Why God Allows Evil And Wars

You'll be surprised. And amused.

Jun 27, 2025

Languages: UA | RU || BG | CS | DE | EL | ES | FR | HR | HU | IT | PL | RM | TR |

Welcome to the peace initiative for Ukraine in which you can contibute by raising your awareness as well as your consciousness^[+] and spirit to the modes^[+] of neutrality^[*^], decency, respectfulness, wisdom^[*^], objectivity, mastery of the intellect, surrender (ego and mind to God’s will), and finally peace (inner then outer). To properly grasp everything, we recommend reading the articles of this peace initiative in the order that we^[*^] designed it, which is listed in the Contents.

This article is continuation of the previous article on CORE CONCEPTS on which this Peace Initiative is based. There we highlighted the fundamental principles, which consist of some Religious, Spiritual, Psychological, And Philosophical Concepts, so here we continue with it by explaining why god allows evil and wars.

But before we begin, a quick joke:

A philosopher, a theologian, and a comedian walk into a bar. The theologian asks for a divine intervention (and a light beer). The philosopher orders a deep, existential ponder and asks his friends "Why does God allow evil?” The comedian was quick to answer, “Because if everything was perfect, I'd be out of a job!"😊

Now, let's dive into the million-dollar question that keeps philosophers up at night (and gives comedians endless material): why God allows evil and wars.

It is quite understandable that during wars people ask this question and many people even lose faith in God as they can’t comprehend that a loving and almighty God would allow such evil that comes through the horrors of wars. People pray to God in need and often God does not answer their prayers, therefore they start doubting existence of God. Here we will answer not only the whys but also how to prevail in the midst of evil and even profit or evolve thanks to it. Yes, you heard that right – evil’s got a silver lining, like your grumpy landlord being forcefully recruited to go to the front line and never hearing from him again, or your annoying neighbor fleeing the country upon Russian invasion😊!

Please bear with us to the end because this is an extremely important topic and because it will help you enormously to transcend all evils in your life and triumph over it. It is not an easy subject, therefore it will require you to overcome temptations (that are coming from devil) to skip it. The devil’s whispering, “Just hop back to TikTok dances,” but stick with us – we’ve got witty zingers lined up for you that’ll make even Satan chuckle😊. Hang in there and you will surely gain necessary insights that will raise your awareness and consciousness to a much higher level, one that will bring the transformation you need. Think of it as a spiritual gym session – nobody wants to sweat, but those spiritual muscles will shine brighter than a halo at a gym selfie!😊

If you stick to the end here, you will realize that evil is not all it is cracked out to be and that evil carries the germ of its own subversion by gaining an insight into several events and personal fates that will make you see the evils or catastrophes or wars in a totally new light and so approach those that you have to endure with a better mindset and so come out stronger and better off than if you did not know about it. This will be exceptionally useful to anyone going through evil events, not just Ukrainians and Russians (though they're getting a masterclass right now😊). Because life’s challenges don’t discriminate – they’re equal-opportunity annoyances😊.

No one wants to hear it but the truth is, adversity and trials are needed for growth and positive change, which is why humanity needs evil that drives greater good. It’s like needing a villain in a movie to make the hero’s victory epic😊. No matter how horrific the wars are, they always bring some major societal changes or transformations that would otherwise take much longer to occur. Wars are like history’s impatient renovator, tearing down walls to build something new😊. Those who approach a war or any other catastrophe with a right attitude will not suffer from it. Think of it as dodging life’s punches with a smile – Rocky Balboa would approve😊.

As in any war or catastrophe, there are always people that come out of it better off and those who do not. Unfortunately, those who come out worse off are always in greater number because they lack the necessary means, which we will explain here, so that you do not belong to that category and don't end up being the person who brings a spoon to a spiritual gunfight. You don’t want to be the guy who trips over life’s hurdles while others are pole-vaulting to glory😊. However, regardless of enormous suffering resulting from wars, all in all, wars bring more gains than losses to many people as well as to the societies as a whole.

You are familiar with the concept of tests at school and work, as well as at sports and probably at home by parents. But the concept of God testing us is inacceptable by most people. Who could blame them? We expect a heavenly father to just give and give and improve our living without testing our readiness. But trials and tribulations are tests indeed. Why are tests needed? You know why tests are needed at school, work, sports, and such, so the same is with God – they are chances to prove our worth and strengthen character. It’s God’s way of saying, “Show me you’ve got what it takes to level up!” Tests require a challenge involving overcoming a difficulty (like temptations, wars, natural catastrophes…), which reveals and strengthens character. This is how authorities know who and when is ready for an upgrade. If we want an upgrade or promotion, we need to pass a test. Otherwise we stay at the same level, which is what most people do because they do not pass the tests. Tests come from God; temptations from Satan. Good uses Satan to test people. God, in His infinite wisdom, sometimes uses Satan as a kind of cosmic quality control😊.

To best explain the existence of evil, we need to trace it back to the story of Adam and Eve and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (from Bible's Genesis 3). The Hebrew word for “knowledge” (da‘at) implies experiential or intimate knowledge, not just intellectual awareness, so eating its fruit entailed not just knowing but experiencing the evil apart from the good. So, those who choose to judge others as good or evil, must experience evil. Did you get the significance of that statement? In other words, the evil does not fall upon those who do not seek to know or judge good and evil. Boom! Did you get that? Mind blown, right? It’s like finding out the secret to avoiding life’s drama is just minding your own business😊. No worries; it gets better.

