As you can probably see, my view on theodicy is substantially different than what you learn in seminary. I focused on eschatology and theodicy, since something never seemed to make sense despite the plethora of options suggested to me. When I questioned the narrative, I was often told these are the best solutions we have, or that I should just serve a pre-existing ideology and doctrinal position that most closely resembles my understanding. While I kind of passed off those suggestions as foolish at the time, it helped me understand that the constraints of Lucifer are present in many people even Christian leaders. I mean why would they question the system that provides their income, their world view, or the basis of reality they chose to identify with, even though they leave many unanswered questions and theories of implausibility?
The problem of death is predicated on not following the Will of God or viewing it as foolishness. As the Bible states:, “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong (1 Cor. 1:27).” Why is that? Because the strong become proud, they revel in their majesty, and they desire worship. The humble listen and seek understanding, they seek truth that describes more depth, and they prefer the growth of everyone. It’s no wonder that Jesus related the Kingdom of God to that of children, observant, honest, and loving. It’s only us sick older folks who think that lying to people to make them feel good, hold an ego to drive a different presence at church and work and social media than our real lives, and being miserable is “normal.” It’s called being an adult, rather than a trained liar and bullshit artist…
What I’m trying to show in the illustrations above is what I refer to as the matrix of control. As exemplified in the movie The Matrix, there’s a system of controls that govern our conduct that tends to conflict with our understanding of what’s right and wrong. If you look at the Milgram experiments, you’d realize people will tend to do bad things without question when someone who is in a position of authority tells them to do it. Why do you pay taxes, work a job, only to do what you enjoy in the few moments that society permits? Why do people who lie, cheat, and steal tend to be more free? It’s a function of the society and control system you were taught to believe in since childhood. Don’t get me wrong, technology and other advancements are great tools for learning, but most use them for mindless self indulgence. Once they have access to their ideal environment (or what they think is ideal), most either find comfort in the mindlessness or become suicidal as they see that their ideal was far from the dream life they imagined.
Materialism is only as good as the limit to the amount of materials you want, the same is true with anything. The only logical item I found that supports eternal life is loving God and serving others, only then is there a purpose for tomorrow and something new to always attain (more love, new relationships, new experiences). It requires moving away from identity or systems of control and putting Christ’s words into practice. Your talents are never really of use if they are boxed into one specialized career path, it’s often better when people of different disciplines work together (social scientists are equally valuable to that of programmers in social media networks). However, identity and boxes of control will always inhibit that form of interaction necessary for true societal progression.
Collapse is therefore the ultimate conclusion of all societies and identities. This is the iterative curse of laws and manipulated conduct. Rules are made, societies bifurcate into haves and have nots, and the society tears apart when the serfs refuse to be the slaves of the elite class. Even the greatest deceptions cannot enslave a Neo type mind, they often resort to drug usage and other forms of detachment since they know they do not fit within the bounds of society. I have met many brilliant addicts and have spent much time working with them during the pandemic. They help me realize where I have some weaknesses and vice versa, as we grow in fellowship. I’ve found that working with broken people is a much greater learning experience than I would have imagined.
Societal creation and collapse is the inevitable progress of all societies. I’d suggest reading Four Horsemen by Mark Braund and Ross Ashcroft. It will help explain how societal systems result in the pattern governed by Revelation 6. I’d imagine the final Luciferian system suggested would be more of the same, self will governed by a new set of rules that buy in more universal adherence, but that will fail like every other system established on self will. The one who basks in self glory will never be satiated.
In conclusion, evil is merely the extension of allowing self will, and patterns outside of God’s Will, to reign. Many do prefer it, until the dystopian realities kick in. However, it often becomes too late to change systems when they get to that point, people will either conform or be killed. By no means am I suggesting to rebel or not operate in harmony with society, just realize how society effects you and be mindful of your values. Evil will always be present until the Day of the Lord, the time of Jacob’s Trouble, and Christ’s second coming. In this age, it’s merely up to us to determine if we desire God’s Will or our own, embrace good or evil, and let things play out as they were foretold. I’d imagine with the amount of self will present in today’s society, along with the inability for nation states to find common ground, we are pretty close to the end of this biblical era.
