What IS Evil?

[kari21]

I think this sums it up quite well:

Evil is not a "thing" - like a rock or electricity. You can't have a jar of evil! Rather, evil is something that occurs, like running. Evil has no existence of its own - it is really a lack in a good thing. For example, holes are real but they only exist in something else. We call the absence of dirt a hole - but it cannot be separated from the dirt. So when God created, it is true that all that existed was good. One of the good things that God made was creatures who had the freedom to choose good. In order to have a real choice, God had to allow there to be something besides good to choose. So God allowed these free angels and humans to choose good or non-good (evil). When a bad relationship exists between two good things we call that evil, but it does not become a "thing" that required God to create it.

Perhaps a further illustration will help. If I were to ask the average person "does cold exist?" - his/her answer would likely be yes. However, this is incorrect. Cold does not exist. Cold is the absence of heat. Similarly, darkness does not exist. Darkness is the absence of light. Similarly, evil is the absence of good, or better, evil is the absence of God. gotQuestions.org

[Marnie]

From Marnie's Dictionary:

evil: IRS, pilot lights, Windows Vista, IRS, Word 2007, plastic zippers, IRS, faux leather, algebra, literary agents, IRS, check-out lines, left-lane drivers, IRS, laminate flooring, deadlines, writer's block, saddles, IRS, etc.

[kari21]

Call me cwaaazy.....but Marn seems to not like the IRS.

I know, I know...it sounds farfetched......but, I just get that funny feeling......

[Scarletprayers]

Call me cwaaazy.....but Marn seems to not like the IRS.

I know, I know...it sounds farfetched......but, I just get that funny feeling......

You know kari, I got that same "feeling" when I read her post..............huh................

[kari21]

Call me cwaaazy.....but Marn seems to not like the IRS.

I know, I know...it sounds farfetched......but, I just get that funny feeling......

You know kari, I got that same "feeling" when I read her post..............huh................

Yeah? It's kinda creeping me out......if only we could put our fingers on it....

[jehovah Nissi]

I think this sums it up quite well:

Evil is not a "thing" - like a rock or electricity. You can't have a jar of evil! Rather, evil is something that occurs, like running. Evil has no existence of its own - it is really a lack in a good thing. For example, holes are real but they only exist in something else. We call the absence of dirt a hole - but it cannot be separated from the dirt. So when God created, it is true that all that existed was good. One of the good things that God made was creatures who had the freedom to choose good. In order to have a real choice, God had to allow there to be something besides good to choose. So God allowed these free angels and humans to choose good or non-good (evil). When a bad relationship exists between two good things we call that evil, but it does not become a "thing" that required God to create it.

Perhaps a further illustration will help. If I were to ask the average person "does cold exist?" - his/her answer would likely be yes. However, this is incorrect. Cold does not exist. Cold is the absence of heat. Similarly, darkness does not exist. Darkness is the absence of light. Similarly, evil is the absence of good, or better, evil is the absence of God. gotQuestions.org

This is a great explination...so evil can not be created because everything He created was good and evil is opposit of good...this is obvious...I know this...So what about Is. 45:7? Misinterpretation? Mistranslation? Both? what? Because that is the only verse in the bible that I can find that actually says that God created evil...some translations say darkness. And it is obvious that God did NOT create evil. but people use that ONE verse to say that God did create evil.

[jehovah Nissi]

Call me cwaaazy.....but Marn seems to not like the IRS.

I know, I know...it sounds farfetched......but, I just get that funny feeling......

You know kari, I got that same "feeling" when I read her post..............huh................

Yeah? It's kinda creeping me out......if only we could put our fingers on it....

It's a conspiracy I'll get to the bottom of this

[kari21]

I think this sums it up quite well:

Evil is not a "thing" - like a rock or electricity. You can't have a jar of evil! Rather, evil is something that occurs, like running. Evil has no existence of its own - it is really a lack in a good thing. For example, holes are real but they only exist in something else. We call the absence of dirt a hole - but it cannot be separated from the dirt. So when God created, it is true that all that existed was good. One of the good things that God made was creatures who had the freedom to choose good. In order to have a real choice, God had to allow there to be something besides good to choose. So God allowed these free angels and humans to choose good or non-good (evil). When a bad relationship exists between two good things we call that evil, but it does not become a "thing" that required God to create it.

