On Facebook, I saw this beautiful story in a Christian post.
A professor asked his class why God created evil. But instead of waiting for an answer, he gets one student to admit that God made everything and since evil is a thing, then God created evil. And therefore God is evil. At that point, no student dared to challenge him. The silence in the room was deafening.
But then a bold young student comes to God’s defense. He humbly raises his hand, and asks the professor “Is cold a thing? Is the dark a thing?” The professor says “Yes, of course. It exists so it’s a thing.” But the student brilliantly proves that neither are things. Cold is merely the absent of heat. And darkness is merely the absence of light. So like cold and the dark, evil is not a thing. It’s simply the absence of God. Evil is just a void of Divine Love in the human heart. We then learn that the student was the young and brilliant Albert Einstein.
So once again, good triumphs over evil. Now Christians have a great new story to club over the heads of diehard atheists. Indeed, only a genius like Einstein could ever say such profound truths.
Except he didn’t.
And these sublime “truths”are absolute lies.
Really? What’s Wrong with This Story? If it’s not completely true so what?
Why This Story Is False.
1. A simple Google search shows this is just one of the many fake Einstein stories. Einstein never said this.
2. Also, evil is not an absence. Evil is a presence! In Scripture, Jesus and Paul cast out demons. Demonic possession is more than the mere absence of good. It’s real. It’s personal. Demons can think! Demons can talk. Can the absence of heat or light think? Can cold or darkness talk? Can cold or darkness be cast out?
So if you buy into this story, you buy into a gaggle of lies. And there are many stories on the Internet just like this. Some deal with fictional confrontations. Others deal with what the ideal man or woman should be, even when these things are totally unsupported by Scripture.
So when you spread this story, you are telling the world:
- This is a true story about Albert Einstein (when it’s not)
- Evil is simply a void of God in the human heart (when it’s not)
- Demonic evil isn’t real and
- Both Jesus and the Apostle Paul are liars (for they both spoke about demons and casted them out)
But Aren’t Little Lies OK As Long As You Can Get Atheists To Believe? Aren’t some lies OK because they make us feel whole and valued in a scary world?
NO. Truth is never a means to an end. It’s not something you forsake for the greater good. It’s not something to neglect because the lie makes you feel better.
Pontius Pilate asked “What Is Truth?” But as followers of Jesus, we know the truth. The Truth is a person. The Truth is Jesus. And Jesus never lied once. His very nature was truth. He presented the facts right, and He provided us with the right perspective to view these facts. None of what Jesus did was false. So why would we ever repost something that is against Scripture without even checking it? Why are we so quick to push something forward because it sounds pleasant and nice? Like the Bereans, we should be testing everything against what the Bible actually says. And we should be very careful to make sure everything we say, do or forward, is really the truth.
Consider this:
- Do you care about truth? (Jesus did)
- If you were an atheist seeking truth, would you want to hear it from someone who lies?
- What about from a Christian who’s quick to misquote the facts?
- How about from a Christian who’s known for spreading hoaxes?
- How quick would you accept truth from a person who shows himself to be unreliable and without discernment? What if that person then asks you to commit to the greatest decision in your life? Would you trust them? Would you even listen?
Bottom Line: Don’t use the world to combat the world. Respect the truth. Think before you post. If it doesn’t match what the Bible says, then don’t post it. And even if it does match, check the source. A partial lie is a whole lie! Serve the Father of Truth, not the Father of lies.
Jesus is real. Jesus is powerful. He didn’t need demons to announce His presence. Nor does He need worldly lies or half truths to convince people to believe in Him. Rely on the power of Jesus, not the power of Oprah. Jesus will give you wisdom and direction. All you need to do is ask Him!
Other Blogs
Fighting Spiritual Amnesia
Truth is not about just about facts or your circumstances. Truth is grounded in relationship.
Is Truth More Than Just Having The Facts?
Why do two people with the same facts reach the opposite conclusions? Could truth be more than just having the data?