The question often arises: “Why is there so much suffering and distress, need, grief and disease in the world today?” Death claims thousands of people every day, and hatred and evil reach their apogee... Why is this?
People who are far from Christianity often blame the Lord for everything. But the Word of God says this: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights” (James 1:17). The Lord Himself is the source of light, life, love, peace, joy and goodness. And even after people had gone far from the Creator and His truth, He “did not cease to testify of Himself with good deeds, giving us from heaven rain and fruitful seasons, and filling our hearts with food and joy” (Acts 14:17).
But if God gives only everything good and gracious, then where does all the evil in the world come from?
Scripture says that the struggle between good and evil is the struggle between truth and falsehood, and it has been waged since time immemorial, beginning in heaven. Some angels rebelled against God and His rule. “And there was war in heaven: Michael and His angels fought against them, but they did not stand, and there was no longer a place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that ancient serpent, called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world, he was cast out to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him” (Rev. 12:7-9). Thus, the forces of evil appeared on our land. In all centuries they have tried to distract people from God and instill in the hearts of people a spirit of disobedience and indignation against Him.
There are many different opinions about Satan. Most people who use his name in conversation don't know much about him. In the above text, some information is secretly conveyed about Satan as a certain person. His name is the devil and Satan, which means deceiver and slanderer. He is busy seducing the entire universe.
Prayer for protection from evil
There are many such prayers on the Internet, but quite often they are of an incantatory nature and are available on sites promoting magic. And the most powerful Orthodox Christian prayer of this kind is contained in each ikos of the akathist of the Intercession of the Mother of God and it sounds like this:
“Rejoice, our Joy, cover us from all evil with Your honest omophorion.”
Yes, it is the Mother of God, being also the Mother of all Orthodox Christians (cf. John 19: 26-27), who covers us from all evil with Her ineffable mercy! Therefore, every prayer to Her will be such a protection from all evil!
The place of the devil's activity is the earth
His assistants are demons, that is, fallen angels or the so-called. infernal entities.
The Lord in His Word gives advice: “Put on the whole armor of God, so that you can stand against the wiles of the devil; for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in high places” (Eph. 6:11-12). It is clearly stated here that the devil and his angels are part of the spirit world. At the same time, they actively interfere in the affairs of the material world.
The Holy Scripture reveals to us the following picture of the origin of the devil: “And the word of the Lord came to me: Son of man! Weep for the king of Tire and say to him: Thus says the Lord God: You are the seal of perfection, the fullness of wisdom and the crown of beauty. You were in Eden, in the garden of God; your garments were adorned with all kinds of precious stones; ruby, topaz and diamond, peridot, onyx, jasper, sapphire, carbuncle and emerald and gold, all skillfully placed in your nests and strung on you, were prepared on the day of your creation. You were an anointed cherub to overshadow, and I appointed you for this purpose; you were on the holy mountain of God, walking among the fiery stones. You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, until iniquity was found in you. Because of the vastness of your trade, your inner being was filled with unrighteousness, and you sinned; and I cast you down as unclean from the mountain of God, expelled you, the overshadowing cherub, from among the fiery stones. Because of your beauty your heart was lifted up, because of your vanity you destroyed your wisdom; Therefore I have cast you down to the ground; I will hand you over to shame before kings” (Ezek. 28:11-17). The text describes Satan's past in some detail. Notice that he was at first “the anointed cherub to overshadow” the throne of God. In the ancient Temple of Solomon, where the Ark of the Covenant of God was kept, two angels made of pure hammered gold stood on both sides of the ark. This ark prefigured the throne of God - the original of the temple is in heaven: “The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord is his throne in heaven” (Ps. 10:4). It was there, near the throne of God, that Satan was originally located as the “overshadowing cherub.” He was created perfect. But lawlessness arose in his heart, that is, unwillingness to obey the law of God.
Some people are confused by the fact that in these verses Satan is described under the name of the king of Tire. This is not surprising, since the activities of Satan were actually inspired by him; The driving force behind the king of Tire was Satan. Describing the fall of this once glorious angel, the prophet exclaims in amazement: “How you have fallen from heaven, Lucifer, son of the dawn! He crashed to the ground, trampling the nations. And I said in your heart: I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God, I will sit on the mountain in the assembly of gods, on the edge of the north; I will ascend to the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High. But you are cast down into hell, into the depths of the pit” (Isaiah 14:12–16).
