Last week, a Facebook post cautioned people not to shop at XYZ stores because they carried a line of evil products. I asked myself: What is good or evil?
The Star Wars movie series was released when I was active in the fundamental Christian movement. Of course, we went to see it as soon as it was available in the local theater (remember theaters? Actually, I may have watched at least one of the Star Wars in a Drive-In theater!). Watching the movie fascinated me as the “Force’, in my mind, was Spirit moving through the main characters. I walked away from the film (s) feeling elated with the good Force from within defeating the bad guys.
It was not long before leaders in the Christian movement came out against the movie, telling us the Force was evil and from the devil and we should not watch or
allow our children to watch it. At the time, I was confused. Now, the thought makes me want to laugh out loud.
Who, I thought, decides what is good or evil? Certainly not the religious leaders who wish to frame what we watch, listen to, or wear!
It wasn’t until much later that I realized we, as individuals, decide what is evil. In other words, if we decide that the Star Wars movies are evil, they are. And, of course, in my mind, they aren’t evil!
I love the way Rev. Dr. David Alexander describes it in the May Science of Mind Magazine article, The Care of Our Consciousness:
Holmes said, “Today, the world is as good as you make it or as evil as you think it,” which is something I think we should consider not just from the individual experience (as Holmes skillfully does) but also from the collective point of view…
To make something is to participate in its creation. Pies don’t think their way into our oven. They are made by the care of our consciousness and the skill of our hands. The world is, and can only be, as good as we make or actively participate in making it. So perhaps it’s time to add to our positive thoughts the skillful action of making the world a better place.
From now on, I reject the thought that any object, movie, music, art (etc.) is evil. It is only evil if I make it evil.
Likewise (this is a bit harder), I reject that any person is evil. I believe anyone can be mean and do hurtful actions and words, but how can we be evil if we are all made in God’s image?
Think about that for a bit. It may take time. It took me years, and I still don’t always get it right!