The False Dichotomy of Good v.s. Evil

This article resolves the apparent contradiction in the fact that almost no one ever sets out to do evil. In their own eyes, they are doing good, even when it causes destruction, death and suffering to others. In those cases, it's always said to be "the lessor evil". Such reasoning, when carried to the extreme, has the capacity to generate enormous chaos affecting all social institutions world wide.

The current unprecedented level of chaos on a global scale tells us that this is not the result of any single nation for no nation is that powerful. Government sponsored assassinations, laws with unintended consequences and organized crime together leave a lot of chaos in their wake, but fail to explain all of the chaos and turmoil that we see. In spite of the apparent unity of purpose in the United Nations Agenda 21 environmentalism, to date there is no clear sign of agreement among the member nations, although much of Agenda 21 has already been implemented under the principles of the Communitarian Philosophy. The evidence of all this activity has produced countless conspiracy theories, but all of them pointing in the wrong direction and looking in the wrong places for a sollution. That's because Communitarianism - even when it's heard - is such a benign sounding thing that the vast majority dismiss it as harmless. Still, everyone is well aware of the chaos. Something else therefore, must be behind the crisis driven turmoil which began most notably in the early twentieth century with the world wars, and escalated throughout the Cold War and continues to grow exponentially up to the time of this writing.

Among the possible sources of chaos, we would have to include international banking and finance which made the world wars possible. There is considerable evidence that Globalization certainly plays a large role in facilitating banking and financial control of the global economy. Yet pinning the tail on that donkey seems to ignore other large factors such as the anti-establishment 1960's counter-culture, and the radical left of that era as an outgrowth of the Beat Movement, all under the influence of Saul Alinsky and the husband/wife team of Cloward and Pivin. The counter-culture was soon followed by what became known as the New Age Movement following Marilyn Ferguson's publishing of her book, "The Aquarian Conspiracy". Another important factor has been the advances of progressive socialism around the world over the past century. The same period saw the rise of fundamentalist religion on a global scale. More recently, we have had environmentalism in the name of Sustainable Development. Yet any attempt to explain the present world condition in terms of any one of these factors, or all of them combined, leads to certain conclusions which fail to embrace all of the available facts.

If we are unable to explain the cause of our present condition, then we are left with Heinlein's "devil theory" of sociology which declares: "You have attributed conditions to villainy that simply result from stupidity". Alternatively, some may conclude it's simply the fulfillment of prophecy. I suppose either of these would satisfy the lazy reader who doesn't care to investigate any further, but for a curious lover of truth, it is totally unsatisfactory.

If an explanation is possible, it would seem logical that we need some unifying principle which can accurately account for all of the available knowledge of key facts. At this juncture, I should point out the need to apply standard definitions to the words used herein, and preferably a rather old standard at that, such as the 1913 edition of Webster's Dictionary which predates the modern definitions. The modern redefinition of words applies the popular usage among generations which have strayed dramatically from the old traditions, and is therefore a significant part of the problem. The word "fact " as used here means "reality; actuality; truth;".

Regarding those facts of reality, actuality and truth, everyone is convinced that the universe conforms to a set of laws which govern everything within it. Even chaos theory is believed to rest upon a foundation of "underlying order". The problem begins when we attempt to discuss "truth" regarding the matter of how or by whom the universe is ordered. Much has been written about the truth. Former British Prime Minister, Stanley Baldwin said, "I am not struck so much by the diversity of testimony as by the many - sidedness of truth." Tact is often advocated in discussions concerning truth, but the American comedian Eddie Cantor said, "You have to choose" between truth and tact. "Most times they are not compatible". Seventeenth century poet John Dryden wrote, "Truth is the object of our understanding, as good is of our will; and the understanding can no more be delighted with a lie than the will can choose an apparent evil." American historian Will Durant tries to explain the problem thusly: "Ultimately, our troubles are due to dogma and deduction; we find no new truth because we take some venerable but questionable proposition as the indubitable starting point, and never think of putting this assumption itself to a test of observation or experiment." Regarding anyone who exposes a truth contrary to dogma and deduction, English author Thomas Hardy wrote, "Truth like a bastard comes into the world never without ill fame to him who gives her birth."

Dryden makes a profound point that "Truth is the object of our understanding", and "good" is the object of "our will", and that appears to be the case for nearly all people. However I believe he errs concerning how those same people would define "a lie" and "an apparent evil", because like truth and good, the meaning of "lie" and "evil" appears to be relative to a particular "dogma and deduction", and that alone explains all the confusion about the question; What is truth? and all of the "good" that is being done in it's name.

It becomes apparent therefore, that the range of choices we all have before us lay somewhere on a scale between good and evil, with the "lessor evil" often being the only practical option. If no clear and universally accepted definition of truth has thus far been revealed through the exercise of such choices, then it logically follows that we have been looking in all the wrong places. Is it possible that the Truth is something which transcends both good and evil.

A Unifying Principle

Briefly stated, the truth lies buried beneath what has become a ocean of lies which subject truth to a range of choices dictated by Knowledge of Good and Evil.

