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George Fritsma

Pastor Glenn McDonald: Defeating Evil


As J.K. Rowling was putting the finishing touches on her seven-part Harry Potter series, she received a lot of advice.

 

Parents, teachers, psychologists, and fans of all ages around the globe made one heartfelt request:

 

Please don’t let Harry die. 

 

A number of key characters had already met their demise at the hands of the evil Voldemort and his associates on the pages of the first six books. Even Harry’s beloved owl had been struck down.

 

Surely it would be wise to spare the world’s children, who adored the Harry Potter narrative, the shock of his death.

 

Spoiler alert: Harry dies. 

 

He sacrifices himself, taking Voldemort with him, to give life to all those who are bravely standing against Evil. There’s more to the finale than that (including a few genuine surprises), which you’ll no doubt enjoy reading on your own.

 

Meanwhile, when the Wachowski siblings were wrapping up the third film in their Matrix trilogy, fans wondered what would happen to Neo.

 

From the beginning Neo had been presented as the Chosen One, the savior who would defeat the forces of Evil threatening humanity. How exactly would he pull it off?

 

Spoiler alert: Neo dies.

 

Neo willingly surrenders his life – taking Agent Smith into his own body – then dying, as if on the cross, with his arms stretched out to the left and the right.

 

Devotees of The Matrix rolled their eyes. Can’t we have a decent modern mythology that doesn’t involve echoes of the Crucifixion?

 

Well, that depends. 

 

How else do you propose defeating Evil?

 

Psychologist and author M. Scott Peck writes: “I cannot be any more specific about the methodology of love than to quote these words of an old priest who spent many years in the battle:

 

“’There are dozens of ways to deal with evil and several ways to conquer it. All of them are facets of the truth that the only ultimate way to conquer evil is to let it be smothered within a willing, living human being. When it is absorbed there like blood in a sponge or a spear into one’s heart, it loses its power and goes no further.’

 

“The healing of evil – scientifically or otherwise – can be accomplished only by the love of individuals. A willing sacrifice is required… I do not know how this occurs. But I know that it does… Whenever this happens there is a slight shift in the balance of power in the world.”

 

It’s possible to write off Jesus’ death on Calvary as a cruel lynching; religious extremism gone amuck; a miscalculation on Jesus’ part; or a gallant example of love.

 

The Gospels see it rather differently.

 

It is nothing less than the only way God can defeat Evil. God takes Evil into God’s own self, and smothers it there.

 

Or to put it a bit more simply, Jesus dies so that we might live.

 

Spoiler alert:  He doesn’t stay dead for very long.

 

As J.K. Rowling was putting the finishing touches on her seven-part Harry Potter series, she received a lot of advice.

 

Parents, teachers, psychologists, and fans of all ages around the globe made one heartfelt request:

 

Please don’t let Harry die. 

 

A number of key characters had already met their demise at the hands of the evil Voldemort and his associates on the pages of the first six books. Even Harry’s beloved owl had been struck down.

 

Surely it would be wise to spare the world’s children, who adored the Harry Potter narrative, the shock of his death.

 

Spoiler alert: Harry dies. 

 

He sacrifices himself, taking Voldemort with him, to give life to all those who are bravely standing against Evil. There’s more to the finale than that (including a few genuine surprises), which you’ll no doubt enjoy reading on your own.

 

Meanwhile, when the Wachowski siblings were wrapping up the third film in their Matrix trilogy, fans wondered what would happen to Neo.

 

From the beginning Neo had been presented as the Chosen One, the savior who would defeat the forces of Evil threatening humanity. How exactly would he pull it off?

 

Spoiler alert: Neo dies.

 

Neo willingly surrenders his life – taking Agent Smith into his own body – then dying, as if on the cross, with his arms stretched out to the left and the right.

 

Devotees of The Matrix rolled their eyes. Can’t we have a decent modern mythology that doesn’t involve echoes of the Crucifixion?

 

Well, that depends. 

 

How else do you propose defeating Evil?

 

Psychologist and author M. Scott Peck writes: “I cannot be any more specific about the methodology of love than to quote these words of an old priest who spent many years in the battle:

 

“’There are dozens of ways to deal with evil and several ways to conquer it. All of them are facets of the truth that the only ultimate way to conquer evil is to let it be smothered within a willing, living human being. When it is absorbed there like blood in a sponge or a spear into one’s heart, it loses its power and goes no further.’

 

“The healing of evil – scientifically or otherwise – can be accomplished only by the love of individuals. A willing sacrifice is required… I do not know how this occurs. But I know that it does… Whenever this happens there is a slight shift in the balance of power in the world.”

 

It’s possible to write off Jesus’ death on Calvary as a cruel lynching; religious extremism gone amuck; a miscalculation on Jesus’ part; or a gallant example of love.

The Gospels see it rather differently.

 It is nothing less than the only way God can defeat Evil. God takes Evil into God’s own self, and smothers it there.

 Or to put it a bit more simply, Jesus dies so that we might live.

 Spoiler alert:  He doesn’t stay dead for very long.

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