Evil is a word bandied about these days, used to describe people, groups, and institutions that commit violent, vile, abominable acts against innocents. The word evil is also used to describe offending political and social beliefs. In Evangelical circles, the word evil is used to describe human behaviors that run afoul of their interpretations of the Bible or standards. Thus, two people of the same sex engaging in sexual intercourse are evil. Both the person and the act are evil.
Scores of Evangelicals have emailed or messaged me to let me know that I am “evil.” Never mind the fact that I have never committed evil. My beliefs and/or behavior offend these riders of the high moral plains, so I am given the “evil” label.
Evil is used so often that the word has lost a lot of its power and meaning. There was a time when we reserved the word evil for Hitler and Stalin. Today, a person is evil just because he wrote a blog post that denied the existence of God.
Israel and Hamas are currently at war. Hamas attacked Israel, killing over 1,200 people, many of whom were innocent men, women, and children. Hamas’ wanton slaughter of innocents certainly meets the qualifications for the label “evil.” I have listened to and watched a lot of programs over the past two days where Hamas was called evil. I have yet to hear a podcast host, news anchor, or Middle East expert, say the same about Israel. Oh, I heard the voices of people who recognize Israel’s barbaric response to Hamas’ attack, but none dare utter the word “evil.” To do so would be professional suicide.
Let me be clear, Hamas is evil; its murderous actions against Israel are evil. What I refuse to ignore is the fact that Israel’s treatment of the Palestinian people is evil too; that its indiscriminate bombing of Gaza is every bit as evil as the violent, murderous actions of Hamas insurgents. The West seemingly wants to give Israel a pass on its war crimes, much like they did to the United States when it invaded Iraq and Afghanistan — killing hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians.
Fundamentally, war is evil. How can it be otherwise? The goal of every war is to inflict maximum violence on your opponent, hoping that the bloodshed, carnage, and death will cause them to surrender. There’s no such thing as a “good” war. As a hypocritical pacifist, I recognize that war is inevitable; that as long as humanity is divided by race, ethnicity, economic status, resource availability, and geographical borders, men and women will kill each other, hoping to either maintain the status quo, gain power, or financially profit. That said, there’s no moral high ground when it comes to war. Calling a war “just” as Christians often do doesn’t change the fact that the machinations of war run contrary to all that is just, holy (for the religious), and good.
Bruce Gerencser, 66, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 45 years. He and his wife have six grown children and thirteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.
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Insightful and well written. When you stop to think about Israel and its behavior it goes back to us “christians” who victimized them for centuries. They are doing what they feel they have to in order to feel safe. It doesn’t excuse their behavior but would help explain it.
And the Christians fervently supporting Israel still don’t like Jews. But they hate Palestinians even more.
BJW–As I said in a previous comment, Evangelical/Fundamentalist and right-wing support for Israel is cynical: It is nothing more than the means to the end they want. If Israel and Jews didn’t serve their purposes, whether in this world or whatever they believe will supersede it, their attitude would be little different from Hitler’s. Oh, and like every war, it makes a few rich people even richer.
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Thank you, Bruce, for this sense of perspective. Yours seems to be the only sane voice among the reports and commentaries on the terrible situation in the Middle East. War is never just, never the solution.
I don’t really know what to think of the word “evil” anymore. I suppose that murdering innocent people (particularly children as some news reports are alleging) would qualify as evil.
This reminds me of a line from Conan the Barbarian.
Beggar : “A pittance to protect you from evil.”
Subotai : ” I am evil. Heh.”
Yes, there are no good guys and villains are never villains in their own eyes.
I’ve always thought Israel allowing a Hamas terrorist government on its southern border was bizarre. I’m also surprised how little resistance there was to an attack. That said, Israel’s blowing up of buildings willy-nilly seems a lot like what Russia does to Ukraine. I’m very skeptical that such attacks are getting even with the Hamas brass. Sorting out the mess in Gaza will not be pretty. Hamas loves human shields.
Well said. And I especially appreciate your thoughts on war.