Introduction
Definitions of “evil” and “evilness”
Clarifying Terminology
Forces of Nature considered as “evil”
Evil perceived as a being with power to carry evil actions and/or influencing humans to act likewise
Chapter 1: Fundamental Implications of total reality
Complexity, order, structure, and goals require a Creative Mind
God, The Universal Creative Mind
God as the originator of all Creation
Chapter 2: Multiple expressions of “evil and evilness” as perceived by many to be so
Man-made wickedness expressed in Slavery
Religious Persecution
Impact of man-made suffering manifested on a Massive Scale
Chapter 3: Evil as Depicted in Mythology
Evil as Depicted in Mythology
Mythological origin of evil
Pandora
Charybdis (Greek mythology)
Egypt also had an Evil myth
Babylonian myth
In North America: The Abnaki indigenous people
The Algonquin-based Native American tribes
The Comanche creation myth of the North American indigenous people
The presence of evil in two Navajo’s creation myths
Chapter 4: Evil as interpreted by some religious leaders
The concept of evil as interpreted by scholars in Hinduism
Evil- evilness as found in Zoroastrianism
Evil as it appears in the Old Testament of the Bible
Evil as seen through the interpretations of the teachings of Buddhism
Summarizing what we have learned
Chapter 5: Evil becomes Satan (the Devil)
Evil becomes an individuality with two names – the Devil or Satan
Evil defined as a ‘demon’ – or the Devil
The prince of this world
The devil and personal sin
Evil acquires a personalized name – Satan
Relative Power of Satan
Satan, the Tempter
Satan, the betrayer
Satan disguises himself as an angel of Light
Satan, the one capable of persuading to cheat and steal
Satan as the tester
Satan, the punisher
Chapter 6: Satan vs. God: the Heavenly Conflict
The origin of Satan, the former angel of light
The heavenly battle
War on humanity
Satan’s final defeat
Early Christians’ experience of Satan or the Devil
The Catholic Church’s dogmatic definition
Satan and Evil in Islamic interpretation
Chapter 7: The Bahá’i Revelation explains the popular perception of evil
Creation is essentially good
A fundamental principle
Men have evil passions and desires
Men are the creators of the impact of man-made evilness
Understanding the term “Satan”
The evil one is he who does evil actions
This is how man becomes an “evil-doer”
Man, through his evil habits, can be referred to as projecting “satanic darkness”
Man is capable of the “satanic attribute” of hate
Man can be a saint as well as an “evil-doer” that carries out “satanic behaviors”
Those who do evil attempt to influence others
The impact that evil passions and corrupt desires have on man
They defile man
Evil desires of the individual can render him powerless to recognize God
Rising above the influence of the long-held concept of “evil and evilness”
Chapter 8: Man can produce long lasting destructive impacts
Slavery: a man-made corrupt and harmful institution
Slavery in the US evolves into racism
WAR
The Drug Cartels
The evil impact of cocaine on the consumer
Chapter 9: A spiritual armor to help humans evolve into their divine destiny
Unity is the expression of God’s Oneness present in all creation, especially in man
Nobility of man from the moment of creation
Unity in diversity
Universal Education
World Peace
The Lesser Peace
Creation of an international governing body
Supreme Tribunal
Signs that the process is happening
A closing reflection
Conclusion
God is One in His essence
Man created in a sublime state of perfection
The Baha’i Revelation offers the following principles to empower man to overcome his inclinations toward harmful actions.
APPENDIX A: Famous films about Satan/the Devil
Modern portrayals of Satan
APPENDIX B : Outstanding individuals whose spiritual nature prevailed
Appendix C: World Wide Civil Wars
Bibliography