What is Evil?

Today, I used Psalms 7 as my scripture for meditation.  There are many interesting phrases in this scripture, but I was caught in Psalms 7:3 "It would be different Lord, if I were doing evil things."  I think I became transfixed on this phrase because of the work that I am doing in Christian Ethics about oppression.  For class we watched, Romero:



In watching this,  I had to ask who was evil? Was it just the soldiers? Just the government? Or was it also Romero himself when he begrudgingly walked alongside the El Salvadorian people in the beginning as they walked to the polls?  Was it the mother who asked Romero to baptize her son separately?

It is so easy to be sure that we don't lie, cheat, and steal.  It is much harder to separate ourselves from oppressive systems that surround us all.  Perhaps, we don't offer health insurance to our employees.  Perhaps, we don't pay our full share into taxes and therefore put a strain on the support systems for others in need.  Perhaps, we choose not to vote and let the status quo continue.  Perhaps you buy the less expensive items at a store that encourage child labor or not paying a living wage to those in need. What is evil?  What is sin?

This is the mandala that I created as I pondered this question.

  How do you think you may add or assist in the oppression of others?  What steps can you take to not continue this action?