Perhaps a further illustration will help. If I were to ask the average person "does cold exist?" - his/her answer would likely be yes. However, this is incorrect. Cold does not exist. Cold is the absence of heat. Similarly, darkness does not exist. Darkness is the absence of light. Similarly, evil is the absence of good, or better, evil is the absence of God. gotQuestions.org

This is a great explination...so evil can not be created because everything He created was good and evil is opposit of good...this is obvious...I know this...So what about Is. 45:7? Misinterpretation? Mistranslation? Both? what? Because that is the only verse in the bible that I can find that actually says that God created evil...some translations say darkness. And it is obvious that God did NOT create evil. but people use that ONE verse to say that God did create evil.

This may help: http://www.carm.org/diff/Isa_45_7.htm

[jehovah Nissi]

I think this sums it up quite well:

Evil is not a "thing" - like a rock or electricity. You can't have a jar of evil! Rather, evil is something that occurs, like running. Evil has no existence of its own - it is really a lack in a good thing. For example, holes are real but they only exist in something else. We call the absence of dirt a hole - but it cannot be separated from the dirt. So when God created, it is true that all that existed was good. One of the good things that God made was creatures who had the freedom to choose good. In order to have a real choice, God had to allow there to be something besides good to choose. So God allowed these free angels and humans to choose good or non-good (evil). When a bad relationship exists between two good things we call that evil, but it does not become a "thing" that required God to create it.

Perhaps a further illustration will help. If I were to ask the average person "does cold exist?" - his/her answer would likely be yes. However, this is incorrect. Cold does not exist. Cold is the absence of heat. Similarly, darkness does not exist. Darkness is the absence of light. Similarly, evil is the absence of good, or better, evil is the absence of God. gotQuestions.org

This is a great explination...so evil can not be created because everything He created was good and evil is opposit of good...this is obvious...I know this...So what about Is. 45:7? Misinterpretation? Mistranslation? Both? what? Because that is the only verse in the bible that I can find that actually says that God created evil...some translations say darkness. And it is obvious that God did NOT create evil. but people use that ONE verse to say that God did create evil.

This may help: http://www.carm.org/diff/Isa_45_7.htm

Ok. Thanks Kari...still don't get it though...why would God cause calamity and distress in our lives (or "in the earth realm" is what the article says...but we live in the earth)...He's the author of peace...The prince of peace. I guess that is what the author didn't get into. Well Matt. 5:13 says "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses it's flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men." So in conclusion...if we lose are saltiness, We open the door ourselves to calamity and distress. I've never seen God as putting calamity or distress on anyone, but that we open the door to it in our lives when we disobey...giving an in road for the devil to come in and cause calamity and distress in our lives.

God did however bring calamity and distress to His enemy...I'm sure it was the biggest day of calamity and the most stressful day for satin when he was booted out of heaven. But cant see Him bringing it to us.

Hope this makes sence...I'm not trying to argue...Just want the Word to be rightly divided (2 Tim. 2:15)...that's why all the different thoughts about the subject at hand

[Grungekid]

Ok. Thanks Kari...still don't get it though...why would God cause calamity and distress in our lives (or "in the earth realm" is what the article says...but we live in the earth)...He's the author of peace...The prince of peace. I guess that is what the author didn't get into. Well Matt. 5:13 says "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses it's flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men." So in conclusion...if we lose are saltiness, We open the door ourselves to calamity and distress. I've never seen God as putting calamity or distress on anyone, but that we open the door to it in our lives when we disobey...giving an in road for the devil to come in and cause calamity and distress in our lives.

God did however bring calamity and distress to His enemy...I'm sure it was the biggest day of calamity and the most stressful day for satin when he was booted out of heaven. But cant see Him bringing it to us.

Hope this makes sence...I'm not trying to argue...Just want the Word to be rightly divided (2 Tim. 2:15)...that's why all the different thoughts about the subject at hand

What if God allows evil and temptation in the process of creating something good? Doesn't that make sense? I think God can allow such things, and He does, for various reasons, but we can always count on Him to hold out for us and protect us, No matter what else