God to predetermine all our actions?

As we all know, there are huge differences between animate and inanimate objects. These include, but are not limited to the ability of the animate objects/subjects to desire (love, care, acceptance), to be satisfied, to seek what it needs (sunlight/heat/warmth, nutrition/food). They also have different laws guiding their actions, for instance, while biological law and physical law may work in harmony, they may not be applied the same way to animate and inanimate objects. Human beings desire differently from the way plants desire, they seek to be satisfied differently, they seek the satisfaction of their needs differently. On the other hand, their modes of seeking these things differentiates them from inanimate objects like rocks. At the heart of the matter is the realization that inanimate objects do not have the ability to control their direction (physical law enforced), have no desires nor the ability to love, and do not necessarily get satisfied in the same sense an animate object does.

What defines us as humans is the ability to love. According to the Judeo-Christian tradition, God is love. Therefore, LOVE created us in his image and likeness. So that which makes us truly who we should be is the ability to love. Socially, our children start learning to love as soon as they are born - we transfer this inate ability to them, and even in cases where there seems to have been a rejection of the indivdual due to abandonment or other social issues, the ability to love is not destroyed but may be limited. Through counselling and education one may regain part or the whole ability. So it is safe to assert that we always love our children.

In North America as in many other parts of the world, people who have enough do their best to provide for their children, to teach them to be independent (at least when they get older), to be their own personality, and to sometimes make mistakes from which they learn valuable lessons. Of course when they are little, we control almost everything they do, eat, drink and wear, we make choices that affect them there and then as well as prepare them for the future. This is not because we are control freaks but because they are not yet fully developed emotionally, intellectually and otherwise. As they get older, we let them choose certain things and the activities they engage in - we explain to them the consequences of their choices. As they finish university and go out to the workforce, they often have their independence but may consult us for advice. So we help them to actualize themselves. In the same way spouses have the ability to help each other actualize themselves. This process of actualization is based on freedom rooted in love and not in control.

Can there be true love without freedom? Not really. Imagine a situation where a spouse controls his/her partner's food, drinks, what to wear, what to say and where to go on a daily basis, can one claim to love the other in this case? Imagine a situation where as an individual without mental health or physical health issues one's actions, thoughts and movements are controlled by another.

God is love. Love is actualized in freedom. Through the Judeo-Christian scripture, natural and divine laws, God reveals to humans the consequences their actions. In it he states that he sets before us options and our choice determines the outcome and consequence. If God starts controlling all the choices we make or predetermining them, we will end up being robots. Robots, like all inanimate objects do not have the ability to truly love, to desire, and control their movements (unless preprogrammed). Because humans are created in God's image and likeness, their ability to make choices is based on true love. Just like we do not control all the actions of our grown children, spouses or friends, God does not control us. God let's us actualize ourselves in freedom, it is up to us to choose to do the things that go in accordance with the laws he set before us whether in the natural physical world or in divine revelations.

So, why did God give us free will? The simple answer is: Because he loves us. God could have predetermined all our actions but this would mean that we would not have the ability to do what we may want to do or at least to experiment on certain things. It will be a strange world if humans and other animate objects do not have the ability to think for themselves and to choose things. Most people frown at the fact that in some cultures, people are forced to do what they would not ordinarily want to do. People frown at any kind of slavery (in history or modern day), forced marriage (with or without spousal love), child labour, child soldier, and any form of abuse of the individual. These things occur when there is no love and freedom of choice is removed either by force or by indoctrination. Of course God cannot confine his image and likeness to a robotic existence for this will negate God.

Should you have any question or want to comment on this or any other idea or issue, please feel free to do so.

A follow-up on "Why do bad things happen to good people?"

I want to thank all those who have been making comments and following the blog. I will try to respond to as many questions and comments (if there is need). That does not mean that I will agree with all comments as in some cases, we may have a difference of views but I will do my best to explain my stand and why I choose to be there - both the theological and societal implications.

Why do I not quote the exact passages in Scripture for my responses? I deliberately decided not to do so because it may lead into this becoming an academic paper. I want this to be as simple as possible so that anybody will have access to it and understand it without the need for much theological studies.

In many sections, the Judeo-Christian scripture tends to suggest that prayer may have a dual role - imploring on God to change his mind/will thereby cathering to the whims/will of the one asking; and letting the will of God be done. In daily life, we know of people who quite often pray that God will grant one thing or another to them. These people often point to the injunctions of Christ, "ask and it shall be given to you, seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be opened to you." So, when such persons do not get what they want, they tend to get angry at God.

The simplest answer to the dilemma of choosing either of these stands is to look at the life of Christ. Prayer understood in the light of the teachings of Christ is a communication with God. Now, as young people, we communicated with adults in our lives. Sometimes we asked for what we needed/wanted and got them, at other times we did but did not get them. Why? That I believe I need something does not necessarily mean it is meant to be for me. God in his infinite wisdom knows what we need and what will benefit us. Sometimes when prayers are not answered, it could be because God delays the response to see how faithful one would be. It could also be that God knows what will result from getting what we ask, and maybe, it may end up working against our spiritual growth. Finally, it may also be that it is not in accordance with the will of God for us.

