The Shadows Within
It has been a long time since I have posted here. Many, many things have happened in my life since my last effort on this page. But recent events in the world have affected me greatly, and once again turned my thoughts to one of the "Great Debates."
Evil . . . and it's true nature. The ties that bind it to the human soul. An old pulp comic hero once mused: Who knows what Evil lurks in the hearts of men? To which I answer tonight "Who Indeed?" What could make a person who seems so full of life to those around them return to their home and take the lives of the family they have loved for long years and then end their own? What can turn a person into a monster seemingly overnight? This thought has haunted me, though I never knew them personally. (I will not name said person here, you'll either hear it on the news or not) It has kept me up long hours wondering what could drive someone to this. Wondering what hell some people can endure without it showing through to the people around them.
Now I use the term "Evil" though some of you might not agree with it. It seems a strong word for this even to me. But I do believe now that it must be Evil that drives otherwise sane beings to do such heinous deeds. Crime of Passion? I don't know what that means, really. I don't know if that covers this . . . or anything at all. But whether or not you agree with my classification of the act or not, you must agree that it is a hideous thing to even consider. Much less to follow through with. But when I say that word, know also that I do not believe in "The Devil" or blame him for the crimes of men. I have always believed in free will, and that no God nor Devil predetermines our path. Our deeds are ours alone to live with . . . or not.
So here I sit, in the wee hours of the night, wondering where in the human genome lay the seeds of Evil. Where in us is the switch that could drive us to blood and death? What events could flip that switch? Is it different for each person? Are we all capable of such Black Acts? Is it a force we cannot comprehend? Or is it simply a choice, Free Will taken to it's darkest extreme?
Keep safe, Dear Readers. It's a jungle out there.
Evil . . . and it's true nature. The ties that bind it to the human soul. An old pulp comic hero once mused: Who knows what Evil lurks in the hearts of men? To which I answer tonight "Who Indeed?" What could make a person who seems so full of life to those around them return to their home and take the lives of the family they have loved for long years and then end their own? What can turn a person into a monster seemingly overnight? This thought has haunted me, though I never knew them personally. (I will not name said person here, you'll either hear it on the news or not) It has kept me up long hours wondering what could drive someone to this. Wondering what hell some people can endure without it showing through to the people around them.
Now I use the term "Evil" though some of you might not agree with it. It seems a strong word for this even to me. But I do believe now that it must be Evil that drives otherwise sane beings to do such heinous deeds. Crime of Passion? I don't know what that means, really. I don't know if that covers this . . . or anything at all. But whether or not you agree with my classification of the act or not, you must agree that it is a hideous thing to even consider. Much less to follow through with. But when I say that word, know also that I do not believe in "The Devil" or blame him for the crimes of men. I have always believed in free will, and that no God nor Devil predetermines our path. Our deeds are ours alone to live with . . . or not.
So here I sit, in the wee hours of the night, wondering where in the human genome lay the seeds of Evil. Where in us is the switch that could drive us to blood and death? What events could flip that switch? Is it different for each person? Are we all capable of such Black Acts? Is it a force we cannot comprehend? Or is it simply a choice, Free Will taken to it's darkest extreme?
Keep safe, Dear Readers. It's a jungle out there.