If God Is Love What is Evil?

1
00:00:00,900 --> 00:00:06,600
Well, I don't know how you feel
about background noise but I

2
00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:11,500
thought it would be refreshing
to do a short bit on our podcast

3
00:00:11,500 --> 00:00:15,100
today.
So here I am at the back end of

4
00:00:15,100 --> 00:00:17,100
Sarasota Bay.
The Sun is up.

5
00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:20,300
It's about 8:30 in the morning
and I want to spend some time

6
00:00:20,300 --> 00:00:24,300
with you and share with you some
of the things that have been

7
00:00:24,300 --> 00:00:28,000
going on recently.
And a lot of what I've been

8
00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:30,300
reading has been centered around
evil.

9
00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:34,700
You know a lot of people are
making the astute observation

10
00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:40,200
that there is a lot of evil in
the world today and now more

11
00:00:40,200 --> 00:00:44,200
than ever people are concerned
about evil.

12
00:00:46,400 --> 00:00:50,800
And the impact that it's having,
a lot of people have asked, you

13
00:00:50,800 --> 00:00:53,500
know, is there an acceleration
of evil in the world?

14
00:00:53,800 --> 00:00:58,100
Is this why we're seeing?
You know, I mean, a lot of

15
00:00:58,108 --> 00:01:00,600
people I was just watching an
interview yesterday with one of

16
00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:03,600
my favorite singers songwriters
of all time.

17
00:01:05,600 --> 00:01:10,400
On The Joe Rogan podcast, Roger
Waters, he's been an influence

18
00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:14,400
in my thinking and my music
appreciation for several

19
00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:16,800
decades.
And he's talking about the

20
00:01:17,500 --> 00:01:21,200
existential threat of World War
3 and how our leaders are.

21
00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:28,300
Sending weapons.
And Russia.

22
00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:33,600
Invading Ukraine, Bloodshed
bombs dropping Bridges.

23
00:01:34,300 --> 00:01:36,600
People are really concerned.
We've got our own president,

24
00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:39,000
talking about arm and get for
god sakes.

25
00:01:40,100 --> 00:01:43,300
Then you know there's there's
just so much other hardship with

26
00:01:43,300 --> 00:01:47,800
the human trafficking that's
going on the drug, use the

27
00:01:47,808 --> 00:01:50,800
internal conflicts from each
country's, the ideological

28
00:01:50,800 --> 00:01:53,900
struggles of each country within
each country.

29
00:01:54,300 --> 00:01:58,000
The factions that are facing off
against each other and this

30
00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:03,500
entire US versus them, you know,
everyone's a threat to democracy

31
00:02:03,500 --> 00:02:05,600
or everyone's a threat to
Liberty.

32
00:02:06,500 --> 00:02:09,800
I mean, there is a, there is a,
there's a tempest.

33
00:02:10,100 --> 00:02:13,800
No question.
I'm reading, I was lucky enough

34
00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:17,800
to have Byron bullets.
Owes said me and I hope he

35
00:02:17,808 --> 00:02:20,500
doesn't mind me sharing this
with some of his writings that

36
00:02:20,500 --> 00:02:22,800
are coming up in a book that
he's about to publish.

37
00:02:23,300 --> 00:02:27,900
And we are going to have him on
in the weeks ahead Byron has

38
00:02:27,900 --> 00:02:32,700
been with us before talking out
his last book having to do with

39
00:02:32,700 --> 00:02:36,500
the soul.
And Byron is a brilliant man.

40
00:02:36,500 --> 00:02:39,500
I'm glad he's a big fan of the
Urantia book because when you

41
00:02:39,500 --> 00:02:43,900
read his Work.
Is indeed an academic, very

42
00:02:43,900 --> 00:02:47,300
scholarly in his approach, and
his thinking, and his knowledge

43
00:02:47,300 --> 00:02:51,600
base.
Very, very smart man and it

44
00:02:51,600 --> 00:02:54,700
gives me Comfort to know that
such a smart intellect.

45
00:02:55,300 --> 00:02:59,100
Shares with me, the enthusiasm
of the fifth epochal revelation,

46
00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:06,500
so, But the subject of evil is
the subject of Byron's book,

47
00:03:06,900 --> 00:03:09,600
which is I wiii bring it about
today, and there's a lot of

48
00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:15,300
questions going back to Saint
Augustine and the Greeks.

49
00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:19,800
They thought a lot about evil.
We tried to understand what

50
00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:23,900
caused evil, what makes people
evil.

51
00:03:25,800 --> 00:03:29,300
His evil self originating is
sort of force.