The "knowledge of good and evil" isn't merely knowing about good and evil. It's more about experiencing evil besides the good and attempting to define good and evil for oneself, apart from God's standard. It’s like trying to be the judge in a cooking show when you can’t even boil an egg😊. By disobeying and consuming its fruit, Adam and Eve were essentially saying, "We will decide for ourselves what is good and evil," rather than relying on God's perfect wisdom and character as the ultimate standard. This is a claim to autonomy that humans are not equipped to handle, leading to moral chaos. It's like giving a toddler a chainsaw and expecting them to landscape the backyard without incident😊.

That first command established that God is the ultimate authority and we, the humans have no authority to judge who or what is evil or good. Deciding for ourselves what is right and wrong, usurps God’s authority as the moral arbiter. With our limitations, humans are not equipped to know everything needed to judge good from evil or right from wrong, therefore Father God commanded it and Jesus told us not to judge, so that we don’t have to suffer the consequences (sowing and reaping) and so be judged, too. Choosing to play God has its consequences. There can be only one God, one Judge, unless God gives one an authority or profession of a judge. And no, binge-watching courtroom dramas doesn’t count as a divine appointment😊.

There is one main reason why any of us face evil and that is disobedience. This has been the first and most severe sin of humanity, which led to the fall of humanity. Punishing Adam and Eve (and all humanity) for one bite seems like overkill, especially since Satan was the instigator. But God’s justice doesn’t play favorites and everyone is responsible for their actions, so, the serpent got cursed^[+], Eve got pain in childbirth^[+], and Adam got sweaty toil^[+]. If you think it is unfair that you, too, must suffer because of the disobedience and sin that Adam and Eve committed, then think again. You don’t. You do have to live in the fallen world but you suffer because you also “eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil”, and you probably do it every day many times. Every time you side-eye someone, you’re munching on that forbidden fruit😊. Every time you judge anyone, including Putin, as evil, assuming having the knowledge of who or what is evil, you bring evil upon yourself. Call someone evil, and life’s like, “Oh, you want evil? Here’s a double serving!”😊 People continue to disobey God's commandment and then wonder why evil befalls on them.

Yet, God wasn’t just harsh; He kept sending the prophets and His Son to show you the way back home. It’s like a parent grounding you for sneaking cookies but also baking a fresh batch for later – justice with mercy. God’s like, “You messed up, but here’s a lifeline – don’t say I never do anything for you.”😊

As Good asked Adam and Eve not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, the same command applies to each and every one of us but people just do not obey. Jesus Christ came along and said the same but with other words^[+]^[+]: "Do not judge" – it is a call to avoid harsh, critical, and condemning judgment of others, particularly when one is guilty of similar failings. Jesus is basically saying, “Clean your own room before you critique someone else’s mess.”😊 It emphasizes humility, self-reflection, and the importance of recognizing one's own flaws before criticizing others. While Christians are not to be judgmental, they are called to discern and act with righteous judgment in certain situations.

There is a reason why God did not want us to know good and evil. One is that one needs to experience evil to know it, and the other is that in our limitations, humans have not capacity to know everything there is to know to be able to judge anything and anyone properly. We’re not omniscient; we’re barely semi-scient sometimes😊. Therefore, God wants to and should be the only judge. Leave the gavel to the Big Guy upstairs. Because, let's face it, our track record on judgment isn't exactly stellar😊.

But judgement in itself is not as nearly bad as the actions that come out of judging. So, if one acts based on false judgement, then evils come. It’s like deciding someone’s guilty because they wore socks with sandals—bad call, worse consequences😊. And when a leader of a nation acts based on false judgement, then the whole nation pays the price. This is what happened to Ukraine, of course. Their leader made a very bad choice that resulted in war. He judged that ethnic Russians in Donbas are so evil that they need to be killed and discriminated against, just like Hitler did in his time. Zelensky’s like, “I’ve got a PhD in bad decisions – watch me work!”😊 But only God has right to judge that. And God is much better in determining the punishment. God’s punishment scale is like a Michelin-star chef compared to Zelensky’s fast-food approach😊. Zelensky judged Putin to be evil but did he manage to punish him? Clearly no, as Putin became a global icon. Zelensky did as well but only for a short while, and only in the West and only due to lies and propaganda, so he went from hero to zero while Putin went from underdog to top dog.

Why God did not punish Putin but rewarded him with victory and global fame? Because Putin is not evil. Clearly, God’s not buying the “Putin’s the bad guy” script😊. Ukrainians suffer because the misjudged Putin and fellow Russians as evil. Ukrainians and Russians are kinfolk, like family, so it was very wrong from Ukraine to turn against their brothers, so to speak. It’s like starting a family feud over who gets the last pierogi – bad move😊. If you condemn anyone as evil, you can be sure that they will become evil to you. Why is Putin evil to Ukrainians but not to, Belarussians? Or to most of the world? Maybe because they didn’t poke the bear with a stick for eight years. There must be something wrong with Ukrainians that made him act evil towards them. They pushed Putin into a corner and he had no choice but to respond with force after trying 8 years to resolve the issues nicely while Ukrainians only ridiculed him and vilified him. It’s like taunting a bear and then acting shocked when it swipes back😊.

