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NEPOSTOJANJE ZLA
THE NONEXISTENCE OF EVIL

1 Istinsko je objašnjenje ovog pitanja vrlo teško. Upamtite da postoje dvije vrste bića: materijalna i duhovna, ona koja opažamo osjetilima i ona intelektualna. The true explanation of this subject is very difficult. Know that beings are of two kinds: material and spiritual, those perceptible to the senses and those intellectual.
2 Stvari koje se mogu osjetiti jesu one koje se opažaju putem pet osjetila; tako se te vanjske egzistencije zovu osjetilnima. Intelektualne stvari su one koje nemaju nikakve vanjske egzistencije, već su to koncepcije uma. Na primjer, sam je um intelektualna stvar koja nema vanjske egzistencije. Sve čovjekove karakteristike i kvalitete tvore intelektualnu egzistenciju i nisu osjetilne. Things which are sensible are those which are perceived by the five exterior senses; thus those outward existences which the eyes see are called sensible. Intellectual things are those which have no outward existence but are conceptions of the mind. For example, mind itself is an intellectual thing which has no outward existence. All man’s characteristics and qualities form an intellectual existence and are not sensible.
3 Ukratko, intelektualne stvarnosti, kao što su sve kvalitete i prekrasne savršenosti čovjeka, posve su dobre i postoje. Zlo je jednostavno njihovo nepostojanje. Tako je neznanje potreba za znanjem; zabluda je potreba za vodstvom; zaboravnost je potreba za pamćenjem; glupost, potreba za zdravim razumom. Sve te stvari nemaju stvarne egzistencije. Briefly, the intellectual realities, such as all the qualities and admirable perfections of man, are purely good, and exist. Evil is simply their nonexistence. So ignorance is the want of knowledge; error is the want of guidance; forgetfulness is the want of memory; stupidity is the want of good sense. All these things have no real existence.
4 Na isti način, osjetilne stvarnosti su potpuno dobre, a zlo je posljedica njihova nepostojanja – tj. sljepoća je potreba za vidom, gluhoća za sluhom, siromaštvo – potreba za bogatstvom, bolest – potreba za zdravljem, smrt – potreba za životom, a slabost – potreba za snagom. In the same way, the sensible realities are absolutely good, and evil is due to their nonexistence—that is to say, blindness is the want of sight, deafness is the want of hearing, poverty is the want of wealth, illness is the want of health, death is the want of life, and weakness is the want of strength.
5 Unatoč tome u umu se javlja sumnja – npr. škorpioni i zmije su otrovni. Jesu li oni dobri ili zli, s obzirom na to da su postojeća bića? Da, škorpion je zao u odnosu prema čovjeku; zmija je zla u odnosu prema čovjeku; no u odnosu prema njima samima oni nisu zli, jer njihov je otrov njihovo oružje, i svojom žaokom oni se brane. No, budući da se elementi njihova otrova ne slažu s našim elementima – tj. postoji antagonizam između tih različitih elemenata, taj je antagonizam zlo; ali u stvarnosti glede njih samih – oni su dobri. Nevertheless a doubt occurs to the mind—that is, scorpions and serpents are poisonous. Are they good or evil, for they are existing beings? Yes, a scorpion is evil in relation to man; a serpent is evil in relation to man; but in relation to themselves they are not evil, for their poison is their weapon, and by their sting they defend themselves. But as the elements of their poison do not agree with our elements—that is to say, as there is antagonism between these different elements, therefore, this antagonism is evil; but in reality as regards themselves they are good.
6 Sažetak ovog razgovora jest da je moguće da jedna stvar u odnosu naspram druge stvari može biti zla, ali istodobno unutar granica svoga vlastitog bića možda nije zla. Dakle, dokazano je da u postojanju nema zla; sve što je Bog stvorio, stvorio je dobrim. Ovo zlo je ništavilo; tako je smrt odsustvo života. Kad čovjek više ne prima svjetlo, on umire. Tama je odsustvo svjetla; kad nema svjetla, vlada tama. Svjetlo je postojeća stvar, a tama nepostojeća. Bogatstvo je postojeća stvar, a siromaštvo nepostojeća. The epitome of this discourse is that it is possible that one thing in relation to another may be evil, and at the same time within the limits of its proper being it may not be evil. Then it is proved that there is no evil in existence; all that God created He created good. This evil is nothingness; so death is the absence of life. When man no longer receives life, he dies. Darkness is the absence of light: when there is no light, there is darkness. Light is an existing thing, but darkness is nonexistent. Wealth is an existing thing, but poverty is nonexisting.
7 Dakle očito je da se sva zla vraćaju u nepostojanje. Bog postoji; zlo je nepostojeće. Then it is evident that all evils return to nonexistence. Good exists; evil is nonexistent.