The rise in crime and the incidence of suicide are evidences of evil that should shock us into action. Certainly we need to know more about the operations of evil influences and how we can be effective in countering them. This phenomenon of self-destruction in various forms is becoming more and more prevalent in many societies. What's behind it?
In the light of Christian Science no one needs to be mesmerized into self-destruction. But there are definite mental, prayerful steps to be taken in identifying what is behind this evil and establishing the protection against it we need both for ourselves and for others.
A first step is to be clearly aware of the allness of God, good, the all-power of good, the omnipresence of good. As we establish this scientific truth in our thought and living, we become aware that evil is a deception, an illusion, a hypnotic influence. It's not real in any scientific sense. That is, there's no actual cause for it. But it may seem terribly real to one who is not armed with the truth—with a practical understanding of the all-power of good, God. That is why an early step in our protection must be a realization of the allness of God and the nothingness of evil.
