Description 

Main Point: Evil exists but many people don’t believe it does and offer a variety of opinions about it.

Synopsis:

• Contemporary interview reveals post-modern thoughts and attitudes regarding the nature of evil. Many don’t think it exists and those that do define it don’t see it as an issue of sin.
• Evil is defined in a number of ways including: something made up in the head—or a construct that’s made up, an energy, something needed to balance good, temptation itself, a tangible entity, child predators, any hurtful action, brainwashing, and Satan.
• One guy concludes that there is no real evil because there is no real good. Another says there is no true definition because evil is relative.
• A young woman contends that murder is not evil but rape is. Another woman says that evil is brought about by people scared of what they don’t know.
• One guy says evil has existed since Cain killed Abel but that is the extent of Biblical reference as a means to understand and identify evil. .
• Sin is the last thing on respondents’ minds; A couple purport that even Hitler and Mussolini may have had mental issues and were not able to make good decisions—thus they were not evil and should not be held accountable for their actions.
• One guy justifies terrorism by saying there was ignorance on all sides.
• Solutions don’t include God—but raising children to be good people no matter what the religion is given as an antidote to evil as is and breaking down barriers.
• Pensive music plays throughout; also use of text graphics as words are formed produces an unsettling effect—which supports the rather disturbing postmodern responses.

Application:

• One of the obstacles in presenting the Gospel in a post-modern world is that some no longer believe in sin.
• If there is no rule or authority determining right and wrong, ultimately people will conclude that evil doesn’t exist—or the definitions will be all over the map as displayed in the video.
• It’s been said that Satan wins when people become too focused on him rather than God and when people cease to believe he exists.
• For the Christian, the Bible has to remain the final authority on determining good and evil –or there will be chaos and confusion.
• It’s striking to note that many of the people interviewed seemed detached or not able to think clearly—Satan is the author of confusion.
• There’s a need for prayer—that people will have the clouds of deceit lifted so they can hear and receive the true, uncompromised Gospel.

Suggested Uses:

• Teaching on post-modernism –this video provides a strong case study for the impact of a culture departing from one standard of truth.
• Halloween sermon-starter. Evil can be far more subtle than what many people believe it to be.

Biblical Reference:

• Zechariah 7:10 “…and do not oppress the widow or the orphan, the stranger or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another.”