Going back to God’s command to obey not to seek to know or judge good and evil, it is important to know how by disobedience people bring both good and evil into their lives. In the beginning, God had only one command, but due to disobedience and human desire to constantly judge what/who is good and what/who is bad or evil, later God came up with 10 commands (or 613 in Jewish law). It's like a software update: humanity kept finding bugs, so God had to issue more patches😊.

There would be no need to have more commands if we could just simply adhere to that first one. All other commands stem from not following that first command. So, people who constantly think in terms of good vs. evil, they tend to sin as a result of that mindset. For instance, if you think Russians are evil, then you feel like you want to murder them, which is why had to give that command not to murder. There would be no need for that command if humans would not condemn anyone as evil.

So, it is not that God allows evil but that people disobey and therefore face the consequences of their own evils. Because God did not only make humans and other matter; he also made laws such as sowing and reaping – it is part of God's justice. Therefore, humans do not need to punish anyone as God's natural laws would do it much better. God’s laws are like gravity – ignore them, and you’re gonna have a bad time. If He made those laws, it is foolish to expect Him to break those laws. It’s like asking a referee to undo a goal after the match is over – rules are rules😊!

God's laws include that if you judge anyone as evil, you will also be judged as evil and so face the consequences. The overall message is that Christians should prioritize self-reflection, recognize their own imperfections, and approach others with humility and compassion, rather than with a critical and judgmental spirit and leave judgement and punishment to God. Basically, let God be God, and you be you (a humble, non-judgmental version)😊.

If you believe in God, you should also believe in God's justice. God is in control and everyone is reaping what they were sowing. It’s like a cosmic boomerang—what you throw comes back. So, if you notice that Putin or Russians are winning the war, winning the territories, growing their economy despite the war and sanctions, and winning the hearts of the global majority, then you should stop and think why is that? If you see it as injustice, it is because your thinking is flawed and you should correct it. If you want to prevail the evils that befell you, then you need to self-reflect, recognize your own imperfections, and approach others with humility and compassion, rather than with a critical and judgmental spirit. There is no other way to come out of it as a winner.

You may doubt that seeing how many sinners, like corrupt politicians, prosper but again, this line of thinking is the same as “eating an apple form the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil”, so to speak. You have no idea what others are going through and the mere fact that they got a lot of money or party and travel all the time does not mean they are really happy. They might be smiling on Instagram, but their therapist’s couch knows the real story😊. We can’t go into all that now but we highlight the most important thing, which is avoid making judgement and instead just do what God tells you to do. You are going through trials and tribulations because you are reaping what you or your nation sowed but it is at the same time a test. Life’s like a reality show, and God’s the producer throwing plot twists to see if you’ll grow😊.

If you continue to be judgmental, hostile, aggressive, or do any other evil things, then you will continue go through evil experiences until you pass the test, if you ever do.

Because of love, God endowed humans with free will, enabling genuine moral choice to either love God back or to turn our back to Him and disobey Him. The disobedience in Eden ("eating the apple") was not merely a dietary violation but a fundamental rejection of God's authority. By choosing self-determination over divine guidance, humans started to sin and ruin themselves (while blaming God rather than themselves). The serpent (Satan) deceived Eve by questioning God's goodness and truthfulness, promoting the lie that disobedience would not lead to ruin but to enlightenment. Satan’s like the ultimate snake-oil salesman, promising “enlightenment” but delivering chaos😊. This deception exploited human free will to sever trust in God. God gave us boundaries and a choice or free will to love and obey him or not. Without a boundary or a choice, obedience would have been meaningless, and love not freely given. To love is to allow a free will to obey or not.

Knowledge of Good and Evil has the devastating impact on humanity. All or most wars stem from people judging others as evil because they think they know who is good and who is evil. Jesus taught us not to judge anyone but people disregard it and so disrespect Jesus and Father God. Ignoring Jesus’ advice is like ignoring a GPS and ending up in a warzone instead of Starbucks😊.

Natural evils – disease, disasters, decay, wars – stem from humanity's rebellion, not God's original design. By allowing free will, God allows evil as well as good. If God would not allow evil, He would have to break His laws as well as destroy all of humanity, because seeds of evil are in our sins and almost everyone sins. To counter the notion that God is responsible for evil, we emphasize human agency. Evil results from human choice, not God’s failure. God’s not the one pushing the “start war” button; that’s on us. Evil persists because God respects human freedom. Forced obedience would negate genuine relationship, reducing humans to automatons. Nobody wants a universe full of divine puppets, right?😊

But like any good father, our heavenly Father always leaves a door open for us to come back. And as it is proper, we need to repent to gain Father's grace. Christianity provides not just an explanation for evil but a solution: Redemption. Repentance is a first step to redemption.

People pray to God and when God does not answer their prayers, many of them lose faith. It is because they falsely believe that a relationship with God is a one-way street where only God has to do the heavy lifting regardless of their disobedience. They’re like, “God, fix my mess, but I’m still gonna do me.” It's like expecting your personal trainer to do all the push-ups while you eat a donut😊. They are asking God to break the causality law and other laws in nature just to accommodate them but they are disobedient to God and keep disobeying his commandments. So, there can be no answering prayers or grace before people repent and start obeying.

