Expert: Rev. Robert Woods - 10/22/2010

Question
Would you mind taking the time to answer some of my questions? I am worried that some paths that I have taken are the wrong ones and i am worried how they will affect my path to God. I do not wish to tell you what I have done, but if you will answer the questions below it would help me greatly.
1. What do you consider evil to be?(please give an example)
2. What does your religion consider evil to be?(give an example if possible)
3. Do YOU believe individual circumstances can change what is considered to be evil? e.g. someone with a medical disorder commits an evil act, is it still evil?
4. Does your religion believe individual circumstances can change what is considered to be evil?
5. How does your religion punish evil acts?
6. Does the law of your country punish evil acts in a way that is similar to how your religion punishes it?

Thankyou for taking the time to answer my questions to the best of your ability.

Answer
Blessings and thank you for your question.

1 & 2.  Evil - a short answer would be anything that goes against the will of God.  In Christianity, the problem of evil is called theodicy.  Theodicy refers to different types of evil:  moral evil, pain and suffering, and natural evil.  Moral evil is the evil that is caused by human beings and their sin.  Pain and suffering are the physical or mental sensation of hurt that is caused by moral evil or natural evil.  Natural evil are things that occur naturally like earthquakes, tornadoes, disease, or famine.  

I believe that God created the universe.  He brought the world out of chaos.  Nothing existed before God created the world, not even evil.  God is the ultimate good.  Anything he creates is by fact good.  God created angels before man.  He created the angels perfect and good.  He gave the angels a free will.  Some of the angels freely choose evil.   This choice of evil was a turning away from God.  Any turning away from God is sin and is evil.  
God created mankind.  He created man perfect and good.  He gave man a free will.  Man was tempted by the fallen angels and choose evil.  This choice of evil was a turning away from God.  Mankind sinned for the first time.  No man, but Jesus Christ, has been able to stay focused on God.  
I believe that every man in every generation makes this choice between good and evil.  Every man, but Jesus, has chosen sin and turned away from God.  I don't think we are born sinners.  We choose to be sinners.  A child is innocent until that child makes the choice.  
Because every man in every generation has chosen sin,
mankind has been condemned to death.  "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)  "For the wages of sin is death." (Romans 6:23)  "Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned." (Romans 5:12)

3.  Circumstance:  in some ways circumstance does change evil.  For instance, killing someone is evil.  But if you kill someone to save another's life (like a policeman would do) then it would not be evil.  God doesn't want any human killing any other human, but there are circumstances that permit it.

4.  Evil is evil regardless, it is man that needs to justify his actions.  

5.  Christ said that God is the judge not us.  God provides the ultimate justice in this world and the next.  Although it appears to us that His justice is delayed, it is assured.  

6.  The system of justice in America was founded on the New Testment and Old Testament of the Bible.  Although justice in America has moved from this view.