Here we go again.  Another terrorist attack, this time in Paris.  Unbelievable!  What causes people to be so cruel?

I do believe in evil.  It is a choice.  People can choose to do good, and people can choose to do evil.  I’m not talking about the people who cause harm out of weakness or by mistake. I’m talking about people who deliberately cause the suffering of other human beings.  Jesus, God’s only begotten son, experienced suffering and death from evil performed by human hands.  He also overcame it. Of course, this is little comfort in the midst of the present moment.  The pain is too intense.  We ask why?  I don’t know why evil must exist, but I know that Jesus was not exempt from the experience.

When I think of the injustice and horror of this tragedy, what helps me to cope is that I believe in an ultimate justice.  You see, our lives in our earthly bodies are very short, even if we live to be one hundred years old.  Contrast that with eternity, a concept that we cannot even grasp.  I studied near death experiences and many people say that when you die, you experience what you create.  Not only what you create, but the ripple effect of what you create. For example, let’s say you are the type of person who lights up the room when you walk in.  When you die, you will get to experience that perception of you. You will experience the love you create.  If you are kind to someone, and they in turn spread that kindness, you will get to see and experience the good you have done.

Likewise, if you choose evil, you will experience what you create, including that same ripple effect.  If you decide to torture and murder someone, not only will you experience the hateful acts that you committed, you will also experience the pain and suffering caused to the friends, relatives, and even the general public that your action caused.  Imagine the amount of suffering you will experience if you are a mass killer!  It is possible to be forgiven, but a sincere change of heart is necessary, and it would be a very painful cleansing. Another description for this process is purgation. In other words, purgatory.  Facing the evil that one has committed in the light of God’s absolute goodness could be so painful that one might decide to remain in hell.

That’s the way I look at it, anyway.  I don’t know if it’s accurate, but it makes me feel better.