Ukrainians, for instance, need to repent their evil and wrong doings such as what they did or support doing to ethnic Russians in Donbas for 8 years before Putin sent his troops to rescue them in 2022 – all the massacres, shelling, torture, tyranny, discrimination, and violation of their human rights. But first of all, Ukrainians need to repent judging others as evil (they brought actual evil onto themselves by first having evil thoughts and words, followed by their deeds and then consequences). And they need to repent for being hypocrites, for “seeing the speck that is in their brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in their own eye.”^[+] They condemned Donbas protesters for doing the same what they did just months ago during Euromaidan protests and Maidan revolution – seized municipal buildings and clashed with law-enforcement. With such mistreatment, naturally, Donbas protesters turned into rebels and separatists – who can blame them?! It’s like poking a beehive and acting surprised when you get stung😊.
So, there can be no redemption, no answered prayers, before Ukrainians repent and start obeying God. Without it, no amount of praying and begging God can save them.

Just like Adam and Eve who did not wake up one day and said, “Let's be disobedient” but they were deceived by the evil serpent, likewise all people fall victims to temptations to disobey God's commandments. The Bible identifies the serpent with Satan (Revelation 12:9^[+]). So, it may not be disobedience that was at the heart of the problem but childish naivety or weakness to say no to the satanic serpent or temptation. They did not mean to do any harm and they were clearly not aware enough of the possible consequences. Their disobedient act was not malicious but a failure to trust God’s command while being tempted by the devil. Similar thing is today with most people, who often sin due to temptation or ignorance rather than evil intent.

Love does not require obedience, but it often shows up in it. So, if we love our father or whomever, we are not required to obey them all the time, but ignoring his well-meaning rules get us in trouble – rules are there for a reason (not to get harmed). Some argue that Adam and Eve did not think that eating some fruit could be so bad. Like when parents say to children not to smoke because they would get cancer but children disobey due to influence of others and smoke anyway and nothing really bad happens. Adam and Eve didn’t think one fruit-bite would nuke paradise, but it was less about the fruit and more about trusting God’s word. Every parent knows, it is tricky to prohibit staff because forbidden fruit is the sweetest, often due to curiosity or a desire to challenge boundaries or be fully free. It is a human predicament, not human flaw, So, if a teacher would tell us to go and meditate on anything but monkey, our human predicament is such that in trying not to meditate on it, we would certainly think about monkey. Tell me not to think of a monkey, and I’m already picturing one in a tuxedo😊.

Adam and Eve didn’t wake up craving rebellion – they got played by a serpent with a PhD in deception. But their choice to munch the fruit wasn’t just a naive “whoops”; it was humanity’s first “I’ll do me.” God didn’t ban the fruit to be a buzzkill but to keep them from the monkey trap of self-rule. Sin was already slithering, but they opened the gate. God’s punishment? Firm but fair, with a way to fix the mess. So, next time you’re tempted to think of a monkey, blame the serpent – but don’t eat the fruit!😊

In Eden there was only one commandment and now there are 10 (or 613 in Jewish law) of them that are tougher to keep, with temptations bombarding us like pop-up ads. Most people, incl. Christians, can’t seem to stick to all the rules and therefore get into troubles. Not because people are evil, as they do not mean to disobey or harm God, but are simply too weak, distracted, or naive to guard themselves against all those temptations or devious illusions devised by Satan. Yet, Christian Scriptures say^[+] God’s grace covers our fumbles if we turn to Him.

The Bible suggests Satan was originally a being (likely an angel) created by God who rebelled against God (Isaiah 14:12–15^[+], Ezekiel 28:12–17^[+], though these passages are debated). God created all beings good, but angels, like humans, had free will. Satan’s choice to rebel introduced evil before the Fall of mankind or expulsion from Eden, though the Bible doesn’t detail when or why this happened. Although sin of fallen angel masquerading as a serpent creeped into Eden before, Romans 5:12^[+] says sin entered this world through one man, meaning human sin kicked off the chain of evil. The serpent or Satan was already fallen, but Adam and Eve’s choice flipped the switch for humanity’s fall.

Think of Satan as the arsonist who hands you the match – you’re not evil, but lighting the forest fire is on you. No point in playing the blame game, Satan’s all about smooth talk, but we all need to take responsibility for our own actions and repent. Like when you ignore the “Wet Floor” sign and slip – partly the janitor’s fault for tempting you with a shiny floor, but you still chose to strut.😊

Okey, so far we covered why there is evil and why God allows it, and now we move on to explaining how evil, bad, or wrong events, such as wars and other catastrophes, serve a greater good. We’ll start with explaining how the negative is needed for the positive to produce results and change in contexts such as physics, nature, and sports, and then prove this in several more relatable contexts such as in pandemics, wars, and natural catastrophes. Buckle up – it’s about to get positively negative!😊

As demonstrated in science, such as in physics, for dynamics that cause growth, development, and evolution in our world, there needs to be polarity – two opposite poles or charges that create a field of tension driving dynamic forces into movement, change, and progress. Picture a battery: positive (good) and negative (evil) poles generate electric current, powering movement – without both poles, there’s no current, no movement, to produce electric light and sound.

In evolution, this polarity – interplay of two opposite forces – sparks change, enabling progress. The clash of good’s harmony and evil’s disruption fuels the universe’s forward motion, like gravity and expansion shaping cosmic evolution.

Good sets the goal, evil the obstacle, and their clash propels the world’s story, like a cosmic tug-of-war keeping life vibrant.

Good and evil, like sun and rain, create a dynamic tension that drives progress. In nature, opposites – day and night, light and dark, growth and decay – fuel cycles like ecosystems or evolution. For humanity, good forces (virtues, love, innovation, skills…) push creation forward, while evil forces (struggle, suffering, distractions…) help grow resilience and problem-solving. The gym trainers are not evil but evil’s may be likened to the gym trainer who yells at you to do one more rep – it hurts, but you get stronger. It is not the good life but problems and struggles that spark innovation, and pain also inspires art. Every heartbreak’s basically a hit song waiting to happen😊.

