The Nature of Evil

When Vladimir Putin was asked what he thought when Ronald Reagan referred to the Soviet Union as an "evil empire," he said he wasn't bothered by it. He said it was just a way of speaking about an enemy, basically, just rhetoric, and nothing truly offensives.

He was then asked if he thought the same about George Bush referring to Osama bin Ladin as evil. Putin's response was "No. That was mild language. The Muslim extremists truly are evil, because we are but dust to them."

Wow. "We are but dust to them." What an accurate and succinct definition of evil. To look at man as nothing more than dust, and hence of virtually no value is a valid depiction of evil. Satan himself sees man as no more than dust, and he brings evil into the world by devaluing man.

What you value, you cherish and protect. You don't destroy. You don't diminish it.

By way of example, this is the evil of the "theory of evolution." Granted there is scientific evidence for development and change within species over time. But to take it back to some primordial soup, or even to random atoms and molecules that were somehow charged into life by some random "bang," reduces man to dust, and relegates moral values to a system of situationally based social mores. Man has no real value other than what society places on him, and that can change from society to society, culture to culture, and time to time. This is where "situation ethics" and the "if-it-feels-good-do-it" philosophy of the 60's (which have stuck with us in varying forms and degrees ever since) came from. If there is no God, there are no absolutes - or at least no moral basis for absolutes - everything is based on chemical or electronic nerve impulses.

Is this about "creationism" or a "young earth?" No. This is about evil. This is about the basis for placing a value on man that is greater than dust.

Theft is evil because it sees man as no more than dust.
Adultery is evil because it sees man as no more than dust.
Murder is evil because it sees man as no more than dust.
Terrorism is evil because it sees man as no more than dust.

God is the opposite. God took dust, shaped it, stooped down and breathed into it the breath of life, and created man.