Charity Thinketh No Evil

[Anonymous]

I have to admit that it was difficult at first to wrap my mind around a New Year’s Resolution lasting an entire month that consists of “thinking less evil”. Generally, as each new month approaches I contemplate the wording of each upcoming resolution to gather my initial impressions prior to checking the definitions of the relevant terms and digging into the meat of the resolution. My initial reaction was, “Really – it’s not like I think evil all the time” – followed by, “at least not in any way that relates directly to charity” – which meant that I got to the point of looking at definitions without much in the way of a foundation.

I realized by the time I was ready to write this post that my initial reactions and thoughts were wrong – and I am grateful for the chance to consider something that, in all honesty, I had never considered previously in quite the same way as I have this week.

So, without any profound or new insight, I turned to the dictionary for my first resolution post this month.

The noun “evil” (since that is how it is used in I Corinthians 13:4-7) is defined as each of the following:

Quote:

1) the force in nature that governs and gives rise to wickedness and sin;

2) the wicked or immoral part of someone or something;

3) harm; mischief; misfortune;

4) anything causing injury or harm;

5) a harmful aspect, effect, or consequence.

Grouped together, this initially yields two apparently distinct categories of thought to which Paul might have been referring when he said that “charity thinketh no evil”:

Quote:

1) “Wicked” and “immoral” thoughts;

2) Thoughts that harm or wish harm on others.

However, upon considering the context of 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 in its entirety, which is focused on charity (and particularly the aspect of charity about which I wrote last month – not being easily provoked), it seemed clear to me that these two categories really are one – and the “new” thought that hit me is that perhaps “wicked” and “immoral” really don’t exist in isolation – that they are directly and intimately tied to how we think about and act toward others (and, perhaps also, ourselves). Perhaps, just as sound might not exist without the ability to hear, wickedness and immorality might not exist without the ability to harm.

In other words, perhaps “thinketh no evil” might be translated more clearly as “thinketh nothing that would harm others if actually done to them” – with the next thought being the need to consider carefully what constitutes “harm” to us as humans and spirit children of God.

That thought process has brought numerous thoughts to my mind, but, frankly, I’m not ready yet to process them into a coherent post. Therefore, for this week, I simply am going to consider “harm” more carefully – and look for instances where I “think evil” in this way. I know I do so, even if not deeply, steadily or harshly/extremely, so I know there will be plenty to consider and post next week and throughout this month.

[Anonymous]

Very difficult Ray. I suspect like most people, far more evil goes on in my mind than is actually acted upon. I’ve acted out scenarios in there that I would never ever do, and have never done.

The Eastern Religions use meditation as a useful tool to identify the processes of the mind, and that includes the roots of evil. Aggression, bitchiness, misery can all be found at unexpected times in the mind. A lot of people who meditate get distressed about the bitchy thoughts that they discover in themselves. Actually it’s not unusual, and they’re not particularly evil people. Those thoughts were just there and unnoticed. Sitting still, observing the mind, means that you pin them down.

Of course, sometimes they lead to actions, but they certainly often lead to attitudes.

Further definitions of evil IMO –

* Hauling oneself up above others.

* Putting another down

[Anonymous]

I’ve found that the most effective means for eliminating uncharitable thoughts is supplicating God in prayer. Having spent the past two years living in a relatively large community dealing with people’s quirks and “unloving” tendencies on a daily basis, I had many opportunities to confront the ways in me that tend to “think evil” of others. Every day, I would take long walks and pour my heart out to Him, begging Him to help me see things from His perspective and to overcome the root of my lack of love. He was so faithful! He always answered these prayers in such a dramatic way that I knew it was divinely orchestrated.

I would go from being completely resistant to surrendering my own will/opinions to literally feeling great compassion and love towards the very person or situation that was bothering me. It was a painful process, however, dying to self. It kept me dependent upon the Lord for help, and increased my faith a hundredfold. I knew that I had nothing to fear because all I had to do was pray and He would work everything out for the good.

[Anonymous]

I agree, Sam and kira, that meditation and prayer (in whatever form they take at the individual level) are a necessary part of analyzing what and how I think.

and, Sam: Your two “further definitions” are good examples of what I meant when I said that perhaps evil and immorality cannot exist apart from our thoughts and actions toward others and self.

[Anonymous]

I think we’re all guilty of some forms of evil, and it can be disturbing to discover just some of what’s going on in the mind.

I mention Eastern style meditation specifically, because it reveals thought processes that would otherwise be hidden to the bearer. Trying to keep the mind clear paradoxically shows what’s going on in it.

If you want to get into something slightly more esoteric, there is also the mettabhavana or cultivation of loving kindness. Some descriptions of it get into the religious realm, but this is a version which I think is compatible with LDS teachings –

http://fwbo.org/meditation/metta.html

Stages 3 & 4 are the most difficult, albeit for different reasons.

Which reminds me, I haven’t meditated properly for a while!

[Anonymous]

The devil has work for idle hands and minds.

Darkness is the absence of light.

Cold is the absence of heat.

Evil is the absence of good.

I don’t try to turn down the darkness but turn up the light. Same is true of evil…turn up the good thoughts.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, Orson – nature really does abhor a vacuum. Everything will be filled somehow if we don’t do the filling consciously.

[Author]

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