Anger - what is it?
Unsatisfactory results in expectations, desires, and actions lead to negative emotions. A large accumulation of unsatisfactoriness develops into aggression, which entails great power of destruction. So what is anger? These are negative emotions and feelings that perform a protective function. The person experiences pain and distress. He realizes that he is in a discomfort zone and tries to get out of there.
What is the cause of evil in man?
Everyone has certain hopes and dreams. When confronted with reality, they can be partially or completely destroyed. The person begins to experience pain and plunges into deep dissatisfaction. What causes anger:
- diseases of various kinds - anger is accompanied by deviant behavior, physical or emotional explosions;
- depression or stress – along with a mental disorder, irritability occurs;
- increased anxiety - occurs with constant worry, may be accompanied by outbursts of anger;
- lack of attention - lack of attention from others, especially if there is no mutual attention, is expressed in sudden outbursts of rage;
- denial of personal emotions is a direct path to anger, holding back resentment leads to aggression;
- lack of sleep - the nervous system is exhausted, behavior becomes inadequate and unpredictable;
- weakness of character - susceptibility to manipulation leads to a state of resentment and embitterment.
What does anger do to a person?
Bitterness has become an epidemic and has become a major problem in society. An angry person loses the respect of others, loses love, sympathy and general satisfaction. Anger paralyzes, makes you weak, leads to aggression, useless suffering and senseless torment of yourself. Bad for health. With severe anger, a large release of cortisone and adrenaline occurs, which provokes pain in the back of the head and neck, severe headaches, stomach ulcers, etc.
Scripture calls the devil "Daystar", the morning star
Comparing this description with the above from Revelation 12:7-9, which describes the war in heaven, we find that when this angel was cast out from the presence of God, he became Satan. He wanted to be equal to God and envied the glory and power of the Creator. Using his powers and his wisdom for evil, he deceived many angels and convinced them to take part in his rebellion against God. As a result of this, he and his angels were expelled from heaven. Christ says: “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning” (Luke 10:18). Since then, the earth has been the field of his activity and the site of the battle between good and evil, truth and lies.
Scripture says about Satan that he deceives the entire Universe. Therefore, it is difficult for us to understand why many inhabitants of our planet mistake him for someone else. The modern misunderstanding of the personality of the devil is largely a consequence of caricatures that became especially popular in the Middle Ages. To reduce their fear of the king of darkness, people made fun of him, portraying him as a funny and repulsive creature with a pitchfork and a tail. A pitchfork was placed in his hand, a feeble-minded grin was depicted on his face, and at the sight of such an image the question involuntarily arose: “Who would be afraid of such a funny figure?”
The truth, however, is that the devil is a highly intelligent being, a powerful and talented spirit with the gift of endless ingenuity. His arguments are brilliant and he is an excellent sophist. His plans are subtle and the logic is almost irrefutable. The powerful opponent of God is not a galloping creature with horns and a tail, but a majestic prince of “this age” with unlimited strength and a subtle mind, capable of using every opportunity to prove himself, able to turn any situation in his favor. The devil is quite capable of producing the false prophet that the Bible warns about. From the ruins of modern unbelief and doubt, Satan will create a false king, the Antichrist. He will form a religion without a Savior, build a church without Christ, call to serve him without God’s word. About his great power of deception we read: “And no wonder: for Satan himself disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:14). The masterpiece of his endless temptation is that the devil has convinced many people that he does not exist.
At the present historical moment, two powerful trinities stand face to face: the Most Holy Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) and the false trinity, the worship of which he wants to achieve from humanity. The trinity of Satan (the devil, the Antichrist and the false prophet) is described in the Revelation of John the Theologian: “And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet” (Rev. 16:13).
Are ordinary animals prone to Machiavellianism?
It could be argued that simpler animals are also capable of a rudimentary form of Machiavellianism. Some butterflies protect themselves by imitating another species that is toxic or inedible to birds. The anglerfish is so named because of the long thread protruding from its head, with a growth at the end that resembles a fish or worm. This is how it attracts small fish, which it hunts.
In other words, there is good reason to believe that the deliberate deception underlying Machiavellianism has very deep evolutionary roots. It's just a useful survival strategy.
How do those who deny the devil explain the speed with which evil spreads?