It appears that questions concerning truth are traceable to the philosophies stemming from the studies of Plato and one of his students, Aristotle. Their opposing views best defined the nature of the question, and the controversy which persists to the present. To Aristotle, reality was perceptible through our five senses, namely sight, sound, touch, taste and smell, and is known as "objective reality". Plato thought these mere objects were only representative of a higher reality beyond the ability of our senses to comprehend, and which could only be understood by the cognitive processes of the human mind. This we know as "subjective reality". Both seem very credible and each has gathered a large following with many variations, but virtually no agreement exists between them. Yet their theories have formed the basis for nearly every development since their introduction.

The Bible warns that there is a way which seems right to a man, but the ways thereof lead to death. Yet the option to choose is a fundamental right traceable to the very creation of Man. The apparent contradiction may be resolved by understanding that in the beginning, the choice was not between good and evil. The choice then was between the accepted Truth and Satan's promised Knowledge of Good and Evil. The Truth was the reality of Man's objective surroundings metaphorically symbolized by the Garden of Eden, and specifically represented by the "Tree of Life". The choice offered to Eve by the serpent pertained to the alleged benefits of partaking of the fruit of the forbidden "Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil". We all know the story of how Adam and Eve chose to be "as gods" knowing "good and evil", and passed that trait along to their progeny (Gen. chapter three). The knowledge of good and evil was the product of their own minds and now they would have to make choices between the opposing qualities of good and evil. Since the decision making process involves a mental exercise to arrive at a conclusion ("higher truth") based solely upon the immediate surroundings and circumstances, the result therefore was subjective truth. That is, not objective, real or genuine. It is in fact, an illusory counterfeit presented as truth.

The True Objective Reality

We can now associate the real truth with objective reality, and the physical creation all the way back to our very beginning. Similarly, we can associate the lie with choices between good and evil, subjective reality, illusion and the "Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil".

It would be a dire mistake however, to assume that just because we can associate objective reality with Aristotle, that everything he taught about it is also "the truth". It's beyond the scope of this writing to present a complete analysis of Plato or Aristotle, but suffice it to say that both of them along with their teacher Socrates, were searching for truth within the limiting confines of the knowledge of good and evil.

From our studies of deception, we know that the objective of a lie is to conceal the truth. It follows then that the lie has this effect of subverting the truth by offering only choices between good and evil instead. These are invariably false choices based on a subjective, or counterfeit relative truth. Fundamental to the knowledge of good and evil, is the right to define those terms as well. Consequently, the whole world is choosing good over evil according to their own understanding of what those terms mean. When the New Age argues that all is relative, this is the basis for that argument. It is a truth, but not the whole truth. The "old serpent being called devil, and, Satan;" is "deceiving the whole habitable world" (Revelation 12:9) with false choices of good verses evil.

Consequently, a True Reality presents the whole truth and nothing but the truth. It is absent beliefs and superstitions, and is objective in nature. Objective reality is "the quality or state of being fixed, permanent or immovable, being that which is the case rather than what is believed or assumed." (Merriam Webster) It is that which is, rather than that which is believed.

Any hope of defeating deceptions and rising above them demands that we acknowledge and accept these truths.

That stands in stark contrast with what is believed or assumed, which varies for each individual over a very wide spectrum of ideas, beliefs, opinions, and independent observations. People tend to see what they expected to find, which is based on their prior beliefs, which is then taken as confirmation of their version of the "truth". People choose their religion for example, because they find that it's compatible with what they already believed. The term which most accurately describes this phenomenon is "world view". Wikipedia defines it:

A comprehensive world view is the fundamental cognitive orientation of an individual or society encompassing natural philosophy; fundamental existential and normative postulates; or themes, values, emotions, and ethics. ... It is a concept fundamental to German philosophy and epistemology and refers to a wide world perception. Additionally, it refers to the framework of ideas and beliefs through which an individual interprets the world and interacts with it.

This "framework of ideas and beliefs" establishes a standard reference point from which a particular world view is formed and understood. The believed or assumed realities are the result of this perspective frame of reference.

A perspective frame of reference may expose a reality, but it is not the objective Truth. While a world view reflects a framework of ideas and beliefs, the objective Truth is always true regardless of what we believe, or the perspective from which it is viewed. No matter what we may believe to be the case, some things are always true, and others are always false. What we believe has no effect on the reality of the world around us. Even a firm belief in moral relativism fails to make it so.

No world view is ever built from scratch. They are constructed from building blocks borrowed from competing theories and constructs. Without exception, they are tainted with the original lie which held that it was proper and desirable even, to choose our "truth" from an array of options on a scale ranging from good to evil. Don't be fooled by the simplicity of that choice. Nearly everyone believes they have chosen, or are in the process of choosing the good. Simultaneously, everyone knows that a large portion of humans are practicing evil. The apparent paradox is easily resolved by understanding that one mans good is another's man's evil. Resolving the apparent paradox in this manner proves beyond doubt that good and evil are relative terms subject to the definitions of those holding a particular idea or belief.

