From a spiritual aspect, C.S. Lewis believed that evil is real and not an illusion or feeling. He also believed that evil is a parasite that spoils good. Lewis believed that evil is important because it can be used to argue for God’s existence and to understand the nature of reality.
Can we apply Lewis’s concepts allowing for a spiritual conclusion to the question, “Is evil a significant factor in the behavior of people?”
Applying C.S. Lewis’s concepts of evil to the discussion of online behavior provides a unique spiritual perspective:
Realness and Unnaturalness of Evil:
C.S. Lewis, a profound thinker in both literature and theology, argued emphatically that evil is not merely psychological or philosophical but a tangible reality. This perspective becomes particularly poignant when we consider the digital age, where the Internet has become a vast arena for human expression, including the darkest kinds. Lewis’s belief that evil is real and not an illusion or just a feeling finds a stark illustration in the cyberspace where:
• Genuine Expressions of Malice: The anonymity of the Internet has peeled back layers of societal niceties, revealing what many might consider the true nature of evil within human hearts. Hate speech, cyberbullying, and the spread of harmful content aren’t just fleeting thoughts; they are deliberate expressions of malice and cruelty. This aligns with Lewis’s view that evil is not a mere absence of good but an active, parasitic force that corrupts and destroys.
• The Internet as a Mirror: In this digital mirror, we see not just the best of humanity but also its worst. The Internet has become a platform where evil manifests in concrete ways – through organized hate campaigns, radicalization, and the dissemination of violent ideologies. Lewis’s idea that evil is real becomes evident here, as these are not passive or theoretical evils but actions taken with real, often devastating, consequences.
• The Spiritual Dimension: For Lewis, the existence of evil served as evidence for the spiritual realm. The Internet, in its ability to both reveal and amplify the darker aspects of human nature, can be seen as a battleground where spiritual forces, including evil, are at work. The realness of online evil suggests a deeper spiritual malaise or conflict, providing a modern context for understanding Lewis’s arguments about the reality of good and evil.
Parasitic Nature of Evil:
C.S. Lewis brilliantly conceptualized evil not as a force equal to good but rather as a parasite that feeds on and corrupts the good. This metaphor extends beyond the philosophical or theological into the very practical realms of our daily lives, particularly in the modern digital age where the internet serves as a vast ecosystem for this parasite to thrive.
• Online Platforms as Hosts: The internet, especially social media and forums, offers a breeding ground for evil in its various forms due to its structure. Anonymity, one of the internet’s most distinctive features, allows individuals to detach from the consequences of their actions. This detachment can lead to the expression of thoughts and behaviors that might otherwise be restrained by societal norms or fear of judgment.
• The Spread of Toxicity: Just like a biological parasite, toxic ideas or behaviors spread from one host to another. An online community might start with the best intentions—perhaps to educate, support, or connect people with shared interests. However, without vigilant moderation, these spaces can quickly become infected with hate speech, misinformation, or cyberbullying. The anonymity and often the lack of accountability facilitate the spread of these negative sentiments like an infection.
• Community Decay: A community’s ethos can be fundamentally altered by the presence of unchecked negativity. Groups designed for mutual support or celebration of common interests can devolve into battlegrounds of ideological warfare or toxicity, where the original spirit of camaraderie is lost to the pervasive spread of vitriol.
• Interpersonal Relationships: On a personal level, the spread of evil thoughts or actions can infect relationships. What begins as a minor disagreement or a misunderstood comment can escalate into full-blown conflict when fueled by the anonymity of digital communication. Lewis would argue that this is evil acting as a parasite, poisoning the good intentions and connections that once existed.
• Individual Psyche: Just as parasites can weaken a host, evil thoughts can weaken an individual’s moral compass or sense of self. The constant exposure to negativity online can lead to a desensitization where hateful or dangerous thoughts become normalized. This internalization might not manifest in physical actions but can affect one’s worldview, reducing empathy and fostering cynicism.
