Proof enough for me...
I've heard the question "Does Satan exist?" debated at various times, by various people. Some claim that the idea of "satan" or "the devil" came about as superstitious people tried explain why "bad" things happen or why people do "bad" things. Those who come out on the side that believes the devil is a myth would argue that no such powerful entity could possibly control all the things in our world that go wrong. Disease can be explained away as a product of genetics or as a result of environmental factors (like pollution). Natural disasters are just a fact of life on a planet with Earth's particular tectonic plate structure and atmosphere. Many of our choices have been deemed a "product of evolution". Men cheating on their wives? Evolution. Men evolved with the deep innate need to procreate, which makes men naturally drawn to spread their "seeds" in as many places as possible. Those who fall out on the other side of the argument believe in one or more of the various religious teachings on the subject of evil. Whether or not the source of evil is one particular entity might be up for debate, but many feel there is definitely an outside force that creates, instigates, encourages, provokes and otherwise maintains the evil in our world.
My opinion? I believe 100% without a shadow of a doubt that evil exists. I know this to be true because I know of horrifying abuses that happen to our children -- the seedy underbelly of life that allows babies, toddlers, children and teens to be used for the highly deviant sexual pleasure of others. Just today I read about some little girls in elementary school who already know they will most certainly have cervical cancer as adults. They don't know their multiplication tables...but they already know more about STD's than most grown-ups. That's how I know evil exists. Earlier this week I read an article about India's estimated 300,000 sex slaves, most who were brought into the "industry" while they were still children. Scarred for life, their childhoods stolen away in exchange for someone else's perverted idea of pleasure. Yes, that's how I know evil exists. In the past year I have met a six month old who had already been raped and her a five year old sibling who had been abused to the point that serious physical and mental disability will last a lifetime. More proof that evil exists. And that's just a drop in the bucket. Unfortunately it's a drop in a really huge bucket.
We need Jesus in our world so desperately. People ask where God is when bad things happen. Some say God turns a blind eye. Others surmise that the bad thing must have been God's will. I don't know about the theology of it, but I believe God is crying when bad things happen to us. It wasn't His plan for us to struggle. He didn't create us to be sick, to hurt one another, to ruin our lives and our world. God didn't create His children so that we could spend every day dying in a hell of sin and pain. Earth was never meant to be Heaven....but it was also never meant to be Hell. More proof that our world desperately needs Jesus. Our hope is in Him and Him alone. If I look at the world around me, all is hopeless. But, if I look at His promises and trust that He has something good planned for my life, then I have hope.
My opinion? I believe 100% without a shadow of a doubt that evil exists. I know this to be true because I know of horrifying abuses that happen to our children -- the seedy underbelly of life that allows babies, toddlers, children and teens to be used for the highly deviant sexual pleasure of others. Just today I read about some little girls in elementary school who already know they will most certainly have cervical cancer as adults. They don't know their multiplication tables...but they already know more about STD's than most grown-ups. That's how I know evil exists. Earlier this week I read an article about India's estimated 300,000 sex slaves, most who were brought into the "industry" while they were still children. Scarred for life, their childhoods stolen away in exchange for someone else's perverted idea of pleasure. Yes, that's how I know evil exists. In the past year I have met a six month old who had already been raped and her a five year old sibling who had been abused to the point that serious physical and mental disability will last a lifetime. More proof that evil exists. And that's just a drop in the bucket. Unfortunately it's a drop in a really huge bucket.
We need Jesus in our world so desperately. People ask where God is when bad things happen. Some say God turns a blind eye. Others surmise that the bad thing must have been God's will. I don't know about the theology of it, but I believe God is crying when bad things happen to us. It wasn't His plan for us to struggle. He didn't create us to be sick, to hurt one another, to ruin our lives and our world. God didn't create His children so that we could spend every day dying in a hell of sin and pain. Earth was never meant to be Heaven....but it was also never meant to be Hell. More proof that our world desperately needs Jesus. Our hope is in Him and Him alone. If I look at the world around me, all is hopeless. But, if I look at His promises and trust that He has something good planned for my life, then I have hope.
Comments