For many people standing at the threshold of faith, one question stops them cold: How can a good and all-powerful God exist alongside a world drenched in suffering? This was not merely an abstract puzzle for C.S. Lewis \u2014 it was deeply personal. He lost his mother to cancer as a child, and decades later watched his wife, Joy, die from the same disease. Evil pressed in on him from every direction.<\/p>\n
Lewis engaged the challenge on two fronts. Intellectually, he wrestled it to the ground in The Problem of Pain.<\/strong><\/em><\/span> Emotionally, he bled openly in A Grief Observed.<\/strong><\/em><\/span> What makes Lewis such a trustworthy guide is precisely that he refused to separate the two.<\/p>\n He also recognized that no worldview gets a pass on this question. Every philosophy \u2014 secular or sacred \u2014 must account for why suffering and evil exist. Lewis did not flinch, and neither can we.<\/p>\n His eventual conclusion was striking: evil, far from disproving God, may actually point toward Him.<\/strong><\/span> If something can be genuinely called evil, then an absolute moral standard must exist against which it is measured. Absolute standards require an absolute source. That source, Lewis argued, is God.<\/p>\n Lewis came to understand humanity as inhabiting a good creation that had gone profoundly wrong \u2014 not because God authored evil, but because He granted human beings the capacity for genuine moral choice, a capacity that carries the terrible possibility of choosing against the good.<\/p>\n Can we apply Lewis’s concepts, allowing for a spiritual conclusion to the question, “Is evil a significant factor in the behavior of people?”<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Applying C.S. Lewis’s concepts of evil to the discussion of online behavior provides a unique spiritual perspective:<\/p>\n 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:<\/p>\n \u2022 Genuine Expressions of Malice:<\/strong><\/em> <\/span>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. 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.<\/p>\n \u2022 Online Platforms as Hosts:<\/strong><\/em> <\/span>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. \u2022 The Standard of Good:<\/strong><\/em> <\/span>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. 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.<\/p>\n \u2022 Resistance and Recovery:<\/strong><\/em> <\/span>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. 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.<\/p>\n 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:<\/p>\n \u2022 Teaching and Living by Biblical Values:<\/strong><\/em> <\/span>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. Fundamental Christians, through these actions, can not only reactively address evil 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.<\/p>\n The Bible does not hand us a philosophical treatise on evil \u2014 it hands us a sword, a shield, and marching orders.<\/p>\n What the Scriptures make unmistakably clear is this: evil is not merely a theological problem to be solved in a seminary classroom. It is an active, relentless, predatory reality pressing against every believer’s door today<\/em><\/strong><\/span>. The apostle Peter didn’t say the devil once prowled<\/em> or occasionally wanders<\/em><\/span><\/strong> \u2014 he said he prowls continuously<\/em><\/span><\/strong>, like a lion that hasn’t eaten, circling, patient, waiting for the unguarded moment. That image is meant to wake us up.<\/p>\n And yet the church is largely asleep.<\/p>\n We live in a cultural moment that has nearly perfected the art of spiritual distraction.<\/strong> <\/span>We are entertained, comfortable, and chronically overextended \u2014 and in that fog, we have lost the sharp-edged awareness the New Testament demands. Paul’s language in Ephesians 6 is the language of a combat soldier, not a Sunday morning churchgoer sipping coffee. He speaks of schemes, of cosmic powers, of rulers of darkness. These are not metaphors for mild inconvenience. They describe a war that is already underway \u2014 one in which your soul is the contested territory.<\/p>\n Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.<\/strong> <\/span>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. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.<\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n So what does it mean to respond faithfully?<\/p>\n It means, first, to<\/strong> <\/em>wake up<\/em>.<\/strong><\/span> Proverbs 4:23 places the responsibility squarely on your shoulders: keep your heart with all vigilance<\/em>.<\/strong><\/span> Not occasionally. Not when it’s convenient. With all<\/em><\/strong><\/span> vigilance \u2014 because from that hidden interior place flow the streams that shape everything else about your life. What are you feeding your heart? What voices are you inviting in? What compromises have you labeled harmless that are quietly reshaping your affections?<\/p>\n It means, second, to<\/strong> <\/em>suit up<\/em>.<\/strong><\/span> The armor Paul describes in Ephesians 6 is not decorative. Truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, the Word of God \u2014 these are not abstract virtues to be admired from a distance. They are weapons to be worn and wielded. The Christian who neglects Scripture, who skips prayer, who isolates from the body of Christ, is a soldier who has walked onto the battlefield naked. Good intentions are not armor.<\/p>\n It means, third, to<\/em><\/strong><\/span> stand firm \u2014 and push back<\/em>.<\/strong><\/span> James 4:7 is both a promise and a prescription: Submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee.<\/em><\/strong><\/span> Notice the sequence. Resistance without submission is mere willpower, and willpower is exactly the resource evil is most patient in outlasting. But the believer who has genuinely surrendered to God carries an authority the enemy cannot match. Resistance rooted in that surrender does not merely hold the line \u2014 it drives darkness back.<\/p>\n And it means, finally, to<\/strong> <\/em>do good offensively<\/em>.