GOOD & EVIL. . .

The following question has been held and debated for thousands of years: Are we humans inherently good or are we inherently evil?  Folks have come to both verbal and physical blows in response to this question.  When this question is held as an ‘either-or’ question it is not resolvable.  When it is reframed as a ‘both-and’ question it becomes a paradox that can be embraced.

A paradox means that ‘both’ polarities exist and hence both must be embraced.  ‘Good’ requires ‘Evil’ in order to exist.  ‘Pure Evil’ does not seem to exist and hence ‘Good’ always exists – even if it is lying dormant waiting to be nurtured into life.  Here is a wonder-full story that comes out of Russia that I first heard more than 40 years ago.

THE STORY: God thought of a new creature, a marvelous combination of heaven and earth.  “Do not create him!” said the Angel of Truth sternly.  “He will quickly defile your Temple and will glorify fraud on earth, temptations will hold sway everywhere!”

 “Do not create him!” prayed the Angel of Justice.  “He will be cruel, hurting every one and loving only himself.  He will be deaf to the sufferings of others, and the tears of the oppressed will not touch his heart.”

 “He will steep the earth in blood,” added the Angel of Peace, “and murder will become his occupation.  Terrors of devastation will seize the land, and fear of violent death will enter every soul.”

 And the countenance of the All-Upholder became overcast.  The marvelous combination of heaven and earth seemed mean and evil to the Ruler, and in His eternal fore-will a decision was ripening – “Not to Be. . .”

 But now before the Throne of the Life-Giver appeared, God’s youngest, best beloved Angel, Mercy.  She embraced the Father’s knees and begged:  “Create him!” 

 “When all Thy servants leave him, I will find him, help him, and change even his shortcomings into good.  I will guard him that he should not stray from the path of truth.  I will draw his heart to sympathy and will teach him to show mercy to the weakest!”

 And the face of the All-Upholder became radiant.  The marvelous combination of heaven and earth came into being, and took His form and His likeness.

 “LIVE!” breathed on him the All-Upholder, “and know that thou are the child of Mercy!”

 This, for me, is a wonder-full and grace-full and blessings-full story about our creation.  My conclusion: We cannot be the outcome of ‘Evil.’  We are truly the outcome of the better Angels – especially of the better Angel we call ‘Mercy.’