CHAPTER 1

Evil Existing alongside Good

As we go on with our daily lives, not really thinking aboutwhat might happen to change our normal mode of living, thecrime rate in cities around the nation continues to soar. There is nodispelling the various forces in our environment, seen and unseen,whether good or evil forces. However one might define the terms"good" and "evil," there's a consensus that they work in oppositionto each other. Ultimately, one must triumph over the other. If goodtriumphs over evil, then the end result generally will be favorablefor the greater good. In contrast, if evil triumphs over good, the endresult is damnable for all concerned.

Is there a drive within us that seeks to survive the evil in ourdepraved society? A depraved society is evidenced when theeruption of violent actions, immorality, and the loss of valuesdisregard the sanctity of life and other things that are in oppositionto the greater good of the Creator's plan. There is a compellingreason why we want to survive in this depraved society, as we willsee in the following pages of this book. It's apparent that the driveswithin us are constantly fighting for control. Eventually, through nofault of our own, the evil forces could take over unguarded territory.Survival, however, is necessary—and survival can be achieved inthis corrupt society.

We are witnesses to the fact that we live in an environmentwhere evil continues to proliferate to alarming levels. Is not thispresent society depraved? Merriam-Webster defines depravity as"marked by corruption or evil; especially: perverted." Each individualin this society must engage in a personal battle against evil in orderto survive. Evil is indeed a powerful force that drives many of theills that infect our society. The Bible mentions evil throughout itspages, warning readers to resist it. It does not pay to be impetuous."Test everything, regardless of how legitimate it might seem. Holdon to the good. Avoid every kind of evil" (1 Thessalonians 5:21–22,Bible version?).

Many question when or how these evil happenings will reacha conclusion. How do we make sense of so much violence andcriminal activity in our inner cities across America and even inthe world at large? We see a rise in these violent happenings. Is evilnecessary where civilized people exist? If so, what benefits does evilprovide within the hearts and minds of humankind?

It appears that many people are intrigued with evil intent, evenenjoying the results. Rick Bell wrote an article for his Interpulpitblog, titled "Media and the Manifestation of Evil," in which he posesthe question: "Are you fascinated with evil?" It appears that for alarge percentage of individuals, the answer to this question is yes.Many seem to be fascinated with evil, particularly as the evidencesof evil unfold with greater intensity today.

The ideal that evil is necessary for humans to exist actuallymakes sense in our society, as there is no way to get rid of it. Innercities, for example, are overwhelmed by evil. Consequently, sinceevil happenings are present and ongoing, we must acquire thestrategies needed to survive the evil of this world.

Evil happenings have occurred from times past to the present,but the evil persuasions of the past seem like child's play whencompared to the evils of today, such as a compilation of variousmurderous happenings in urban America. There are many reasonsfor these crimes, but there is one common thread—they're all drivenby the evil that men do.

One example is the murder of my only son, one who did notsurvive the hand of evil. Although the circumstances are difficultto relive, my objective for sharing his fate is to help other peoplewho have suffered such losses, to help them to endure the pain withgreater understanding.

The sighting of evil happenings in this country is not intendedto discredit any city or law enforcement agencies, but to study theroot causes of murderous and criminal incidences and examinewhat's behind them.

For example, an article in the Newark (New Jersey) Star Ledgerreported that an unidentified man was shot on a street corner andwas pronounced dead at University Hospital a short time later.

Another article reported on the death of a twenty-six-year-oldmale after he was shot on a street corner in Newark's North Ward.

Seven other people were shot in another incident, three ofthem fatally, in an explosion of violence in Newark. It was reportedthat the bloodshed was part of a wave of shootings and violentcarjackings.

These violent acts not only occur on the streets of Newark buton urban streets all over America and worldwide.

On December 31, 2010, the Star Ledger reported that a mannamed Dahundaqu Toler was charged with murder and weaponsoffenses in the shooting death of forty-six-year-old Bryant Evans.

Bryant Evans was my only son. He was an ordinary youngman who had a heart of gold. He cared for all around him and wasalways available when needed. This mild-mannered, unassumingspirit was indeed vulnerable in the harsh, inner-city environment.Somehow, he got caught in the unending battle between goodand evil. Evil prevailed. His life was snuffed out by a murderer'sbullets—one bullet to the head and another to the torso.

It was 2:30 a.m. when I received news that he had been shot in abar, a place that I believe to be the devil's territory, a place where evilabounds. On the morning of December 31, 2010, my son passedfrom life into death. My wife answered the phone and held it indismay, crying, "Bryant was shot!"

I became breathless. It had been only four and a halfdays—ninety-six hours; five thousand seven hundred sixtyminutes—since our last phone conversation. Shock waves, likespontaneous electric charges, now traveled though my psyche andmy body. I was stunned.

In this traumatic state, I superficially thought that Bryanthad been in the wrong place at the wrong time, thus giving riseto evil happenings. Those thoughts faded quickly when a senseof helplessness and hopelessness began to overpower my braincircuits. At the same time, the biology of the emotional father/sonconnection kicked in, revealing the intrinsic, mysterious bond.It was as if I was a part of his dying, as if I was dying at that verymoment. These are feelings that go far beyond what scientists canexplain. The irony is that my son and I never shared a father/soncloseness. Still, ordained by God, the father-and-son...