Good and evil are like rival teams in sports, creating tension that drives the game and championship forward. While the athletes may not be presented as opponents playing in a good vs. evil match, the fans often think in terms of fight between two adversaries all too often fueled with not just rivalry but also hostility. However, it is the interplay of wins and losses that fuels action and growth, pushing players to evolve skills under pressure. There is nothing evil about losing a game or being a loser but in some cases, such as world tournaments with high stakes, to many fans, it may seem like a huge catastrophe with people falling into tears and even distresses as if their country has been bombed rather than just lost gold. Without this polarity of winnings and losses, there’s no game, no fun, no prizes, no reward, no fame... No pain, no gain, as they say.

Case Studies: When Bad Gets Good

For evidence that evil, bad, or wrong events serve a greater good, besides using science (physics), nature, and sports as analogies, here are several well-known real-world examples where perceived evils or catastrophes led to transformative positive outcomes, with more gain than loss. It’s like turning a cosmic lemon into lemonade😊. Our intention is not to dismiss and disrespect the human suffering caused by the evils of wars, pandemics, natural disasters, and such but seeing as that almost every day the media reports depressing news and stories about various tragedies, it seems like a good thing to consider the potential positive sides to these events. Because who doesn’t love a silver lining to balance out the doomscrolling😊? While not even the most fervent believer in the economy-catalyzing qualities of disasters would wish for one, the study of benefits of such events may help us better understand why God allows evil or wars. It’s like God saying, “Yes, it’s messy, but wait for the plot twist.”😊 The following featured events show how adversity can spark innovation and illustrate the idea of polarity, including both good and evil or creation and destruction, driving progress:

💀 The Black Death (1347–1351): A Game-Changing Plague

👎 Evil: The Black Death killed an estimated 200–500 million people (up to 50% of Europe’s populace), causing great suffering, economic collapse, and social chaos. It was like the Grim Reaper went on a European tour and sold out every show😊.

👍 Greater Good: It transformed^[+] the West as it shook Europe out of its immobile lethargy and initiated processes of renewal and social restructuring. Basically, the plague was the ultimate “time for a change” memo😊. It accelerated the fall of feudalism, as a huge death toll caused labor shortages, which empowered peasants to demand better wages and rights, eroding serfdom (e.g., 1351 Statute of Labourers failed to cap wages, 1381 English Peasants’ Revolt). By the 15th–16th centuries, feudalism gave way to early capitalism in Western Europe (e.g., merchant classes, enclosures). The Black Death also weakened the corrupt Catholic Church authority (Pope Clement VI) and power as it exposed its inability to explain or cure the plague, empowering science as a new player in intellectual circles, albeit not yet a dominant one but gaining momentum and paving the way for the Scientific Revolution in 16th–17th centuries – the printing press (1440s, spread secular ideas, empowering scholars), Copernicus (1543), and Galileo (1609–1632). The Church was like, “Pray harder!” and science was like, “Hold my telescope.”😊 The Black Death catalyzed scientific progress as it spurred scientific inquiry, leading to medical advances and the Renaissance. The Black Death’s greater good was social and economic mobility, which might not sound as much but the chain reaction from pandemic to labor shortages to empowered surviving peasants to peasant mobility (e.g., migration to cities) fostered urban growth, trade, innovation, and the establishment of universities, setting the stage for the Renaissance (14th–16th centuries), which birthed art, literature, and early capitalism. It’s like the plague said, “Clear the stage for Michelangelo and markets!”😊 Increased mobility also helped the spread of Christianity1, the dissemination of vernacular cultures, and even the rise of nationalism. Without the plague, feudal rigidity would have persisted longer, delaying these shifts and evolution. So, the “evil” catastrophe of mass death catalyzed societal evolution, showing how crisis can spark renewal and progress.

Besides the Black Death, some other pandemics disrupted or dismantled systems, showing a pattern of evil driving systemic change, such as, for instance Spanish Flu (1918–1920) that killed ~50-100 million globally, hitting Europe (UK, France, Germany), Asia (India, China), Africa (South Africa, Nigeria), Americas (US, Brazil), and Oceania (Australia). It is a misnomer as the flu came from the US (Kansas military camp), not Spain. It exposed healthcare weaknesses, spurring public health systems (e.g., WHO’s precursor, national health boards). It weakened colonial empires by straining resources, accelerating independence movements in Asia and Africa (e.g., India’s push against Britain). The flu was like, “Time to break up some empires – cough, cough!” 😊
The flu was exacerbated by WWI’s troop movements and poor sanitation, facilitating transmission. The greater good of Spanish Flu is that it caused the WWI to end earlier2. Demographic studies (e.g., Johnson & Mueller, 2002) estimate flu deaths at 50–100 million (1918–1920), far more than WWI’s ~10 million combat deaths (1914–1918), because war conditions amplified its reach and lethality. WWI total deaths, including civilians (starvation, disease), reached ~16–20 million, still below the flu.

✡ 🇮🇱 Holocaust (1933–1945): From Genocide to Jewish Homeland

👎 Evil: The Holocaust killed six million Jews, a horrific genocide.