Does prayer change God's mind/will? Not necessarily! Prayer helps us to realize God's will in all instances. The reality is that when we pray the "Our Father," which is the model for all Christian prayers, we say, "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven..." Prayer enhances the realization of what the will of God is, and the acceptance of such by humans. Remember that though Christ taught his disciples this prayer, and knew what the will of God for him was, he still prayed at the Mount of Olives, "Father, take this cup away from me..." In the same instance he recognizes that though he may want this taken away, this may not be the will of God. So, he said, "NNot my will, but your will be done." This must have presented a crisis point in his human nature for he really would not want to go through this humanly speaking for no one likes suffering, but he also understood the mission entrusted to him. He could also refuse to do it by running away. But he stayed so that the will of God may be fulfilled in him.

Our prayer should be to ask for what we need, but to be open to the will of God which may not be in accordance with our will. Prayer is not meant to be an ocassion to change God's will, but an ocassion to enhance it. Does it mean that we do not need to pray as some people say that what will happen will happen? No, we still need to pray. If we succumb to such philosophy, we are led along the fatalistic fallacy whereby things are on their course and nothing can change them. Looking at the miracles of Jesus and the way he cured those who approached him, one can see that they in a sense created the conditions that enhanced the will of God. one said, "If you will, you can cure me... and Jesus said, I will, be cured." He lets the will of God be done.

Does God change his mind/will? No! God sees all things and knows all things even things yet to come. So, when he delays in responding to us, it is for a purpose - to invite us to trust in divine providence. His response is for our good. Our prayer is absolutely necessary as we see in the faith of those who defied the people to dare to approach him, such as the woman who was haemorrhaging and Zacchaeus. Prayer is an expression of faith in Christ, and trust in divine providence. Divine providence does not necessarily promise to grant all things we ask, but the things that are for our good. Why then did Christ tell his foloowers to ask? So that they may express their trust in divine providence and faith in him.

The next installment will be on free will and perfect choices.

Response to the buzz on "Why did God allow devastating earthquakes?"

I read through some of your responses and would write to write a short rejoinder. I think that Glenn's reflection indicates the realization that sometimes we see things differently just because we have not had the opportunity to explore them deeper than during day to day chats with friends and family members. However, as he states that because we do not, "Understand [better] the process of the earth maintaining itself and see that the natural laws that God has created are necessary despite the harm that sometimes occurs because of man's not understanding them or ignoring them altogether," we make some erroneous conclusions based on our limited understanding. The reason and mode of operation of the natural laws may be beyond the comprehension of many people, but this does not negative its necessity.

Of course, Toochukwu's statement below is true, "...many people who are affected by natural disasters do not know much about the geographical compositions of the earth, the faultlines and other laws of nature..." Many of these cities and towns were inhabited before science helped humans to understand the physics of natural disasters like earthquake and flood. The unfortunate thing is that due to land use laws, many people are practically in a situation where they may not be able to get any other piece of land to build on. Many people cannot afford to buy a piece of land elsewhere in order to relocate due to poverty (as seen in Haiti which is one of the poorest countries in the world), and in the flood-ravaged areas of China and Pakistan as well as areas ravaged by drought in Africa.

I think that this calls for corporate stewardship of the earth and the realization that the world is big enough for all to co-exist. In fact, governments have a responsibility to listen to theologians, geologists, scientists and professionals in all fields in order to make laws that respect the dignity of the human person as well as the laws of God, the laws of nature (which originate from the laws of God), and the laws guiding civic exsitence and civilized human cooperation. Based on this, governments have civic responsibility to relocate their citizens to areas where there is relatively low possibility of such natural disasters. Unfortunately, because many governments operate on party allegiance rather than the desire to achieve the common good for citizens, this opportunity to do the right thing is superceeded by allegiance to party rules, and in most cases, lost. While majority of the people may not undersatand the basic workings of the natural law, governments have the strongest assets in their professionals. The citizens should demand for that right through voting out governments that seem to like the party's interest more than the good of the people (and can do this on a regular basis as parties would then know that they would be out if they do not listen to their citizens). This is probably going to be a topic for another time.

Wanda's observation on the reactions of people all over the world to the unfortunate situation of the people of Haiti and others caught in natural disasters is also a sign of the understanding that we are all children of God and that God's breath keeps us alive. If we recognize that we are all brothers and sisters, and that those affected by these disasters represent humanity's raw suffering. The speed and capacity with which people reached out with donations of goods and money represents the power of love exhuding from the hearts of people. Love conquers even in the face of disaster. People are quite resilient, and supporting them in their times of need boosts their resiliency. Remember, when people say, "how d'you do? They are simply saying, I love you..."

Are there evil people?