52
00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:36,600
Why do people behave badly?
Now, I often times think of that

53
00:03:36,600 --> 00:03:41,000
one pair.
Exercise on the ranch a book.

54
00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:44,300
I don't know if you remember or
recall it but it talks about

55
00:03:45,100 --> 00:03:49,800
picturing a man with a club in
his hand and he's facing at you

56
00:03:50,500 --> 00:03:57,600
and his he's about to kill you.
He looks like a Savage man and

57
00:03:57,600 --> 00:04:01,800
you take from that that this is
not a good thing, this man is

58
00:04:01,800 --> 00:04:06,400
evil, but when you widen the
picture, You see that the man is

59
00:04:06,400 --> 00:04:10,400
actually fighting against a
saber-tooth tiger, trying to

60
00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:14,600
protect his family and just by
having that extra context.

61
00:04:15,900 --> 00:04:21,700
Illustrates that perception has
a lot to do with evil, I think.

62
00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:25,600
And I'm going to share with you
some really good Pros here in a

63
00:04:25,608 --> 00:04:31,300
moment from the ranch a book
from paper to about the love of

64
00:04:31,300 --> 00:04:36,400
God because it really
illustrates Very well maybe even

65
00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:40,400
unintentionally.
What God's perception of evil

66
00:04:40,400 --> 00:04:46,000
is.
As an example, you know, I have

67
00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:48,300
a cat at the cat likes to kill
things.

68
00:04:48,300 --> 00:04:53,000
Small animals, we have these
little lizards that run around

69
00:04:54,400 --> 00:05:00,600
and my cat naturally likes to
kill them and everybody in the

70
00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:05,600
family gets really upset, you
know, it's a moral indignation.

71
00:05:07,200 --> 00:05:12,000
When his cat kills a roach, or a
bug or a fly, and I say to

72
00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:14,600
myself, it's like, you know, the
cat doesn't have any moral,

73
00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:18,700
ambiguity about what he's doing.
He simply hardwired to kill that

74
00:05:18,700 --> 00:05:20,900
thing.
So there is no moral equivalence

75
00:05:21,500 --> 00:05:26,400
in the mind of a cat, but there
is the perception in the mind of

76
00:05:26,400 --> 00:05:29,600
a person.
Morality.

77
00:05:30,900 --> 00:05:34,400
And it is that morality.
I think that is instilled in US.

78
00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:42,500
Bestowed, only a moral being
Would be offended it evil.

79
00:05:43,900 --> 00:05:49,400
And so it in that statement
lies, the very truth that evil

80
00:05:49,400 --> 00:05:51,800
is often a perception, it's
transient.

81
00:05:51,800 --> 00:05:56,200
But there are also other forms
of evil as we've seen and as we

82
00:05:56,200 --> 00:05:58,500
see in the world today, with the
way that people treat each

83
00:05:58,500 --> 00:06:02,500
other, I'll give you a good
example.

84
00:06:02,500 --> 00:06:05,100
You know, in the abortion
debate, you have a group of

85
00:06:05,100 --> 00:06:07,800
people on one side who believe
that they are, right?

86
00:06:08,700 --> 00:06:12,200
And keeping abortion as a
protected, right?

87
00:06:12,700 --> 00:06:16,000
And they will fight to the death
to keep that, right?

88
00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:20,800
So they don't see that they're
doing anything wrong, but if you

89
00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:24,600
look at it from the other
perspective, people who believe

90
00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:31,700
that they're saving a child and
so they act Against the others

91
00:06:31,700 --> 00:06:34,400
who are protecting the rights of
the mother.

92
00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:37,500
And then there's the people
protecting the rights of the

93
00:06:37,500 --> 00:06:39,100
child.
So, who's, right?

94
00:06:40,300 --> 00:06:43,100
Both sides.
See the other is evil.

95
00:06:44,300 --> 00:06:47,100
But for different reasons.
So evil, sometimes is in the eye

96
00:06:47,100 --> 00:06:52,200
of the beholder.
I it all depends I'm reminded

97
00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:55,500
that there's this Phil Collins
song, both sides of the story,

98
00:06:56,000 --> 00:06:59,300
which illustrates in the lyrics,
the story of a man who was

99
00:06:59,300 --> 00:07:05,100
robbing, someone walking through
his neighborhood and the robber

100
00:07:05,100 --> 00:07:08,900
explains to the man.
Look, I'm powerless.

101
00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:14,300
But with this gun, I have power.
So it's always important to look

102
00:07:14,300 --> 00:07:19,900
at evil from the perception.
Of what's being done by whom.

