From a website called Philosophy of Religion, it was stated that “God’s creation was originally good, but then the first man, Adam, sinned. As a result of this Fall, sin entered the world, and now all suffer the affliction of original sin. This doctrine is an important part of the Christian tradition: not only does it exonerate God from responsibility for the existence of evil, it also presents the idea that sin is universal and so every one of us is in need of salvation.” Jeremiah described how that, through Christ, men will no longer be held accountable for Adam’s transgression: “In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the children’s teeth are set on edge. But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.”( Jeremiah 31:29–30)
There is an ongoing debate as to whether Adam sinned or merely transgressed. Be that as it may, possibly a better argument is that sin was introduced into the world when Lucifer and his angels fell to the earth after being expelled from heaven. (Revelation 12) “Wherefore, all things which are good cometh of God; and that which is evil cometh of the devil; for the devil is an enemy unto God, and fighteth against him continually, and inviteth and enticeth to sin, and to do that which is evil continually.” (Moroni 7:14,17) Satan and his angels provided the opposition necessary for our agency to be effective. Agency and our personal growth is based on the choices we make, and without opposition, there would be no choice. Joseph Conrad’s statement below is an erro- neous assumption: “The belief in a supernatural source of evil (Lucifer) is not necessary; men alone are quite capable of every wickedness.” There can be no sin (wickedness) except there be a choice to disobey Father’s commandments. Those choices are provided by the opposition introduced by Satan.
Years ago, I came across a story about a University Professor who challenged his students with this question. “Did God create everything that exists?” The students universally replied, “Yes!” The professor then responded, “If God created everything, then God created evil, since evil exists, and according to the principle that our works define who we are, then God is evil.” The professor appeared pleased with himself, thinking that he had proved once again that the Christian faith was a myth.
Everyone was quiet until one student raised his hand and asked, “Professor may I ask you a question?” After being granted permission, he asked, “Does cold exist? The professor responded, Of course cold exists! Have you never been cold?” The young student replied, “In fact sir, cold does not exist. According to the laws of physics, what we consider cold is in reality the absence of heat. Every object is susceptible to study when it transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter transmit energy. Absolute zero (-460° F.) is the total absence of heat. Cold does not exist, the word was created to describe how we feel if we have too little heat.”
The student then asked the professor if darkness exists. The professor responded, “Of course it does.” The student responded, “Once again you are wrong, sir, darkness does not exist either. Darkness is merely the absence of light. Light we can study and measure but not darkness. Darkness is just a term used by man to describe what happens when there is no light present.”
The student asked one more question, “Sir, does evil exist?”
Now uncertain, the professor still answered, “Of course, we see it every day…in the multitude of crimes and violence, etc. These are nothing else but evil.” To this the student replied, “Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil, like cold and darkness, is merely the absence of (good)God. Evil is not like faith and love which exist just as does light and heat. Evil is like the cold that comes when there is no heat and when darkness comes as an absence of light.” The professor sat down. End of story.
We are the designated light for others, and the light we receive is based on our faithfulness. The evil or darkness in the world can only be reduced as we increase our own light and share the light we have with others. The nature of light is such that as it is shared it grows brighter and brighter. “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.” (Matthew 5:14–16) The light that is emitted from us is in direct correlation to the light we have earned through obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel. “That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.” (D&C 50:24)