Why Does Evil Exist?

What is evil? Why does evil occur? These have been important themes of discussion throughout the ages in politics, law, philosophy and, especially, in religion. Ryuho Okawa explains that good and evil are created in relation to people’s actions in this world. The cause of evil acts is due to the conflict between the free will that has been granted to all people. This results in a distortion between human relationships and the creation of unhappiness. As long as people are living together in this world, in the same time and place, such situations are difficult to avoid, unless everyone lives with the same will. To try to prevent evil from arising and spreading, modern society has created laws to observe and, as long are they are followed, individuals can live with certain rights and freedoms, and society as a whole can function.

To Discern Good and Evil is Unrelated to Academic Ability

A further interesting point about good and evil, and the ability to discern between it, is that Ryuho Okawa reveals that it has no correlation to academic ability or intelligence. People make mistakes, such as in human relationships between a man and woman, or commit crimes, regardless of intelligence; in contrast, some people, though they are not academically gifted, have a highly developed sense of morality. Generally, in schools, there are no tests or classes on topics such as good and evil, and the ability to judge what is right and wrong. Ryuho Okawa explains that being able to distinguish between good and evil is largely dependent on the person’s outlook in life and the environment they were brought up in.

Good and Evil in the Field of Religion

So far, the explanation on the topic of good and evil has generally been limited to this secular world. However, to truly understand this topic and the causes of evil, a higher perspective of good and evil beyond this world is essential. Ryuho Okawa has stated clearly and provided extensive teachings on the reality of the other world – the spirit world. Furthermore, this spirit world can be divided roughly into two separate realms: heaven and hell. Simply put, heaven is a place where those who lived for the sake of others live; while those who lived for themselves only and caused others harm with no sense of regret, inevitably, end up in the realm of hell. Hell, as Ryuho Okawa has explained, is like a hospital for those who are unwell – they are simply spiritual beings who are sick in the soul, have lived in ignorance and not looked after their mind in the right way. It is a place for them to recover, reflect on their mistakes and restore their true nature as a child of God again.

Why does evil exist from a spiritual perspective? Essentially, although evil arises due to the misuse of our free will and inability to discern between good and evil due to our ignorance, or lack of wisdom of truth, Ryuho Okawa explains that evil is allowed to exist so humans can further their soul training in this world. It can provide for the opportunities to bring out the greater good in people such as the act of forgiveness, to deepen our wisdom, and to awaken to faith.

Negative Spiritual Influences: Are Evil Spirits & Devils Real?

As Ryuho Okawa has stated before, human beings are essentially spiritual beings with eternal lives. After our life on this earth ends, we return to the other world as a spirit. Those who could not return to heaven, go to place known as hell. Ryuho Okawa explains that there are two kinds of spiritual beings that go to hell: evil spirits and devils. Such beings are not fiction or a fairy tale, but are real and are actively trying to influence people living in this world each day.

Evil spirits are those who caused others harm as a result of their selfishness and ignorance while they lived on earth, although they didn’t necessarily have such an active intent; while devils are those who are more brutal and cunning with a conscious desire to harm others.

There are many places in the realm of hell suited to different kinds of negative spiritual beings who live there, but generally it is a dark place of suffering in which they wish to escape. One method for them to achieve this on a temporarily basis is through the phenomenon of spiritual possession of the people still living on earth. Through this phenomenon, negative spiritual beings from hell are able to return to this world and experience living as though they had a physical body again.

Same Wavelengths Attraction and the Phenomenon of Spiritual Possession

So, how does spiritual possession occur? It can be a common occurrence that can happen to yourself, family relatives or friends. A sudden change in a person’s personality, especially related to strong negative emotions such as anger, hatred or greed, or an unstable mind, schizophrenia, hearing voices to do harm to oneself or others, or multiple personality disorders are symptoms of being under negative spiritual influence. Medical science, psychiatry and doctors are yet to understand such phenomenon due to a lack of acknowledgement of the spiritual perspective to their diagnosis, and thus are unable to treat the patient effectively. Generally, many patients will be isolated in a ward away from society and prescribed medication.

The phenomenon of spiritual possession occurs due to the law of same wavelengths attraction or, also known as, The Law of Attraction. The human mind is like a radio emitting waves based on our thoughts. By thinking positive thoughts, it attracts the positive; likewise, negative thinking attracts the negative. Spiritual possession occurs due to the negative thoughts of a person living in this world attracting and matching the thoughts of negative spiritual beings, such as evil spirits or even devils, in the other world. Such beings feed off the negative energy emitted and gradually possess the person and begin to influence their thoughts and actions. Although the cause lies with each human being and their thoughts based on self-responsibility, once spiritual possession occurs, such thoughts and actions are perpetuated through the influence of negative spiritual beings which leads to creating more conflicts, hatred and chaos in this world.

So, how do we protect ourselves from being influenced by such spiritual beings with negative intent? In the next part, we will provide 10 checkpoints to review.