Thoughts from Pastor Stan

Sermon Notes: March 2, 2008

QUESTION – Does evil exist?

Socrates/Plato – evil is merely ignorance

Spinoza - evil is a matter of personal perspective

Nietzsche – evil is weakness and good is strength (Klingon)

Ayn Rand – evil is when the weak prey on the strong

Cracker Barrel – “evil is in the eye of the beholder”

- “evil is the absence of God”

SCRIPTURE: Matthew 6:13 (Lord’s Prayer taught at the Sermon on the Mount)

MT 6:13 Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.

9/ll - wake-up to an evil that was always there

Problem: with the passing of time, we forget (Status Quo)

LAST WEEK

DECISIONS: evil begins with decisions. Can we decide to do an evil act?

LORD OF THE RINGS

In LOR, "it was man and man's greed for power" that allowed the ring (evil) to exist when man could have decided to destroy the ring.

The ring reminds us of evil.

VIDEO SEGMENT #1

Last week the topic was decisions. Frodo, the ring bearer was given the responsibility to make the DECISION. They were attempting to cross through the mountain pass and were buried in an avalanche. The Dwarf, Gimili, suggested to go under the mountain through the mines of Moria. gandalf says, "Let the ring bearer decided." Frodo decides to go through the mines of Moria.

As they briefly enter the Mines of Moria, Frodo's decision. , they become aware that the mine is now a tomb for goblins have killed the dwarfs, as they are about to exist the mine and attempt another way, they are ushered back into the mine by the beast of the lagoon. Once again back in the mine with the entrance caved in by the beast, Gandalf says, "We now have but one CHOICE we must face the LONG DARK OF MORIA. Be on your guard there are OLDER AND FOULER THINGS THAN ORCS IN THE DEEP PLACES OF THE WORLD.