Evil in the World

How do you explain what's happening?

In response to a quote from The Urantia Book regarding the internment of rebel midwayers, posted on alt.religion.urantia-book, a correspondent asked:

How do you explain what is going on these days in the U.S.A. and on this planet?

Many glib and superficial answers to this generality occur to me. :)

But more seriously, friend, what would you like explained? Not all superhuman beings are revealed in the UB, but it is usually interpreted that all those who were rebels have been interned. Except one, the chief rebel of our world, Caligastia, the "devil" himself. While some UB students like to believe that Caligastia has been hauled off as well, and some "revelation update" alleged psychics also support this view, they do so without any cause from the UB itself.

I sometimes think we can almost trace the travels of Caligastia, for example deserting Hitler and cleaving to Mao, or in modern days dallying in the Middle East or the Balkans. But his virus, regardless of his continuing presence, is still the chief contagion and contaminant of our world's spirit. We should all pray for the infection's utter elimination.

That said, I would add,

In general, when weak and dissolute mortals are supposed to be under the influence of devils and demons, they are merely being dominated by their own inherent and debased tendencies, being led away by their own natural propensities. The devil has been given a great deal of credit for evil which does not belong to him. Caligastia has been comparatively impotent since the cross of Christ.

The Lucifer Rebellion: The Son of Man on Urantia [UP53 §8 ¶9 p610]^ Worth a read in its entirety if you wish to peruse the question in greater depth.