103
00:07:19,900 --> 00:07:25,800
And for what reason, Evil.
I don't believe is spontaneous,

104
00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:29,400
or at least, it shouldn't be.
It is in some cases, there are

105
00:07:29,400 --> 00:07:36,700
people who derive great
satisfaction by being evil. or

106
00:07:36,700 --> 00:07:40,600
by being selfish, whatever it is
whatever, Endeavor they're

107
00:07:40,600 --> 00:07:48,100
involved with You know, if
you're into pornography or, you

108
00:07:48,100 --> 00:07:52,800
know, staying up late every
night you getting drunk or

109
00:07:54,200 --> 00:07:57,900
harassing people for pleasure.
I mean, you may not see what

110
00:07:57,900 --> 00:08:03,000
you're doing is being evil.
And then at that point, you

111
00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:06,800
know, you're Crossing into sin
and that eventually inequity

112
00:08:07,300 --> 00:08:13,200
when we learn from from not only
the Urantia book but also from

113
00:08:13,500 --> 00:08:17,200
many different sources.
Is that Lucifer fell?

114
00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:19,400
Because he fell in love with his
own self.

115
00:08:19,400 --> 00:08:24,300
His own pride pride is evil
derives itself from Pride.

116
00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:29,400
I think pride is the impetus for
True evil because pride of self

117
00:08:29,400 --> 00:08:32,100
pride.
Ride of I want this and it only

118
00:08:32,100 --> 00:08:37,500
matters to me that I get it at
any cost that in itself is evil

119
00:08:37,500 --> 00:08:42,799
because you're disregarding the
whole selfishness Pride.

120
00:08:44,200 --> 00:08:47,700
Ego.
Those are all gateways to

121
00:08:48,200 --> 00:08:53,500
inequity and remembering that
the Rancho book tells us that

122
00:08:53,600 --> 00:08:58,400
evil is relative.
It is the absence of good just

123
00:08:58,400 --> 00:09:03,000
as cold as relative in.
It's the absence of heat so let

124
00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:07,400
me look and see if I can read.
Read a little bit from paper to

125
00:09:08,500 --> 00:09:12,300
section 5 paragraph 1, the love
of God.

126
00:09:14,600 --> 00:09:18,300
God is love therefore his only
personal attitude towards the

127
00:09:18,300 --> 00:09:22,200
Affairs of the universe is
always a reaction of divine

128
00:09:22,200 --> 00:09:24,700
affection.
The Father loves us,

129
00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:28,200
sufficiently to bestow his life
upon us.

130
00:09:28,800 --> 00:09:33,700
He makes his sun right to rise
on the evil and the good and

131
00:09:33,700 --> 00:09:37,700
sends rain on the just and on
the unjust.

132
00:09:38,900 --> 00:09:42,800
It is wrong to think of God as
being coaxed into loving his

133
00:09:42,800 --> 00:09:45,100
children.
Because of the sacrifices of his

134
00:09:45,100 --> 00:09:50,200
sons, or the intercession of his
subordinate creatures, quote,

135
00:09:50,200 --> 00:09:52,200
for the father himself loves
you.

136
00:09:52,800 --> 00:09:56,800
It is in response to this
paternal affection that God

137
00:09:57,100 --> 00:09:59,800
sends The Marvelous.
Adjuster to add.

138
00:09:59,800 --> 00:10:04,900
Well, the minds of men, God's
love is universal quote.

139
00:10:05,200 --> 00:10:10,600
Whoever will may come, he would
quote have all men be saved by

140
00:10:10,600 --> 00:10:12,400
coming to the knowledge of the
truth.

141
00:10:12,800 --> 00:10:16,100
He is, quote not willing that
any should perish.

142
00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:21,700
The creators are the very first
to attempt to save man from the

143
00:10:21,700 --> 00:10:25,800
disastrous results of his
foolish transgressions of the

144
00:10:25,808 --> 00:10:29,500
Divine laws.
God's love is by nature, a

145
00:10:29,500 --> 00:10:32,700
fatherly affection.
Therefore, does he sometimes,

146
00:10:32,700 --> 00:10:38,500
quote Chason us for our own
profit that we may be partakers

147
00:10:38,900 --> 00:10:43,500
of his Holiness in quote, even
during your fiery trials,

148
00:10:43,500 --> 00:10:47,300
remember that quote in all our
affliction, Ins.

149
00:10:49,100 --> 00:10:54,000
He is Afflicted with us.
God is divinely.

150
00:10:54,000 --> 00:10:57,600
Kind to centers.
What Rebels turn to

151
00:10:57,600 --> 00:11:00,800
righteousness.
They are mercifully received

152
00:11:00,800 --> 00:11:04,400
quote for our God will
abundantly part.

