<Then whence cometh evil?> That is obvious. Through our willful actions that are destructive to others.
I would add our inaction to this as well.
I don't believe in organized religions devised by humankind - there's sometimes too much hypocrisy and they are sometimes too self-serving for me. The basic tenets of them are good - but they get twisted around until they only serve humankind's need for power, and are suceptible to human corruption. And - surprise! - they place humankind in some kind of self-proclaimed dominion of the Earth. Negative messages such as these, reinforced over the centuries by religions, are tough to change. I do believe in a higher power though, God, a Creator, something higher than ourselves. When I look around at the natural world, I just feel there must be something higher than ourselves, something with a deeper meaning. Atheism has always struck me as just one more example of mankind's arrogance and self-importance.
I was raised as a Protestant; and have always had a curiosity regarding spirituality. Over the years, my beliefs incorporate Buddhist, Hindu and Native American and Celtic, as well, and I don't discount some of the basic, loving tenets of most. When they get twisted into hateful beliefs is where I draw the line. I think my personal beliefs are as valid as any.
