Understanding Evil

Understanding Evil: A Journey from Ignorance to Awakening

Based on insights by Martinus

We’ve all encountered it—what we call “evil.” It might be in a cruel word, a violent act, or simply in the way one person treats another with cold indifference. Humanity has been locked in a struggle against this force for as long as history records. But what if evil isn’t what we’ve always believed it to be? What if it doesn’t come from “badness” at all?

Let’s explore this from a different angle—through the lens of evolution, consciousness, and the very purpose of life itself.

What Is Evil, really?

Martinus, the Danish spiritual thinker, defines evil not as a supernatural force or a flaw in human design, but as an immature stage in our evolutionary journey. Evil, according to him, manifests when one being harms another—physically, mentally, or emotionally. As long as this sabotage exists in human behavior, fear and mistrust remain dominant forces in society.

We build walls, arm ourselves (physically and psychologically), and brace for betrayal—even from those we once considered close. Why? Because the potential for harmful behavior still lurks within us all. This isn’t just a moral dilemma—it’s an evolutionary one.

The Confusion of Morality

Over centuries, humans have been given countless rules and moral codes for how to deal with evil—many of them contradictory. Some belief systems have encouraged violence in the name of divinity, while others have condemned the same actions as deeply sinful. The commandment “Thou shalt not kill” is perhaps one of the most quoted moral guidelines, but one of the least consistently followed.

Why is that? Because for much of human history, the instinct to defend ourselves—sometimes violently—has seemed not only justified but necessary for survival.

Even today, turning the other cheek, forgiving endlessly, or choosing not to retaliate seems unrealistic or even foolish in the eyes of many. These teachings appear impractical in a world where people often feel under threat. But Martinus suggests that this perception is rooted not in human nature, but in human ignorance.

A Larger Perspective: The Evolution of Consciousness

To understand evil, we have to zoom out—way out.

Martinus paints a vast picture of life’s evolution: from fire and chaos to minerals, then to plants, animals, and eventually, human beings. We are not separate from this process, we are it. We’ve climbed through the kingdoms of nature, step by step, developing greater complexity and deeper awareness along the way.

But here’s the catch: we’re not finished.

Humanity is still in transition. We’ve come far in terms of intellectual and technological development, but in our emotional and moral evolution, we still carry heavy baggage from our animal past. We’re still learning how to live without fear, without violence, and without seeing others as threats.

The Last Frontier: Evolving Our Humanity

So, what’s left for evolution to complete?

Quite simply: our capacity for compassion, empathy, and peace. The “evil” we still see in the world is a reflection of how far we have yet to go in these areas. Martinus explains that true human maturity means no longer needing to hurt others in order to feel safe or survive.

That means no longer seeing revenge as justice.

No longer needing to kill to eat.

No longer fearing our fellow beings.

This transformation is already underway. While it’s slow and often painful, humanity is beginning to awaken. We’re developing not just intellect, but humaneness. And when those two forces—reason and compassion—work together, we begin to act not out of fear, but out of understanding.

The Real Cause of Evil: Ignorance

At the heart of Martinus’ message is this profound idea: evil is not born of malice, but of ignorance.

When someone harms another, it’s because they don’t yet know—on a deep, lived level—that their actions are destructive, not just to others, but to themselves. They still do not know that the law of karma rules, and that what we do to others, we eventually do to ourselves. They haven’t yet developed the awareness to choose differently and to understand that we will reap as we sow. In this life or in a later life. And we still have not discovered the power of forgiveness.

As Christ said from the cross: “Forgive them, for they know not what they do.” This wasn’t weakness. It was wisdom.

Liberation from the Old Ways

This new understanding is also beginning to influence how we relate to animals and our food. Humanity has long believed that consuming meat is necessary for survival. But as our knowledge and ethical awareness grow, many are beginning to question whether this is truly the case—or simply a tradition born from our animal ancestry.

Martinus suggests that human beings are evolving toward a gentler way of living, one where even our diet reflects nonviolence. From eating meat, to a plant-based lifestyle, and eventually to a diet based on fruit—harvested in a way that causes no harm at all.

A New Science of Life

Ultimately, the transformation Martinus points to isn’t religious, but spiritual in a broad, universal sense. It’s the evolution of consciousness. The development of what he calls “spiritual science”—an understanding of life’s laws, not based on blind belief or superstition, but on experience, logic, and compassion.

Hostility will never cure hostility.

Hatred will never heal hatred.

War will never end war.

Only love ends hatred. Only peace ends war. Only understanding dispels ignorance.

This is the real solution to evil—not punishment or judgment, but education, insight, and the growth of the heart.

In Closing

Martinus’ vision invites us to see evil not as an enemy, but as a teacher—a symptom of our collective growing pains. As we move from instinct to insight, from fear to love, we slowly become what we are meant to be: humane, wise, and free.

The journey is long. But the destination is certain.

This insightful book will teach you all you need to know to create a happy fate for yourself.