Error, Deadly Sin, and Christ

Introduction-Why Write this Book?

The Phenomenon of Confusion around Evil

At the dawn of this book, I ought to make it clear why one should study and speak about the reality of sin.  It can be a daunting task to place ourselves into a penitential place where we expose our mind and heart to the “not so pretty” dimension of living in our fallen world.  Fear might meet us as we begin this book – a fear that might even cause us to put it down and look for something more comforting.  These reflections are the antithesis of “fluffy” and “sunshine and rainbows!” We are addressing the jagged, dark, smoky, violent, gross, and messy dimension that is both a real and unreal experience.  We might ask why someone would pick up such a book.  How could they dare to read about the darker things in life, especially if the implication is that such darkness exists within themselves?

Part of the reason is that some see evil as good, and good as evil.  There is an ever-strange experience and observation throughout human history that what one thinks is evil and sinful, another thinks of as a value or heroic act. 

And this presents us with a real problem that needs to be addressed.  That is: division. Humanity is strongly divided against itself because of our concepts of good and the evil – and if we care about unity and harmony, we will sit down and discuss the elephant in the room.  If we attempt to move “beyond good and evil,” all we are doing is ignoring that elephant.  Such a philosophy of transcending good and evil is impossible. Nietzsche would have considered such transcendence good, and the failure to transcend it as evil.  In other words, Nietzsche contradicts himself about the categories of good and evil by espousing a philosophy he considers good. It’s inescapable – good and evil are the very basic drawing and repulsing dimensions to the human spirit.