<\/strong><\/span> Romans 12:21 does not simply tell you to avoid evil. It commands you to overcome<\/em><\/strong><\/span> it \u2014 with good. This is active. This is directional. Darkness does not retreat simply because light is present somewhere in the building. It retreats when light advances<\/em><\/strong><\/span>. Every act of genuine love, every moment of courageous truth-telling, every time you choose integrity when compromise would have been easier \u2014 these are not small things. They are the front lines of the oldest war in human history.<\/p>\n C.S. Lewis understood, after years of grief, intellectual struggle, and raw wrestling with God, that the proper response to evil is not despair and not denial. It is trust forged in the fire of honest confrontation \u2014 and then faithful, daily action.<\/p>\n The problem of evil is real. The pain is real. The enemy is real.<\/p>\n But so is the armor. So is the promise. So is the God who shouts to us through our suffering and who has already, in Christ, delivered the decisive blow against evil at Calvary.<\/p>\n The question is not whether the battle is winnable.<\/p>\n The question is whether you will show up for it.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”<\/em> <\/strong><\/span>\u2014 Romans 12:21 (ESV)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" For many people standing at the threshold of faith, one question stops them cold: How can a good and all-powerful God exist alongside a world drenched in suffering? This was not merely an abstract puzzle for C.S. Lewis \u2014 it was deeply personal. He lost his mother to cancer as a child, and decades later…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2254,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[61,126,57],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2253","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culture","category-moral-decline","category-religion"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/novus2.com\/righteouscause\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/problem-of-evil.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/novus2.com\/righteouscause\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2253","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/novus2.com\/righteouscause\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/novus2.com\/righteouscause\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novus2.com\/righteouscause\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novus2.com\/righteouscause\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2253"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/novus2.com\/righteouscause\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2253\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7538,"href":"https:\/\/novus2.com\/righteouscause\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2253\/revisions\/7538"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novus2.com\/righteouscause\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2254"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/novus2.com\/righteouscause\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2253"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novus2.com\/righteouscause\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2253"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novus2.com\/righteouscause\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2253"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Realness and Unnaturalness of Evil:<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
\n\u2022 The Internet as a Mirror:<\/strong><\/em> <\/span>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.
\n\u2022 The Spiritual Dimension:<\/strong> <\/em><\/span>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.<\/p>\nParasitic Nature of Evil:<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
\n\u2022 The Spread of Toxicity:<\/strong><\/em> <\/span>Just like a biological parasite, toxic ideas or behaviors spread from one host to another. An online community might start with the best intentions\u2014perhaps 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.
\n\u2022 Community Decay:<\/strong><\/em> <\/span>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.
\n\u2022 Interpersonal Relationships:<\/strong> <\/em><\/span>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 a 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.
\n\u2022 Individual Psyche:<\/strong><\/em><\/span> 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.
\n\u2022 Healing the Host:<\/strong> <\/em><\/span>Lewis’s view implicitly suggests that combating this evil involves strengthening the host\u2014our 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.<\/p>\nArgument for God’s Existence:<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
\n\u2022 The Moral Law:<\/strong> <\/em><\/span>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.
\n\u2022 Human Behavior and the Online World:<\/strong> <\/em><\/span>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.
\n\u2022 The Need for a Moral Framework:<\/strong> <\/em><\/span>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.
\n\u2022 The Divine Origin:<\/strong> <\/em><\/span>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.
\n\u2022 Personal and Spiritual Implications:<\/strong><\/em> <\/span>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.<\/p>\nThe Role of Good in Overcoming Evil:<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
\n\u2022 The Theological Angle:<\/strong><\/em> <\/span>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.
\n\u2022 Evil as a Teacher:<\/strong> <\/em><\/span>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.
\n\u2022 Spiritual Warfare:<\/strong> <\/em><\/span>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.<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 Community Engagement and Service:<\/strong><\/em><\/span> 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,”<\/strong><\/em><\/span> reducing the conditions that might foster evil behaviors like despair or crime.
\n\u2022 Cultural and Media Influence:<\/strong><\/em> <\/span>Creating or supporting media (books, films, music) that uplift, encourage, and promote stories of redemption, hope, and moral integrity.
\n\u2022 Prayer and Spiritual Warfare:<\/strong> <\/em><\/span>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.
\n\u2022 Personal Transformation:<\/strong> <\/em><\/span>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.<\/p>\nConclusion: The Call to Stand<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
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