What is evil? For centuries, philosophers, theologians, and seekers have grappled with this profound question. Traditional views often cast evil as a powerful, external force opposing good—a cosmic battle between light and darkness. However, from a metaphysical and New Thought perspective, as articulated by teachers like Ed Rabel, the nature of evil is understood quite differently. It is not a powerful entity but a profound misunderstanding.

This exploration delves into the metaphysical meaning of evil, not to minimize human suffering, but to empower us with the spiritual understanding to overcome it.

What Is Evil? A Shift in Perspective

Metaphysically, evil is not a thing, but a perception. It is defined as:

“That which is not of God; unreality; error thought; a product of the fallen human consciousness; negation.” – Ed Rabel

This perspective shifts the paradigm. Evil is not a rival power to God; it is the absence of alignment with God’s omnipresent good. Think of it as darkness. Darkness is not a force that attacks a room; it is simply the absence of light. The moment light is introduced, darkness vanishes. In the same way, evil is the “darkness” that appears when the light of spiritual understanding is absent from human consciousness.

The Parasitic Nature of Negativity

Ed Rabel offers a powerful metaphor: “Evil is a parasite.” A parasite has no life of its own; it survives by drawing life from a host. Similarly, evil—whether it manifests as fear, hatred, sickness, or lack—feeds on the misdirected power of our own belief. It borrows its seeming power from our faith in it.

When we withdraw our belief—when we sever its connection to the “host” of our fearful thoughts—the illusion of its power dissolves into nothingness. As the Apostle Paul wrote, this requires renewing our mind and shifting our focus:

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Romans 12:2, ESV)

Why Does Evil Appear So Real?

If evil is unreal in the ultimate sense, why does it feel so tangible in our lives? The answer lies in consciousness.

Evil appears in the world because humanity, collectively and individually, is not fully anchored in spiritual understanding. We have not fully learned that “all is Mind,” as the metaphysical principle states. When we misuse our God-given power of thought and free will—when we choose fear over love, separation over unity, and judgment over compassion—we create inharmonious conditions. These conditions are what we call evil.

This is not to blame the individual for suffering but to highlight our innate power to change our experience by changing our consciousness. Jesus pointed to this principle when he said:

“You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32, ESV)

The “truth” is the understanding of our divine nature and the omnipresence of God’s good. The “error” or “evil” is the ignorant belief in separation, which creates suffering. When Truth is presented and fully understood, the error disappears, just as a mistaken calculation vanishes once the correct equation is known.

The Path to Overcoming Evil: Denial and Affirmation

So, how do we practically apply this understanding? We overcome evil not by fighting against it directly, but by overwhelming it with the conscious awareness of Good.

This is a two-part mental and spiritual process:

1. Denial: We consciously refuse to empower the illusion. We deny the ultimate reality of any condition that is not of God—whether it’s sickness, lack, or fear. We declare, “This is not the truth of my being. This has no power over me, for there is only one Power.” This is not denial of a problem’s existence, but a denial of its divinity and permanence.
2. Affirmation: We immediately fill the space with the creative, fearless affirmation of God’s perfect good. We shift our focus entirely to the Divine Presence. We affirm health, abundance, peace, and love, not as wishes, but as the ultimate Reality here and now.

This method is perfectly echoed in scripture:

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21, NIV)

We overcome the darkness of error by shining the light of Truth. We dwell in the good so wholly that all our mental substance fuels the promotion of good, leaving no room for the parasite of negation to survive.

Conclusion: Reclaiming Our Power

The metaphysical view of evil is ultimately empowering. It relieves us of the terror of a monstrous, external devil and places the responsibility—and the power—firmly in the realm of our own consciousness.

There is but one Presence and one Power, God the Good. Our human journey is about learning to align our thoughts with this Power. When we do, the shadows of error, which we call evil, naturally recede, revealing the everlasting harmony that has always been our divine inheritance.

https://www.truthunity.net/people/ed-rabel