How do they interpret the endless obstacles that arise in the path of the righteous? By what arguments can they dissuade the fact that destruction and destruction spread with lightning speed, while creative work and restoration proceed so terribly slowly? Throw false words into the air, spread slander - and, as if by magic, these words will immediately reach the most remote places. But tell the truth, do a generous, honest act - and invisible forces will immediately get to work, trying to hide and darken this tiny ray of light and hope.
It would seem that no one voluntarily erects temples in honor of the devil (except perhaps open Satanists), no one builds pulpits from which his sermons are delivered. But the words of the king of darkness are heard everywhere, and too often the world turns them into desperate actions. If there are no invisible forces trying to discredit human hearts and distort thoughts in favor of evil, then how can you explain human readiness to listen to everything low, vile and vicious, while people remain deaf to the pure, good and bright? Scripture directly points to Satan's dominion over the world in his word: “...I will give you the power over all kingdoms and the glory of them, for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I want” (Luke 4:6). Christ also says that the father of all lies is Satan: “He was a murderer from the beginning and did not stand in the truth, for there is no truth in him; when he speaks a lie, he speaks his own…” (John 8:44); “The prince of this world comes and has nothing in Me” (John 14:30).
God did not create an enemy and a bearer of evil for Himself, as Islam, for example, claims. He created a beautiful angel with free will, with the ability to choose. God created man with similar qualities. What prompted the lucky cherub to rebel against his Creator? We will obviously never know this secret. If the reasons for the rebellion at the throne of God could be understood and explained, then this would already be an excuse for the existence of sin. But there is no explanation or excuse for sin. Christian philosophy and theology do not provide an answer to the origin of evil in Satan as the original source of this evil. Evil is a paradoxical negative quantity that parasitizes on the absence of good. Like a shadow that only appears when the sun is present. One thing is clear - the source of fall, sin and death is the demon.
Psychopathy and chimpanzees
It may come as a surprise, but some animals seem really nasty. One example would be chimpanzees. They were examined for traits such as boredom, inability to understand punishment, tantrums and the ability to tease others. When combined, these traits may indicate psychopathy. In addition, chimpanzees are prone to killing not only their relatives, but also their cubs. Scientists have concluded that there is evidence of psychopathy in chimpanzees. In addition, some features of human psychopathy, such as risk-taking and lack of generosity, have been found in great apes. As in humans, male monkeys appeared to be more susceptible to these traits than females.
St. Petersburg and other regions with the largest increase in crime in 2020
Scientists from the Urals and India have created an edible film from seaweed
A simple way to grow a new flower from the stump of a wilted orchid
God does not recognize any other service than love, because He Himself is love
No one can be forced to love. This is the free choice of every person. God showed His love by giving rational beings the opportunity to make their choice. The choice was not made in favor of the Creator, and gradually evil flooded the world. Christ came to destroy the works of the devil: “And just as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also received the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Heb. 2:14). Christ came into the world to “seek and save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). Evil will not always exist in the world. There is a limit to Satan's reign. In Revelation 12:12 we read, “Woe to those who dwell on the earth and on the sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, knowing that he has not much time left.” This ruler of darkness knows that the day of reckoning is approaching. This day of Judgment was destined for the devil and his angels (demons). People who continue to live under his influence, to do his will, and who do not confess their sins, will suffer the same fate as him: “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41).
Thus, evil and its ancestor exist only until the time determined by God, and its end is already predetermined. But today we still live under their constant threat. In order to lead a godly life in such a world, to resist the wiles of the devil and not to suffer the same fate as him, we are given advice in Scripture: “Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Pet. 5:8). And in the same way the Apostle James instructs: “Submit yourselves therefore to God; resist the devil, and he will flee from you; draw near to God, and he will draw near to you; Cleanse your hands, you sinners; straighten your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:7–8).
Professor Chernyshev V.M.
Human tendency towards sadism
Everyday sadism is defined as taking pleasure in cruelty. It can help a person maintain power and dominance. Here we can give the example of Vlad Tsepish, better known as Dracula, who was able to keep his enemies on the border of his own kingdom by hanging the bodies of the dead. So he showed potential invaders what could happen to them if they crossed the border. But is there a place for sadistic behavior among animals?
Bringing the rose bush back to life after winter: how to properly reanimate flowers
Photo of asteroid 2001 FO32, which flew safely past Earth
The craftswoman showed what beauty she makes from egg trays: there’s no shame in giving as a gift
