I had to reread my post and your comment, but I think you are maybe responding to the young man in the story (which was fictional) rather than the author - who wrote the story intending to point out that more should be done to go after those who are "lost" and help them rather than turning a blind eye.

He was trying to show the end result of ignoring all that is evil, and challenge us as Christians to examine how we respond to evil, and whether we keep ourselves in a "safe" world and reject all that is not "good and lovely and pure".

What has surprised me is how many Christians have responded that we should not engage in fighting evil - they say God fights evil, not us (and I say, who does God USE to fight it? - US!), and they don't believe a story like this one belongs in a Christian worldview or on a Christian website.

Does that help? Or have I confused you even more?

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I don't feel because a person sins that they are evil either. In that case we are all evil

I argue that we are "good" in that we seek right relationship with each other. And we're "evil" because we seek to promote ourselves at the expense of others. All of us are both, because it is impossible to navigate the minefield of "self" and "other" without falling. Grace is what picks us up after we've blown ourselves up on a mine, patches us back together, reintroduces us to the group which, through grace, accepts us back, and allows us to carry on.

GRACE, n. Jesus of Nazareth's forgotten sister.

- The New Millenium Devil's Dictionary

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be so confusing. Guess this is why I shouldn't be blogging late at night, lol.

I'm not talking about "the devil made me do it" and I'm not saying because a person sins, they are evil.

I'm talking about Christians who don't ever want to talk about Satan or evil, who want to avoid people who are mean, "crazy", or messed up, who would turn away from a young boy with major problems (like the boy in this fictional story, who had no real guidance, started doing things like setting fire to a chicken coop just for fun, and people turned away from him and shunned him rather than trying to help him).

People aren't evil, but their actions can be following the path of evil.

Am I helping or just confusing you further?

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I'm talking about Christians who don't ever want to talk about Satan or evil,

I think I understand what you're driving at, with this clarification. I posted that quote from Mark to point out that Jesus of Nazareth had no problems whatsoever either with talking about evil or doing something about it. I would go so far as to say that a person who avoids the word "evil" has a most doubtful claim on the word "Christian".

I worry though, because "Christian" groups throughout history have chosen to interpret Scripture as giving them a license to define "evil" as "anything that we don't like", and to remove that "evil" with whatever is necessary, including deadly force. Jesus of Nazareth used persuasion, compassion, and self-sacrifice to achieve these goals, not brainwashings, tortures, or cruise missiles.

Very good point. I agree, there are so many subtleties and interpretations here.

But I guess I'm just surprised at how many Christians are scared of and/or shy away from evil - not as in "anything we don't like" - but as in those who are truly sinning and doing evil deeds, and/or even thinking about or discussing the possibility of Satan - even that he exists.

Not those who are legalistically judging (although that's a whole 'nother problem!) or those who are doing evil in return (brainwashings, tortures, etc.) - but those who are going about their daily lives and sticking their head in the sand if someone mentions "evil", Satan, or they come across a "mean" person or troubled kid. Those who look the other way and try to pretend like nothing is going on, and then say you are not a Christian (or acting like a Christian) if you "think about such things".

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Those who look the other way and try to pretend like nothing is going on

Yeah. Sigh. Mea culpa. I have a blog entry that touches on this subject, perhaps you've seen it. It's the "shopping cart" piece.

I think most of us are in the "yo-yo" category. But you're right, there is a spectrum. And this is further complicated by the fact that one group's "grace" is another's excommunication. I'd say more but it's already way past my bedtime. :)

Bibles? 2 and 1/4 (the third volume contains only Gospels). But all three are college-level "study" volumes: the Oxford and Harper-Collins Study Bibles (both New Revised Standard Version), and the Jesus Seminar's The Complete Gospels (Scholar's Version).