• Healing the Host: Lewis’s view implicitly suggests that combating this evil involves strengthening the host—our communities and ourselves. This could mean fostering environments that promote understanding, forgiveness, and constructive dialogue. It involves education on digital citizenship, critical thinking about consumed content, and perhaps most importantly, reconnecting actions with their consequences.
Argument for God’s Existence:
• The Standard of Good: Lewis begins with the observation that when we label something as ‘evil,’ we are implicitly acknowledging the existence of a standard of ‘good.’ For instance, if we call a comment online hateful or cruel, we’re judging it against a preconceived idea of what is kind or just. This suggests that there is an objective moral law at play. The concept of evil relies on the existence of good; one cannot exist without the other being recognized.
• The Moral Law: The next step in Lewis’s argument is that this moral law, which humans universally seem to recognize (even in the act of breaking it), must have an origin. If humans are simply products of a random, purposeless universe, why should there be such a widespread, albeit often violated, sense of morality? Lewis asserts that the existence of a moral law implies a moral lawgiver, a being or entity that not only sets this standard but also embodies it.
• Human Behavior and the Online World: The rampant expressions of vile, hateful, and dangerous thoughts online serve as a real-time illustration of Lewis’s argument. The internet, with its anonymity, strips away many social constraints, revealing what might be latent in human nature. When individuals express these thoughts, they’re often met with criticism or condemnation from others, even those who might not share the same religious or philosophical worldview. This reaction underscores a collective acknowledgment of a moral standard.
• The Need for a Moral Framework: The chaos of online interactions, where evil is articulated so vividly, might actually highlight the need for a moral framework or a higher power. It’s a stark demonstration of what happens when individuals operate outside of what many would consider a moral order. The outcry against such behaviors online suggests that deep down, there’s a common understanding or yearning for moral goodness, which Lewis would argue points towards a divine source.
• The Divine Origin: Lewis concludes that this objective moral order, which people inherently acknowledge (even when they act contrary to it), necessitates a divine origin. If there is a law, there must be a lawgiver. This lawgiver, by necessity, would have to be beyond human, as human laws and morals are variable and often contradictory. The consistency of moral outrage against certain behaviors, regardless of cultural differences, implies a transcendent moral law, which aligns with the concept of a God or divine being who sets this standard.
• Personal and Spiritual Implications: From a personal perspective, this argument isn’t just about philosophical proof but also about spiritual awakening. The recognition of evil within oneself or in the world can lead to a search for redemption, forgiveness, and a higher purpose, which for Lewis and many others, points back to Christianity or another form of theism where such concepts are central.
In essence, Lewis’s argument from evil for the existence of God is not that evil proves God directly, but rather that the existence of an objective moral standard against which evil is judged implies the existence of a moral lawgiver, whom he identifies as God. This perspective invites readers to reflect on the nature of morality, the origin of our ethical intuitions, and how these might relate to the existence of a divine being.
The Role of Good in Overcoming Evil:
• Resistance and Recovery: By recognizing evil as parasitic, there’s an inherent call to action: to nourish and protect the good. Communities can recover from such infections through active moderation, positive reinforcement, and by promoting discussions that aim for understanding rather than division.
• The Theological Angle: From a spiritual perspective, Lewis would argue that acknowledging and resisting this parasitic nature of evil can lead one closer to understanding divine goodness. The existence of evil, in this view, underscores the necessity and beauty of good, making the case for a moral and spiritual quest to combat it.
• Evil as a Teacher: The very existence and expression of evil online can serve as a tool for spiritual growth and understanding. It underscores humanity’s need for redemption, forgiveness, and a moral compass, potentially leading individuals to seek out or reaffirm their faith or ethical beliefs.
• Spiritual Warfare: The internet can be seen as a new frontier in the age-old battle between good and evil, where every individual’s choices contribute to the collective spiritual health of society.
