Many people scoff when they hear the words wicked or evil. They see them as words from a horror story or the dark ages where terrible atrocities were performed in the name of a church or an empire. Wickedness has an “Old Testament” biblical ring with words like hellfire, dammed, brimstone, eternal torment, hell and of evil. Modern educated people would delegate these words to the realms of fiction with no part in the 21st century.

Others believe that within our universe there is “balance”, with opposition in all things. Wherever there is wrong, on the other end of the balancing scale there will be right, so “balance” is restored. Death and birth could also be seen as a balance. Devastating famine is balanced by human kindness where millions of people give of their surplus to feed those in need thousands of miles away or on their doorstep. Drought is balanced by volunteers from many churches digging wells in arid countries and piping fresh water into dusty villages.

The laws in this universe that we live in cannot change. Take the law of gravity, once the apple falls from the tree it will keep falling until it hits the ground, or someone catches it. The moon causes the tides to rise and fall on earth nearly 400,000 km away, we cannot change that. The Sun nearly 150,000,000 km away gives us light and heat but also the gravity of the sun keeps the Earth and all the other planets of our solar system in orbit around the sun. There is no other physical force in our solar system that could stop these forces of gravity.

Gravity is only one of many laws which govern this universe. Scientists, philosophers, farmers, doctors, dieticians, musicians, athletes, computer programmers have discovered thousands more. Farmers can tell you about “the law of the harvest” that you reap what you sow, you can’t plant wheat and reap grapes. Computer programmers will tell you “Rubbish in, rubbish out”. We cannot escape the laws of the universe; all we can do is recognise the laws and do our best to adhere to them.

WE have evidence all around us of good people, good programs, donations for good causes, food banks, volunteer groups, AA, NA, GA etc. Within this universe and especially on this Earth good and evil are real. Most people walk a neutral path somewhere in the middle. They are generally nice people who rarely do something wrong, like losing control of emotions, being selfish, telling a lie or thinking you (family, nation, religion) are better than someone else. Remember, that in the “Balance” of the universe there is Evil, real evil. There are evil individuals, evil groups or gangs, evil organisations and evil governments.

Evil governments indoctrinate their hate, their pretended superiority and their lies into the hearts and minds of their beautiful children until they are as corrupted as those who moulded their characters. Unfortunately, these governments, regimes, gangs and organizations not only the manipulate their own young but they spread the evil ideals to other people through the mass and social media platforms imbedded in everyday chatter and lovely heartwarming animal or baby videos.

The bible warns us that in the last days people will call good evil and evil good. Maybe that is where we are now? Evil groups project their own evil on to those who are good to confuse people like you and me who want to be on the good side. “Nazi” is a term they frequently use; Putin’s line is that he is trying to get the Nazis out of Ukraine and return it to glorious Russian control. Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas refer to the most persecuted people on Earth (the Jews) as Nazis and unfortunately many impressionable youth are fooled. The forces of evil are clever and they infiltrate organisations that are influential like UNRWA, UN, the international Red Cross, WHO to name but a few. Forces of evil within these organisations are like a very big tail wagging a very small dog.

Most people I know are good people, trying their best, but evil is spreading like a virus across the world. It is hard to see or hear because it is like the recent Covid epidemic it is sneaky; it catches you unaware. Disguised forces for evil are trying to destroy you, me and all our families and all that is good in the world. As sure as good is real, evil is equally real. They are two sides of the same universal balance, which side will you be on?