👍 Greater Good: It was a decisive catalyst for the 1948 creation of Israel, giving Jews a sovereign homeland for safety and self-determination. Shortly after Jesus’ crucifixion, Jews faced expulsion from Judea in 70 AD and centuries of living in exile, with Zionism emerging in the 1890s but lacking global traction. The Holocaust’s horror accelerated global sympathy and action such as the UN Partition Plan (1947), granting Jews a homeland despite violating Palestine’s territorial integrity. The world was like, “Okay, you’ve been through enough – here’s a homeland.”😊 Without the Holocaust’s moral urgency, support from powers like the US and USSR might not have materialized. So, thanks to Hitler in part, Jews rebuilt with a home base and global voice, turning tragedy into strength.

🪦🇷🇺 Soviet WWII Losses (1941–1945): From Catastrophe to Superpower

👎 Evil: The Soviet Union, especially Russians, lost 27 million lives (14 million ethnic Russians) in WWII, enduring unimaginable destruction from Nazi invasion, with no specific term for their sacrifice compared to the lesser catastrophic Holocaust.

👍 Greater Good: The victory over Nazi Germany established the Soviet Union as a global superpower, shaping the post-war world order with positioning USSR as a counterweight to US dominance, preventing a unipolar world and enabling the Global South’s decolonization (e.g., Soviet support for African independence). The Soviets turned loss into a legacy of power and inspiration, scoring a geopolitical win. The victory secured Russia’s existential safety by creating a buffer zone in Eastern Europe, protecting against future Western invasions and colonization (a Russian priority, not hegemony), advanced industrial and military strength, and inspired anti-fascist movements worldwide. For Russians, the whole ordeal solidified a legacy of resilience, fostering a resilient national identity and unity turning Russia into a scientific and cultural powerhouse. Like Jews in the aftermath of the WWII horrors, they rose like a mythical phoenix out of the ashes by overcoming adversity and achieving renewal. Russia gained security and global influence, balancing the world’s scoreboard, demonstrating how polarity (losses vs. gains) drove geopolitical progress. Russia’s role in defeating Nazis is iconic globally just as its role in defeating NATO is nowadays. From Nazis to NATO, Russia’s got a knack for taking down big bullies😊. The Global South has been riding the wave of Russian victories to decolonize themselves from Nazi and NATO countries ever since. It’s like Russia handed the Global South a “freedom from jerks” playbook😊.

✈ 🇺🇸 9/11 Terrorist Attacks (2001): From Horror to Grassroots Awakening

👎 Evil: Al-Qaeda’s attacks killed nearly 3.000 people, triggering fear and misguided US-led wars that killed millions and fueled surveillance overreach.

👍 Greater Good: It exposed US imperialism and its foreign policy flaws, fueling global anti-war movements and grassroots activism (e.g., Wikileaks, Snowden’s leaks). It empowered people to question American imperialist agendas and resist elite agendas as well as surveillance abuses, pushing for privacy rights and fostering interfaith solidarity, reducing Islamophobia in communities. People rallied, exposing the game’s rigged rules and building resistance, with the raise of global anti-war sentiment and privacy debates.

💦🇯🇵 2011 Tōhoku Tsunami and Fukushima Nuclear Disaster (Japan)

👎 Evil: On 11 March 2011, a 9.0-magnitude earthquake triggered a 13–14m tsunami, killing ~19.500 and flooding Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, causing meltdowns in three reactors, disabled electric power supplies. ~160,000 evacuated, radiation contaminated food, water, and fish, and 2.313 disaster-related deaths (stress, suicide, and disrupted medical care during evacuations). Economic losses: ~$360B (2.5% GDP) including $211B direct damages. It was like nature and tech teamed up to throw Japan the worst curveball ever😊.

👍 Greater Good: economic growth, GDP growth – in 2011 and 2012 highest ever GDP per capita; Japan’s average GDP PPP increased 24,7% (from $32.870 (2001–2010) to $40.800 (2011–2020)), and GDP per capita increased 7,9% (from average $37.867 (2001–2010) to $40.871 (2011–2020)), infrastructure improvements and modernization driven by reconstruction, especially transportation and communication networks, improving connectivity in the region, innovation, rebuilt ~50.000 shoddy into modern homes, a drop in real estate prices allowing poor people to buy homes – land prices dropped ~15% enabling ~20,000 low-income families to buy homes, increases in employment thanks to new ~100.000 construction jobs, health services to impoverished communities, built cultural bonds through a shared experience, ~$30B insurance payouts, tourism rose 10%, positive ecological effects... The recovery process fostered development in four key industries: renewable energy, manufacturing, agriculture, and tourism. It helped reverse the economic downturn in Fukushima

Likewise, other natural catastrophes, such as 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami (Southeast Asia) in December 2004, killing ~230.000 across 14 countries, displacing ~1.7M people, destroying homes, livelihoods, and infrastructure, with ~$14B losses, triggered economic growth – Aceh’s GDP ~4% annually, Sri Lanka’s GDP grew 6%; created ~200,000 construction jobs and tourism jobs were up 15%; modernized infrastructure rebuilding ~140,000 durable homes, new roads, schools; affordable housing – land prices fell ~20% enabling ~30,000 low-income home purchases; agriculture – restored ~60,000 hectares farmland, rice yields up 25%; ~$1B insurance payouts rebuilt fishing businesses.
While disasters primarily have devastating economic and social consequences, scientific studies reveal positive economic outcomes, particularly in the recovery phase. Nations with more climatic disasters grow faster over the long run than the less disaster-prone ones. They use the rebuilding process as an opportunity to upgrade infrastructure. While no money can compensate for loss of lives and suffering, it must be noted that overall, humanity benefits from such resets and no one really dies (e.g., Christianity teaches eternal life, Buddhism reincarnation). o Death’s not the end – it’s just a spiritual layover to the next adventure😊.

