Justifying Evil
My core value is simplicity. Sometimes, that value, ironically, makes things more complicated. Sometimes, it gives the clarity needed to see the world around me for what it is.
But someone will say, “You have faith and I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.
James 2:18 (BSB)
What you do matters. It shows what you believe.
They say, actions speak louder than words.
So what are we doing, really.
What we're doing is locking people (people made in the image of God) into cages and murdering anyone who gets in our way.
That is, simply, what we are doing.
Is that evil?
I'd say so.
Thou shalt not kill. (Exodus 20)
For if you really correct your ways and deeds, if you act justly toward one another, if you no longer oppress the foreigner and the fatherless and the widow, and if you no longer shed innocent blood in this place or follow other gods to your own harm, then I will let you live in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers forever and ever. (Jeremiah 7)
‘I tell you, as often as you failed to do it to one of these, however unimportant, you failed to do it to me.’ (Matthew 25)
What we're doing is evil.
But we justify it.
We justify it with fiction.
Such and such rule (fiction) says that if you cross this and that line (fiction) you are evil so I am justified to commit evil against you.
We're not called to return evil for evil.
Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. And do not plot evil in your hearts against one another.’ But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder; they stopped up their ears from hearing. They made their hearts like flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the LORD of Hosts had sent by His Spirit through the earlier prophets. Therefore great anger came from the LORD of Hosts.
Zechariah 7 (BSB)
Not only are we doing what has been explicitly commanded to not be done, we have created institutions of fiction to justify our evil.
We've chosen to listen to the laws of man instead of the Law of God.
Our actions expose who it is we truly desire to worship. We choose to worship the god of this world. We worship fear. We worship the oppression of Christ. We bow down to the Deceiver.
At that time many will fall away and will betray and hate one another, and many false prophets will arise and mislead many. Because of the multiplication of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.
Matthew 24 (BSB)
Our love has grown cold. Cold as ICE.
You are Love. Warm up.