Does evil exist?

Theological and philosophical questions are often asked about the Universe, Life, God or Creation, but what about if we ask this question only of our self presently?

Is there an oppositional force to our life or being?

I'm not interested in right or wrong answers - but just to invite the question and listen.

There can certainly seem to be such a sense of conflicted forces - that are the motions or intent of conflicting desires.

Some teach that there are bad thoughts and that they originate from or are embodiment of a devil, or fallen angel. Though this teaching may not be overtly subscribed to, its conditioning runs deep.

A part of God splits off and fights Him in order to replace or usurp God?

God is limited by opposition and therefore is not God - but a part of a cosmic conflict of two powers - forever embraced in struggle for domination?

But the Spirit of God is One - and so is His Son.

But our personal human perspective seems to see evil motive and intent in others - and does not want to discover it in ourselves - so this is fearfully minimised and swept under the carpet.

Bad thoughts - that actually are mean spirited, hateful and actively undermining of wellbeing, present themselves as in some way self serving - and yet suggest a sense of self that is lacking, guilty, inadequate and unjustly victim.

If we act on the basis of these thoughts and therefore accept our sense of self as suggested - we feed a habit that destroys our peace - and all that in peace is shared. And grow the density and compulsion of the 'voices' that 'protect and justify' or at least mitigate or salve our conflicted and painful sense of self.

A painful and conflicted self that we do not realize or recognise - because we displace and deny so as to not feel and know pain of fear and guilt directly. We use our brothers and our world and our body as the scapegoat - and put our guilt outside and hate it.

But having 'put our mind outside' we now fear it's 'return'.

Its as if an evil force is trying to penetrate my defences - some nameless and terrible mind that I fear to look within and see. So I draw my fences tighter - and use anything to keep my attention from the possibility of knowing what will surely damn me.

There is a war on and everyone and everything has been requisitioned to support me in my struggle.

If I can normalize everything and get it all to flow along nicely - I can adapt and accept a tiny life where for a while I can forget what I am running from - have defensiveness automatically deal with problems before they arise as well as as they are arising. And can make a life in which I can believe for a while that I am as I think and the world is as I think it - and yet hardly have any attention free enough to notice any but the most superficial of thoughts.

Is self deception evil?

Jesus said "Resist ye not evil"

But he was demonstrably active in embracing Good - yet not a good opposed to evil - but the Good that is the Will of God our One Spirit, and the appreciation and service of the Good in all.

He feared not evil though he did recognise temptation as deception.

I long had a sense that many seemingly religious people I met were in fact worshippers of evil - for that was their underlying conviction - and their faith was a shield and a weapon against what they feared and yet accepted as true and powerful - And hoping for a magical or otherworldly Force for Good to intervene on their hapless  sin condemned plight.

And to these there must needs be a devil - for to side against the devil is surely to be seen to stand among the righteous?

It matters little that the  shadows shift and change from one evil to another foe to yet another sign of impending doom - just as long as the mind is maintained in its presentation.