Joe Beaty

October 11, 2006

Jr. Faith 06

 

Light vs. Dark side, The problem of evil in Star Wars

People are supposedly naturally good, but there is still evil in the world. Evil is needed in the world to make good possible, without one, the other would not exist. To bring balance to the Force, Anakin must become Darth Vader to off set the forces of good from the Jedi. There are two types of evil. Natural evil is when something painful, unpleasant, or destructive happens without a direct choice to do evil by someone, like a big fish eating a small fish, it's nature. Someone openly choosing to do wrong to benefit his or herself or to cause pain to another is moral evil. Without the Sith, the Jedi would be nearly useless, for they would have no reason to bring peace to a world that is absent of evil. People would not be able to become heroes, show their compassion, or fight evil if there was no evil to battle. Evil was not created; it has co-existed with good since the beginning of time. A universe without evil would be morally lifeless, making all things boring and emotionless. Plato says that a world is good, but filled with evil, and the creator causes this. The world has a creator, who created the universe out of matter. This matter is naturally evil. Humans are made of this matter, and it causes them to do bad things, but the soul inside the body lets us do deeds of good. Like our houses are made out of brick or wood, they are not necessarily evil, but give in to nature over time. Vader’s vision of power comes from being able to manipulate his surroundings, while the Jedi and Plato know that true power comes from mastering one’s self. Jedi accept death when the Sith try to manipulate it, or even stop it. The Dark side derives its power from fear, anger, hate, and other passions. Some believe that God could not create a world with evil, where others argue that since there is evil there is no God.

St. Augustine of Hippo was a Manichee. This sect believes that good has always existed with evil, neither coming from the other, but the Manichees believe that evil comes from the will of a single person, not that it was created when god created the universe. They also believe that there is a God for good and a God for evil. They raise the question: if god is both perfectly good and all-powerful, how can he let evil exist? He cannot. THEREFORE, the Manichees believe that god is NOT all-powerful. Maybe evil is more powerful than good. It is not, though it is quicker, easier, and more seductive. Augustine believes that evil is caused by the choices of the people of god, not God himself. It is better to have a universe with good and evil than a monotonous world with no feeling at all, no choices between good or evil. If people are not evil incarnate, a Satan-like source of all evil, then someone else turned them evil, but it is unknown where their source of evil came from because we cannot trace back where each person was turned. Every seduction into evil needs a seducer and someone who willing chooses the ways of evil and is seduced. People are born evil with the original sin of pride, wanting to be in a higher position than they are ready for. Everyone is free and morally responsible for his or her actions. The evil that comes out of us is drawn from within us, and we choose to let it out.

Even though at the end of a Phantom Menace, A New Hope, and Return of the Jedi we get happy, Hollywood, endings, we know evil will still always, be with us to counterbalance the good. So we then ask ourselves, if evil can never be stopped, why be good at all? That is up to you, your choice, and your own moral values.