The Holiday Season
In trying to find the Peace on Earth that the Season promises, sometimes you have to reflect back on the human capacities for good and evil.
The human capacity for evil, as despicable and undesirable as it is, is no less a human trait than our capacity for goodness, love, kindness, and empathy.
Until and unless our species evolves to the point where human nature is more benign and perfect than it is presently, there will always be evil in the world. Just as there are those persons who have a tremendous sense of goodness at one end of the spectrum, there are those at the other end who are capable of the most grotesque atrocities. Unfortunately, there is no sure way of identifying all of those capable or likely of committing great evil in advance. To quote Solzhenitsyn, “If only it were all so simple! If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being.”
All we can do is try to make evil as small a denominator in the human heart as possible.
The White Wolf Mine, Two Years Ago
"But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being."
The line is shaped like a cross.
Thanks for the salutory homily on the falleness of human nature, which some don't believe in. I find that remarkable, just look at Bloomberg, Epstein and the Crone, to name but three.
But per Ed, let's not discount the effects of grace.
Like most everyone, I've found myself on the wrong side of that divide and done things I'm not proud of. Doing the right thing may take more effort, but is well worthwhile in the end, and you'll feel better about yourself.
Everything good and worthwhile starts with a solid foundation. Nice juxtaposition in your Two-Fer, and your succinct commentary on Good v Evil, that battle within as well as out.
We live in a fallen world so the struggle is real, which is exactly why God sent his only Son in the humblest of ways…for us…the true meaning of Christmas.
I went Christmas shopping for the 7 year old grandson at Walmart yesterday. I was amazed at all of the wonderful people shopping and working there. I think it is the economy giving people one less thing to worry about at Christmas time … just a guess. Even the lady with the scarf on her head in charge of self check was very pleasant.
Indeed it is.
Grace is granted to all of us, but our reaction to it is not the same.
We can all change our path in life. But evil people enjoy the evil. They roll in it, they eat it, they sweat it, and they revel in it.
That's how I see it.
This time of year, some people's hearts are softened. It would be nice if we could extend it through the entire year, but I'm afraid that's asking too much.
Agreed.
Powerful post.
Well said. And you've come a LONG way in 2 years…
A long way and a lot of cheddar.
I guess the only peace on Earth any of us can hope for is the peace you experience when you have peace in your mind.
I'm afraid that's the case, John.
Peace on Earth is easy!
All you have to do is kill every Human except one.
I'm giving the rest of the plant and animal kingdoms a pass on "peacefulness", for the sake of this premise.
That pic is certainly a great way to make yourself happy with the progress, LL!
Too many people always look at everything from every side but the good ones.
-Kle.
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