Much of our combat against evil will come readily enough as we live out our vocations, e.g. as parents, as children, as neighbors, as employees, as members of a church, as citizens of a nation-state, etc. In all of these relationships, living from Christian faith will involve us in struggles against evil within and without us.
Every Christian of years of discernment should be a person who prays -- in the Name of Jesus. We will offer praises, confessions and supplications for ourselves, intercessions for others, etc.
These seem to me things about which no fundamental debate is plausible.
This notion of evil came into greater focus for me when I ventured into transhumanist circles and discussions about the singularity and immortality.
It seemed to me that the transhumanist collectively dismissed this notion of "evil" and thus undercut any solid and substantial motivation to be immortal. In other words, the only reason to seek immortality would be the desire to relentlessly fight evil. In a sense, this gave recognition to the idea that immortality here on earth could not possibly be motivated by sheer pleasure-seeking.
17 October 2012 at 23:58
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If all that happens in the world is to the ultimate Good, then why fight evil? Resist it, endure it - yes - but why fight? Isn't that like fighting God's will?
The short answer is that Christians should fight evil, because the evil in this world is from Satan, not God.
And, although Satan (like everything else) is from God, in this world we are (obviously!) meant to fight Satan and his servants (angelic and human) - this is spiritual warfare.
Equally obviously, in this world although we may win battles we will lose this war, because we are weaker. It is a long defeat, ending in the end of this world.
But we are meant to fight the long defeat, and that is service to God; since the only alternative is to serve Satan as accomplice, slave or dupe.
"Why Christians should *fight* evil: a short answer"
2 Comments -
Much of our combat against evil will come readily enough as we live out our vocations, e.g. as parents, as children, as neighbors, as employees, as members of a church, as citizens of a nation-state, etc. In all of these relationships, living from Christian faith will involve us in struggles against evil within and without us.
Every Christian of years of discernment should be a person who prays -- in the Name of Jesus. We will offer praises, confessions and supplications for ourselves, intercessions for others, etc.
These seem to me things about which no fundamental debate is plausible.
16 October 2012 at 19:04
This notion of evil came into greater focus for me when I ventured into transhumanist circles and discussions about the singularity and immortality.
It seemed to me that the transhumanist collectively dismissed this notion of "evil" and thus undercut any solid and substantial motivation to be immortal. In other words, the only reason to seek immortality would be the desire to relentlessly fight evil. In a sense, this gave recognition to the idea that immortality here on earth could not possibly be motivated by sheer pleasure-seeking.
17 October 2012 at 23:58