The instinctive answer to the question above may be, "yes, there are some evil people." However, on consideration of the various factors including theological and social, one may be leaning towards answering, "NO." Why did I make this statement? A few weeks ago, I was chatting with a couple of friends about the possibility that some individuals may be evil. The responses from each indicates that they have all thought about this topic for sometime based on what they observed happening in our world and the stories in the Judeo-Christian scripture - the unecessary killings, bombings, wars, destructions, wrongful witnessing and the likes. While all the responses given may seem quite convincing, I offer the following for refuting that people are evil.

According to the Judeo-Christian tradition, when God created, he saw that all he made was GOOD (Genesis 1:31). Socially, when a child is born, society sees nothing but goodness in the child. That is why until the age of reasoning, a child is not liable for his/her actions - he/she cannot make an informed choice based on formed conscience. Based on the Judeo-Christian tradition, God breathed into our first ancestors, the breath of life (God's breath keeps us alive). God created our first ancestors, and by extension, you and I in God's "image and likeness." Paul also reminded us that "You are temples of the Holy Spirit." My first argument is that that which is created in the image and likeness of God cannot be evil. To say that any human being is evil is by extension to say that the "Godness" in him/her is evil. This is a contradiction since GOD IS GOOD.

Am I trying to discredit what is written in the scripture with regards to some people being possessed by evil spirits? Not really! What I am trying to convey is that either by our making choices or others making them on our behalf, evil (the evil one) finds a place to inhabit. Now, it will be wrong to state that one who is possedssed by the evil spirit is evil. This is because when the evil spirit is cast out as seen in the scripture, the person becomes "whole" (in essence, who he/she should be). So, the idea of being possessed does not necessarily mean being evil. To say that one who is possessed by evil spirit is evil is to say that one is equal to his/her illness, for instance, to equate one who suffers from diabetes as being the illness itself, or one who suffers from cancer from being the illness itself. In the case of cancer for instance, if the individual recovers from it, we do not say that "he/she is/was cancer," but rather, that he/she suffered from cancer. So, one who was possessed by the evil spirit did not become the evil spirit. Rather, what happens here is that a condition for the habitation of the evil spirit is created thereby excluding the condition for the total habitation of GOOD.

Why do some actions seem quite evil? This is because people make choices based on their convictions, whether these convictions were right or wrong is determined by social, religious, and ethical norms. In some cases, these choices go radically and violently completely contrary to social norms, at least as informed by the Golden Rule and the law of fairness. When people make choices to do the unthinkable, in essence that which we generally see as being very bad and contrary to what any human being should do, we refer to such as evil acts. Why then do they make such choices?

God gave all humans free will. That is why we make choices often based on our experiences, education, understanding of life and reality, and the ideologies to which we subscribe either by choice or by indoctrination. When talking with young people, especially some of them who may have been in trouble with the law, I often see the restrictions placed on them by the of lack of proper education (not necessarily classroom education), lack of proper understanding of the Newtonian explanation of the law of physics "action and reaction are equal and opposite," and the role of the acceptance of the ideology that they are always right (and in some cases, that everyone else is out to get them). In some cases, there is the realization that people would want to help them but the consistent making of the wrong choices create the chasm between them and those who wish to help. The choices that result from such confusion, while they may seem right to the individual, may go contrary to the general understanding and application of what is right by society. Are all these individuals really evil? My definite answer is below.

Society may also create the condition for bad choices which may result in the eventual acts that may be quite evil, so evil that people may identify the perpetrators as being evil. Take for instance the Bosnian war which "started because the Bosnian Croats wanted to live in Croatia, the Bosnian Muslims in a sovereign Bosnia, and the Bosnian Serbs in Serbia..."
(Ivan D. Trifunovich, 6/12/96 quoted in the New York Times online forum: "Bosnia: Uncertain Paths to Peace." http:www.nytimes.com/specials/bosnia/forums/digneie.html). The apartheid in South Africa (apartheid is an afrikaan word meaning "seperateness") which extols what separates races and strives to keep them apart in segregated areas, geographically, socially and economically); and the World War II which originated from Hitler's attempt to establish a pure race. All these started from individuals or a few individuals but eventually had a buy-in from some aspects of society. History now paints the individuals who started these as being evil.

Going back to the question, are all these individuals really evil. As difficult as it may be, the answer is, NO. They were probably people who would like to consider themselves good (depending on their definition of good) but make the wrong choices. I know I will probably get some lashing from this, but I stand by what I said based on the words of Christ, "Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing." I simply belive that the fact that one makes the wrong choice which may result in something evil does not make the individual evil. This may be seen as a matter of semantic by some, but for me, it is a matter of Christian fact. That is why the Christian believes in the reality of forgiveness of sins. One can only look at the life of Saul who eventually became Paul. If his choices made him "evil," his conversion would not delete the evilness. As we all know, he commited all kinds of evil in God's name (gathering the early Christians for punishment, some by stoning as seen in the life of Stephen).

Going back to my original premise, all that God made/created was/is good! Good creatures make stupid mistakes based on their convictions. They are capable of realizing the truth based on civic, religious, and ideological norms accepted by the majority so civilized society. Let me know what you think.