It is worth emphasizing that the choices of good and evil were first offered to Eve in the Garden of Eden, and that access to these options came from partaking of fruit from the "Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil" which stood in the middle of the garden.

The objective Truth transcends all ideas, beliefs, opinions, and observations. It cannot be found within any scheme of reference framing or formulation of a world view. It must be searched for and discovered by each individual who hopes to know and understand it. The search must be conducted as a search for priceless treasure. That necessitates a willingness to reject any or all of our beliefs. Otherwise it is not an honest search. Any attempt to weigh objective Truth against one's belief is disingenuous and can only lead to false conclusions.

Subjective (adjective)- existing in the mind; belonging to the thinking subject rather than to the object of thought.
Objective (adjective) - a: being the object or goal of one's efforts or actions.
b: not influenced by personal feelings, interpretations, or prejudice; based on facts; unbiased: an objective opinion.
c: intent upon or dealing with things external to the mind rather than with thoughts or feelings.

As if it were not difficult enough, the scale of good and evil is often inverted. In one sense, good is thought to be associated with truth and objectiveness. In another, good is associated with feelings and subjectiveness.

Understanding the Mechanism of Deception and the Truth It Attempts to Conceal

You know what the conspiracy theories are, they are published all over the Internet. Many of them purport to present the truth, but they diverge on various points, such that they pose numerous contradictions among them. A fact which casts doubt on the quality of their standards of truth.

I have previously written about reference framing, and how it is used to manipulate or control public opinion. If you want a deeply divided public, one divided 50/50 and therefore most easily tipped one way or the other, then you must provide them with at least two opposing reference frames, right vs. left, or good vs. evil for example. In practice however, what we find are hundreds of different frames of reference among which we may choose for the one which feels just so right. A reference frame outlines some ideology most often defined as a religion, a political philosophy or neither, or in some combination of both. Within any given frame of reference, all observable phenomena is either explained and understood, or justified — meaning accepted as is — with no need of explanation. It's a rich field in which numerous conspiracy theories abound.

In subscribing to a frame of reference, we are adopting a "world view" which provides us with a comfort zone, a safe place from which to observe a formidable array of external phenomena, and explain it in terms of some adopted standard of truth. It is apparent therefore, that the standard of truth may differ among the various frames of reference. Although they may often quote the same sources, there are obvious differences in interpretations.

This implies a problem with choosing from among these assorted ready made reference frames, if one truly cares about the Truth. Suppose then, that we take the real, genuine, objective Truth itself as the proper standard upon which to view the world. Such a bold step would require the immediate discarding of all competing frames of reference.

We know from our study of deception that the Truth is always the object to be concealed or hidden from view. So; What is the Truth?

Jesus Christ, "the only begotten Son of God" said "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 3:18, 14:6)

All existing frames of reference are derivatives of the original attack on the Truth as disclosed in the Bible book of Genesis chapter three. It is futile therefore, to search among them for any shreds of truth. It is essential then that we go back to the beginning and discover what was concealed or covered over by the original deception in the Garden of Eden. I submit that it was "the Truth", a rejection of the one who held the favored position of co-worker in the creation of all heaven and Earth, the man history records as "the only begotten Son of God", represented metaphorically in the Garden as the "Tree of Life".

Refer to The Language of Deception for an analysis of Genesis Chapter 3.

I have attempted to chart the organization of the global power structure, but find it woefully inadequate. Based on more recent discoveries, I am now confident that we can identify three opposing forces at work in todays world. The primary key to this new understanding is recognizing the significance of what was presented to Eve, and how it has been in evidence down through the ages of time.

In a nutshell, Eve was promised "knowledge of good and evil". Such knowledge was to be obtained as the result of partaking of fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, which stood at the center of the Garden, and therefore readily accessible. This of course, would be in violation of God's instruction to Adam;

"And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree in the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." (Genesis 2: 16,17)

The salient point to be gleaned from this reading, is the fact that knowledge of both "good" and "evil" came from the same source, the "Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil".

So, what was Eve's alternative to partaking of that forbidden tree? Since eating of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil meant certain death, then the logical alternative was Life as represented by the Tree of Life that also happened to be in the middle of the Garden and equally accessible.

It follows then that Life does not depend upon knowledge of good and evil, nor does it require choices to be made between good and evil. Such choices are therefore, false choices lying at opposite extremes of a scale of so called lessor evils. The proper choice is not between good and evil, but between Life and death. Life comes from knowledge of the Truth. At John 17:3 we read; "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent."

The present world system is under the influence of the original serpent called Devil and Satan, and he rules by deception, still controlling through the range of false options between good and evil. (Revelation 12:9) Satan has a dual personality, appearing as an angel of light, but being indeed, the father of lies. As identified by his name, Devil, he is a slanderer, accuser. As Satan, he is an adversary or resistor of God. As Lucifer he is an "angel of light", or "bringer of light", but it's the light that is darkness.

The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! - Matthew 6: 22, 23

—