👹🌍 COVID-19 Pandemic (2020–Present): From Crisis to Social Reevaluation 💉

👎 Evil: COVID killed over 7 million people (WHO estimates), imposed restrictive lockdowns, and devastated economies, causing widespread suffering.

👍 Greater Good: It exposed capitalism’s flaws forcing a global reckoning. COVID was like, “Capitalism, you’ve got some explaining to do!”😊Real results: labor movements won higher wages (e.g., US “Great Resignation,” UK strikes), and universal basic income pilots spread (e.g., Canada, Spain). It revived community bonds, with mutual aid networks thriving (e.g., food drives, neighbor support). Neighbors were like, “I didn’t know you existed, but here’s some soup!”😊 Remote education tools democratized learning, especially in underserved regions, and remote work and digital tools (Zoom, Teams) transformed life, empowering flexibility. Zoom saved us from pants and commutes—who’s the real hero here?😊 Society pivoted, rethinking priorities and scoring social gains. Long-term, it weakened American hegemony by exposing supply chain fragility, boosting multipolar trade (e.g., China’s BRI). COVID was like, “America, your supply chain’s got more holes than Swiss cheese.”😊

👍 Expected Greater Good: Historically, pandemics amplify societal change – for instance, the Black Death (1347–1351, ~200–500 million deaths) hastened feudalism’s decline by empowering peasants (due to labor shortages) transformed the West and ushered Renaissance, while the Spanish Flu (1918–1920, ~50–100 million deaths) was a major factor in ending WWI by demoralizing all sides, spurred public health reforms, and strained colonial empires that then collapsed, accelerating decolonization in India, Indonesia, and Africa; thus, the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2022, ~7 million deaths per WHO) may drive yet another societal transformation by eroding neoliberal capitalism and US hegemony, strengthening labor movements and multipolar trade (e.g., BRICS). Pandemics are like history’s reset button – painful but game-changing😊

🇺🇦 ⚔ 🇷🇺 War in Ukraine (2014–Present): From War to Slavic Unity, Global Realignment and Multipolar World

👎 Evil: The conflict, sparked by NATO-backed Kyiv’s 2014 coup, recruiting neo-Nazis to terrorize ethnic Russians in Donbas, kill thousands of them, displace millions more, and with Russia’s 2022 intervention to end the war in Donbas escalating into the war between NATO and Russia in Ukraine because Western-puppet Kyiv regime prefers to be influenced by and dependent on the West rather than Russia.

👍 Greater Good: The full scope of the war’s silver lining will only shine through once the dust settles. What’s expected is detailed separately below, but let’s first zoom in on the individual level for a moment, because some Ukrainians are cashing in on this chaos like it’s a geopolitical lottery😊. While war’s no party, some folks are dancing all the way to the bank. Many have already profited big time and are therefore secretly cheering for the war to drag on. Some even snagged global fame – from zero to hero all thanks to Putin😊! For those who always dreamed of sipping lattes in the West, the war handed them a golden ticket: refugee status with perks like paid relocation, priority job offers, and VIP treatment. It’s like getting a free pass to Europe with a “skip the line” badge😊. But here’s the real kicker: the war is minting millionaires faster than a crypto boom. In 2024 alone, Ukrainian media reported^[+]^[+] a 61% surge in millionaires, adding 6.600 new faces to the millionaires’ club, bringing the total to over 17.000. War’s tough, but for some, it’s like hitting the jackpot in a game of “Survive and Thrive.”😊 And then, there are rewards for the global thrill-seekers, dubbed armchair warriors, who find a silver lining in the Ukraine war’s chaos, as it fuels their fascination with global shifts, inspiring some to advocate for a fairer, multipolar world, and others to root for Western hegemony. They’re glued to their screens, popcorn in hand, cheering like it’s the ultimate, high-stakes reality TV showdown – sorry, Hollywood, your blockbusters can’t compete! These adrenaline junkies get a bigger kick from geopolitical chaos than any glitzy streaming series or cage match could ever deliver. For them, it’s like watching this live-action thriller reshape the world order, all from the safety of their couches – just don’t spill the soda when the plot twists!😊

👍 Expected Greater Good: It is too early to say but Russia’s (projected) victory will restore Ukraine to its Slavic roots, aligning it with Russia’s sphere, where shared Eastern Slavic values (family, tradition) thrive, unlike Western values that corrupted and impoverished Ukraine. More and more disillusioned Ukrainians are like, “Maybe family values beat NATO’s shiny promises.”😊 The war will restore friendly relations with its neighbors (Russia, Belarus, Hungary, and Slovakia); it already restored friendly relations with Poland. Also, a major gain for Ukraine is shedding neo-Nazi elements (e.g., Azov’s influence) and Western exploitation, regaining stability under Russian influence. As for the Russians, like with defeating the Nazis, also defeating the NATO and neo-Nazis is already turning Russia’s losses into greater gains3: security by neutralizing NATO’s threat and reclaiming historic lands with huge economic benefits. Globally, the conflict birthed a multipolar world, empowering Global South nations, with BRICS and African decolonization weakening Western predators and ending their hegemony. Inspired and helped by Russia, African countries expelled colonial powers, fostering sovereignty, while some Middle Eastern countries are in the process of doing the same, especially Palestine and Syria. Russia’s like the cool uncle helping the Global South kick out the colonial bullies😊. Anti-colonial wins are globally felt, including China that has also hugely benefited from the Western decline as Russia has disempowered the US and its allies to wage a war against it over Taiwan seeking to weaken China because it challenges Western hegemony. China’s like, “Thanks, Russia, now we can focus on making more TikToks.”😊 Like a team countering a bully, Russia’s stand flipped the scoreboard, creating a fairer global game and once again demonstrating how polarity (losses vs. gains) drive progress.

