190 Word or Less

I was asked two weeks ago to write an article for the Minneapolis Star and Tribune for the Faith and Values section of the Sunday newspaper tomorrow. I have not seen the final copy yet but they said if I could keep my words under 190 or less that they would not edit it. I guess I will see tomorrow.

Now this is the question that they asked me to answer in 190 words.

What is truly evil ?

Imagine, she asked me to do it in 190 words or less. She said that she was starting a new column and that she thought of me first. Imagine, I am a pastor of a church that has never been over 125 people and it is made up of students and staff from the University of Minnesota. Why would she think of me first? Well, enough of this speculation. Here is my answer as I sent it to her.

What Is Truly Evil?
By Bruce K. Harpel

By definition, evil is the opposite of God. God is selfless, charitable love. Therefore evil is equal to hate or any form of false love. God is light. Therefore evil is anything that is grey or dark. Light prevails over darkness. God is full of faith and hope. Therefore evil is anything that causes fear, doubt, and hopelessness. God is order. Therefore satan is the god of confusion. God has come to give life and life more abundantly. Therefore evil is anything that destroys life. God is truth. Therefore evil is anything that compromises the clear and simple truths of life.

In all the hustle and bustle around us there is a source of simple good. These truths have been there much longer than our current leaders. Millennia longer. Fads of good and evil come and go, but the simple good remains unchanged. The question of “What is truly evil?” evidences a simple error in the inquirer. Evil, like good is not relative to the perceiver. Evil is defined by good. God defines evil.

Well, all you can do is simply launch the plane. Then you see if it flies.