153
00:11:05,700 --> 00:11:11,000
I am, he who blots out your
transgressions for my own sake

154
00:11:11,800 --> 00:11:17,000
and I will not remember your
sins and quote Quote behold what

155
00:11:17,000 --> 00:11:20,000
manner of love.
The father has bestowed upon us

156
00:11:20,700 --> 00:11:23,200
that we should be called the
sons of God.

157
00:11:24,500 --> 00:11:28,300
After all the greatest evidence
of the goodness of God and the

158
00:11:28,300 --> 00:11:33,600
Supreme reason for loving him is
the a dwelling gift of the

159
00:11:33,600 --> 00:11:36,100
Father.
The adjuster who so patiently

160
00:11:36,100 --> 00:11:40,300
awaits the hour when you shall
both be eternally, made one.

161
00:11:41,500 --> 00:11:45,100
So you cannot find God by
searching if you will submit to

162
00:11:45,108 --> 00:11:47,500
the leading of the indwelling
spirit.

163
00:11:47,800 --> 00:11:52,300
You will be unerringly guided
step-by-step Life by life,

164
00:11:52,700 --> 00:11:56,600
through Universe upon universe
and age by age.

165
00:11:57,000 --> 00:12:00,700
Until you finally stand the
presence of the paradise

166
00:12:00,700 --> 00:12:04,100
personality.
Of the universal father.

167
00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:12,600
This a lot to absorb but the
writing just unbelievable, just

168
00:12:12,600 --> 00:12:15,600
so inspiring.
How unreasonable that you should

169
00:12:15,600 --> 00:12:19,300
not worship God.
Because the limitations of human

170
00:12:19,300 --> 00:12:23,800
nature and the handicaps of your
material creation, make it

171
00:12:23,800 --> 00:12:26,800
impossible for you to see him
between you.

172
00:12:26,800 --> 00:12:31,600
And God, there is a tremendous
distance, physical space to be

173
00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:35,100
traversed.
There likewise exists, a great

174
00:12:35,100 --> 00:12:40,000
Gulf of Virtual differential,
which must be bridged, but

175
00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:43,100
notwithstanding all that
physically and spiritually

176
00:12:43,100 --> 00:12:47,900
separates you from the paradise,
personal presence of God, stop

177
00:12:47,900 --> 00:12:51,200
and Ponder.
The solemn fact that God Lives

178
00:12:51,200 --> 00:12:56,400
within you, he has in his own
way already, bridged, the Gulf,

179
00:12:57,300 --> 00:13:01,800
He has sent of himself his
Spirit to live in you and

180
00:13:01,800 --> 00:13:08,000
tutorial with you as you pursue
your Eternal Universe career.

181
00:13:10,400 --> 00:13:16,000
So again that's from paper to
section 5 paragraph 1, the love

182
00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:20,400
of God.
So again and it's perspective it

183
00:13:20,400 --> 00:13:27,600
seems to me that Evil is is
almost as much about perception

184
00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:33,600
as it is, ignorance because we
act evil out of ignorance of the

185
00:13:33,608 --> 00:13:40,100
light.
It's easier to be evil when you

186
00:13:40,108 --> 00:13:44,300
don't have God.
I think when you have God, you

187
00:13:45,200 --> 00:13:49,600
you you instantly recognize when
you're about to do something

188
00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:52,800
that isn't good.
Your moral conscience, lights

189
00:13:52,800 --> 00:13:55,900
up.
So that's where we'll leave.

190
00:13:55,900 --> 00:14:00,000
It will have more continuing
conversations about these kinds

191
00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:01,700
of things.
I asked you to share this

192
00:14:01,700 --> 00:14:04,900
podcast but I also want to say
thank you.

193
00:14:05,700 --> 00:14:10,000
There are some great
Communications coming in some of

194
00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:12,100
them that I'll share the next
podcast.

195
00:14:12,900 --> 00:14:15,900
A lot of good questions being
asked by people who stopped by

196
00:14:15,900 --> 00:14:19,200
to enjoy these podcasts.
Don't forget to check out the

197
00:14:19,200 --> 00:14:21,700
website as well.
You're at your radio dotnet.

198
00:14:23,300 --> 00:14:25,300
It's a great intersection of all
things.

199
00:14:25,300 --> 00:14:29,200
Urantia and my email address,
your Rancho book radio at

200
00:14:29,200 --> 00:14:32,800
gmail.com.
And until next time, thanks

201
00:14:32,800 --> 00:14:35,800
again for stopping by, for this
brief, your answer Radio

202
00:14:35,800 --> 00:15:01,800
podcast.
In this world with her.

203
00:15:04,800 --> 00:15:07,300
Like a dog without a boat.