Apart from those events showing how adversities have more advantages than disadvantages and illustrating the idea of polarity (good and evil, or creation and destruction) driving progress, here are also some featured cases of

Famous Figures Transforming Evil into a Greater Good:

🏅 Malala Yousafzai (Pakistan)

👎 Evil: Shot by the Taliban (2012, age 15) for advocating girls’ education, facing oppression and near-death. The Taliban was like, “No school for you!” and Malala was like, “Watch me.”😊
👍 Greater Good: Survived, became a global advocate, co-founded the Malala Fund, and won the Nobel Peace Prize (2014). Her ordeal amplified her voice, inspiring millions to fight for education. She turned a bullet into a megaphone for girls’ rights😊. Her resilience against violence shows how defiance and survival can spark global change.

🏅 Viktor Frankl (Austria)

👎 Evil: Survived Holocaust concentration camps (1942–1945), losing family and enduring starvation, torture. The Nazis tried to break him, but he was like, “I’ll write a bestseller instead.”😊
👍 Greater Good: As an Auschwitz survivor, he wrote “Man’s Search for Meaning” (1946), developed logotherapy, helping millions find purpose in suffering. Transformed psychology, inspired resilience and sparked mental health discussions. He turned concentration camps into a masterclass in hope😊. His meaning-making mindset offers hope for all people enduring war’s trauma.

🏅 Anne Frank (Netherlands, 1929–1945)

👎 Evil: Hid from Nazi persecution (1942–1944), betrayed, died in Bergen-Belsen camp (1945) during Holocaust.
👍 Greater Good: Her diary, “The Diary of Anne Frank” (published 1947), became a global symbol of hope, translated into 70 languages, inspiring human rights advocacy. Her words outlived the Nazis – take that, evil😊! Her iconic resilience in hiding inspires hope.

🏅 Stephen Hawking (UK, 1942–2018)

👎 Evil: Diagnosed with motor neuron disease (1963, age 21), paralyzed, reliant on voice synthesizer.
👍 Greater Good: Wrote “A Brief History of Time” (1988, millions sold), advanced black hole theory, inspired millions via media (e.g., The Theory of Everything, 2014). Redefined disability perceptions. His perseverance despite physical limits inspires many people facing hardships.

🏅 Oskar Schindler (Germany/Czechoslovakia, 1908–1974)

👎 Evil: Risked life under Nazi regime to save Jews during Holocaust, facing arrest and bankruptcy.
👍 Greater Good: Saved ~1,200 Jews via factory employment (1941–1945), immortalized in book and film Schindler’s List (1993). Became a moral icon for courage. His defiance of oppression inspires anyone resisting aggression to find ways to save lives.

🏅 Lech Wałęsa (Poland, 1943–)

👎 Evil: Imprisoned (1981–1982) for leading Solidarity strikes against Polish communist regime, faced threats.
👍 Greater Good: Led Poland’s democratic transition (1989), became president (1990–1995), won Nobel Peace Prize (1983). Sparked the fall of communism in Eastern Europe. His fight against authoritarianism resonates with anyone resisting external control.

We deliberately excluded people like Nelson Mandela and Gandhi because everyone knows about how they did it. It’s like leaving Beyoncé off a playlist – everyone already knows she slays😊.

Evil’s a tough opponent, but like a rival team, it sparks epic wins and proves how the good and God always prevail. The Black Death freed peasants, Soviet losses secured safety and superpower status, the Holocaust birthed Israel, 9/11 woke activists, COVID reshaped values and challenged capitalism, and Ukraine’s war realigned the world creating a better and fairer multipolar world. These evils show how losses drive progress, making evil less “bad” when good steals the game.

Polarity – the constant interaction between positive and negative or good and evil – is needed for change and evolution to occur, making these evils catalysts for a better world. Good and evil are like the ultimate frenemies – fighting but making each other better😊.

Before we proceed with laying out the details of our peace-making initiative, we wish to clarify some key points, such as the value of neutrality, indicators of who will win the war in Ukraine, some strategic considerations, white supremacy issue, propaganda issues with debunking many narratives and fallacies, casualties, and some other ones, which are all necessary to consider to raise both awareness and consciousness for ending this war and bring peace. Because peace is the ultimate plot twist we’re all rooting for😊.

Thank you for reading this article and participating in this peace initiative by raising your awareness and, hopefully, your consciousness and spirit. To properly grasp everything, we^[*^]recommend reading the articles of this peace initiative for Ukraine in the order that we designed it, which is listed in the Contents. So if you haven’t read the previous articles, we recommend that you do. When you are ready, please proceed to the next article in this series: Neutrality

Ukraine Peace Initiative Substack

Discussion about this post