Evil is indeed a significant factor in human behavior, not just as a dark force to be combated but as a necessary counterpoint that highlights and necessitates the pursuit of goodness, potentially leading one back to spiritual truths or the recognition of a divine presence in the world. This perspective encourages not just awareness of evil but active engagement in promoting and choosing good, in line with spiritual teachings from a Biblical perspective.
Fundamental Christians, rooted in Biblical beliefs, can offer several positive contributions to combat evil in culture, leveraging their faith’s teachings and values. Here are some ways they can contribute:
• Teaching and Living by Biblical Values: Fundamental Christians can promote a lifestyle and community ethos based on virtues like kindness, patience, love, and integrity as outlined in the Bible. By exemplifying these values, they can influence broader cultural norms towards more positive behaviors. Through sermons, Christian education, and community programs, they can teach about the importance of ethics based on Biblical teachings, helping to form a moral compass in individuals from a young age.
• Community Engagement and Service: Emulating Jesus’s life of service, Christians can engage in community service, helping the poor, the sick, and the marginalized, thereby directly countering societal evils like poverty and neglect. Establishing support networks for those in need, like shelters, food banks, or counseling services, reflects the Biblical call to care for the “least of these,” reducing the conditions that might foster evil behaviors like despair or crime.
• Cultural and Media Influence: Creating or supporting media (books, films, music) that uplifts, encourages, and promotes stories of redemption, hope, and moral integrity.
• Prayer and Spiritual Warfare: Actively engaging in what might be considered spiritual battles against evil influences, through prayer for the community, nation, and world, believing in the power of prayer to change hearts and circumstances.
• Personal Transformation: Sharing the Gospel not only to convert but to transform lives, believing that a change in heart can lead to a change in behavior, thus reducing the propensity for evil Living out their faith in such a way that it naturally influences others towards good, embodying the light and salt metaphor used by Jesus.
Fundamental Christians, through these actions, can not only address evil in a reactive way but also proactively shape a culture where the conditions for evil are less likely to thrive. This approach aligns with the Christian mission to be a positive force in the world, reflecting God’s love and justice in tangible ways.
The Biblical perspective addressing the problem of evil:
Here are some significant Bible references from the English Standard Version (ESV) that address warnings and responsibilities regarding evil for Christians:
Romans 12:21
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
This verse encourages Christians to respond to evil not with more evil but by doing good, thereby overcoming darkness with light.
Ephesians 6:11-12
“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”
Here, believers are instructed to spiritually equip themselves to combat evil, emphasizing that the real battle is against spiritual forces, not human adversaries.
1 Thessalonians 5:21-22
“But test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.”
This passage warns Christians to be discerning, to hold onto what is good, and to avoid any form of evil, highlighting the responsibility to self-regulate one’s life in accordance with moral standards.
1 Peter 5:8-9
“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.”
Here, vigilance and resistance against evil are emphasized, portraying evil as an active, predatory force that believers must be aware of and stand against.
Galatians 5:16-17
“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.”
This scripture advises Christians to live by the Spirit to naturally counteract the evil inclinations of the flesh.
James 4:7
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
It offers a strategy for dealing with evil, which includes submission to God and active resistance against the devil.
Proverbs 4:23
“Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”
While not directly mentioning evil, this verse warns of the need for guarding one’s heart, a center of life’s issues, which can be influenced by or lead to evil if not carefully managed.
2 Timothy 2:22
“So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.”
This encourages Christians to flee from evil desires and to actively pursue virtues, indicating a proactive approach to living righteously.
Ephesians 5:11
“Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.”
Christians are called not only to avoid participating in evil but also to bring these acts to light, implying a responsibility to reveal and confront evil.
1 Corinthians 15:33
“Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company ruins good morals.'”
This warns against the corrupting influence of evil company, highlighting the need for Christians to choose their associations wisely to guard against moral decay.
These verses collectively depict a Christian life that is actively aware of and opposed to evil, promoting a lifestyle of vigilance, spiritual preparation, moral integrity, and active engagement in doing good.