Article March 6, 1971 Issue

Why Does Evil Exist?

FLORENCE E. BERG

Throughout history thinkers have asked, Why does evil exist along with good? One of the conclusions reached by the French writer and philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre is that the universe is meaningless, absurd. Looking at existence from a material standpoint, one can sympathize with his conclusion. Certainly mortal mind, or evil, the false belief that life and intelligence are in matter, is absurd.

Christian Science is based on the premise that God, the Almighty, is the only creator. God is good, perfect; He is Spirit. It follows that God's creation must be good, perfect, spiritual. Therefore anything unlike God must be illusionary, a dream, a false belief. Through scientific prayer—holding thought to the allness of God, good, regardless of material sense testimony—Christian Scientists have overcome all manner of discord and thus have proved in their own experience that evil is not actually real but disappears before the realization of spiritual reality.

There is an allegory in which the wind, personified by a man in a flowing cloak, finds a cave. He wants to remove the darkness from it; so he blows and blows but cannot dislodge the inky blackness. He enlists the aid of Thunder, but its most explosive blasts can't force out the darkness. Many different characters try, but each meets with failure. Finally Wind asks the help of Light, personified by a beautiful woman shining by her own illumination and carrying a sparkling wand. This dazzling figure enters the cave and looks all over for the murk but cannot find it. She reports to Wind that there is no darkness in the cave. The old gentleman in the billowing robe then goes into the cave with her to point it out. But now he cannot find the darkness either.

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