The Origin of Evil: Internal Struggles and External Forces

By asking the question of where evil comes from, we encounter deep philosophical reflections that combine external circumstances with the inner struggle of a person. In our view, evil appears in multifaceted ways: on one hand, it manifests through social upheavals, natural disasters, and spontaneous acts of destruction; on the other, it appears as a corruption of human consciousness when free will strays from its originally divine guidelines. This phenomenon can be seen not as a self-sufficient entity but as a deviation from the natural order, where energy intended for good deeds loses direction and becomes a source of negative consequences.

The problem of evil is not limited to external factors: it is closely connected to our perceptions, fears, and personal choices. It is the improper management of inner resources, the misdirection of spiritual strength, and the inability to control irrational fears that transform the potential for creation into destructive impulses. Thus, overcoming evil requires active participation rather than passive observation, with each person learning to control their emotions and channel their energy toward maintaining harmony and order.

In conclusion, one can confidently say that the battle against evil begins within us. The outcome of this struggle is evident not only in overcoming personal fears and temptations but also in striving to create a just and sustainable world where the forces of good can always prevail. It is through active involvement, a creative approach, and the conscious management of our inner energy that we are able to understand the nature of evil and transform it into a source of inspiration for personal and societal renewal.

Where does evil come from in the world and how might one attempt to understand and overcome it?

The question of the origin of evil in the world and the ways to understand and overcome it is examined through several aspects presented in these reflections.

On one hand, evil is described as a complex phenomenon with different manifestations. As one source states:
"One of the most fundamental questions that confronts a person when they begin to reflect on their existence in the world, their life, is the encounter with evil. Confronted with evil, a person asks two questions: where does evil in the world come from, and how should one relate to evil?... Social reforms represent attempts to justify and create a certain social order, a legal basis on which one could fight against evil. The second realm of evil is irrational evil—that is, the evil we observe in nature: creatures devouring one another, earthquakes, catastrophes, illnesses, death. In the realm of human existence, the source of evil is the human heart. Dostoevsky said that the battleground is the human heart, where God and the devil contend."
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Here, evil is generated both by external circumstances (social and natural catastrophes) and by the inner struggle of the human soul, where the forces of good and evil clash. This indicates that the source of evil is closely associated with choice and free will, which allows deviation from the originally established divine order.

Another perspective emphasizes fear as a potential source of evil. In one discussion, the question is posed:
"Where then is evil and where and how did it creep in? ... And if we are afraid in vain, then of course, fear itself is evil, for it needlessly chases us and torments our hearts..."
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This suggests that evil may arise not merely from the existence of something, but from our attitudes and our rational or irrational fears, which sometimes become evil in their own right.

Furthermore, the examination of the nature of evil deepens with the idea that evil does not represent an independent entity but is the result of a deviation from the natural order set by the Creator. One text notes:
"Evil is nothing other than the deprivation of good and a deviation from the natural towards the unnatural; ... Hence, evil is not some entity or an inherent property of an entity, but something accidental, i.e., a capricious deviation from the natural to the unnatural, which is precisely sin. So where does sin come from? It is the invention of the free will of the devil."
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Thus, understanding evil is connected with a conscious choice—a deviation from what by nature should be natural and good, namely, the inability or unwillingness to uphold established orders.

At the same time, the issue of overcoming evil is linked with active human participation in the creative process and the struggle against negative tendencies. One source asserts:
"‘Does it exist in the form of a person?’ – Here is the answer: when people are thoroughly permeated by evil, they indeed embody it. Is it necessary to fight against evil? This is a very important dilemma. Creation is taking place right now. God is acting among us right now. ... Man is meant to be active. Each, on his own level, according to his possibilities and abilities, but internally he must be active."
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This emphasizes that understanding evil begins with recognizing its manifestations in personal experience, and that overcoming it is possible through conscious engagement in the struggle for good. Such active participation helps not only to understand the nature of evil but also to harness creative forces to overcome it.

Finally, another viewpoint considers evil as the result of a misdirection of natural energies:
"The world has many who are spiritually impoverished, but not as it should be; ... Evil is a real force at work in existence, but it arises not from an evil nature, but from a good one that is only realized with insufficient power, not intensively or consistently enough. ... Evil is not simply the absence of good; evil is real because it uses the real energies of man, which are meant to serve good, yet are reoriented to serve illusions."
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Thus, to understand and overcome evil, one must properly direct and concentrate their inner forces so that they serve a constructive and good purpose rather than turning into destructive impulses.

In summary, evil in the world does not arise as an independent entity but as a result of many factors—from social and natural phenomena to errors in managing one's inner energies and choices based on free will. Understanding its nature requires an objective analysis of these sources, and overcoming it is possible only through active human participation in the creative process, in the struggle to establish order, and in channeling inner forces toward good.

Supporting citation(s):
"One of the most fundamental questions that confronts a person when they begin to reflect on their existence in the world, their life, is the encounter with evil... In the realm of human existence, the source of evil is the human heart. Dostoevsky said that the battleground is the human heart, where God and the devil contend." (source: link )

"Where then is evil and where and how did it creep in? ... And if we are afraid in vain, then of course, fear itself is evil, for it needlessly chases us and torments our hearts..." (source: link )

"Evil is nothing other than the deprivation of good and a deviation from the natural towards the unnatural; ... So where does sin come from? It is the invention of the free will of the devil." (source: link )

"‘Does it exist in the form of a person?’ – Here is the answer: when people are thoroughly permeated by evil, they indeed embody it. ... Man is meant to be active. Each, on his own level... but internally he must be active." (source: link )

"The world has many who are spiritually impoverished, but not as it should be; ... Evil is not simply the absence of good; evil is real because it uses the real energies of man..." (source: link , page: 345)