Voice of the Day: Merton on Resisting Evil
Merely to resist evil with evil by hating those who hate us and seeking to destroy them, is actually no resistance at all. It is active and purposeful collaboration in evil that brings the Christian into direct and intimate contact with the same source of evil and hatred which inspires the acts of his enemy. It leads in practice to a denial of Christ and to the service of hatred rather than love.
- Thomas Merton
from Passion For Peace
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Merely to resist evil with evil by hating those who hate us and seeking to destroy them, is actually no resistance at all. It is active and purposeful collaboration in evil that brings the Christian into direct and intimate contact with the same source of evil and hatred which inspires the acts of his enemy. It leads in practice to a denial of Christ and to the service of hatred rather than love.
Wisdom is in this statement, even Christians sometimes mistakenly make an unwise statements, such a one I've heard often is 'Good can come out of evil'.
This as can be seen giving evil credit for producing good, when all that ever comes out of evil is evil.
What would be much better to say, attributing good and evil to their correct place being, 'Despite evil done by evil, God can overcome evil and bring about good'. Here it is evident that evil will come out of evil, and despite evil, good comes from God.
Posted by: DeWayne | November 16, 2007 1:59 AM
I believe this quote is especially important to remember over the Thanksgiving holiday.When we encounter(or don't encounter)our relatives.
At all times in all circumstance we should try our best to choose to love. Even in the face of hatred, rejection, snobbery, gossip, betrayal, or whatever other evils seek to rob us of our peace and A happy heart.
Posted by: Sheilagh | November 19, 2007 10:29 AM
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