Good and evil, dead and alive, everything blooms from one natural stem
– Rumi
For the Taoist, good is not against evil, nor evil against good. These Ying-Yangers teach that good and evil are part of the same story and each contains some aspect of the other.
Any good action would offer some evil ramification and vice-versa. The wise person, contend the Lao Tzu lovers, knows that as nature unfolds, good will flow into bad and bad, into good.
Religion and government are prime examples, of course. Both tend to start with the highest ideals and principles, but over the years, dissolve into cesspools of corruption, violence and sleaze. Then, some reformers come along to rally the faithful citizens into a restoration of the original principles until the backsliding inevitably begins again.
So, does that mean doing good and doing bad are all the same? Is it just a crap shoot as to whether you’re making the world a better place or tearing it apart? Au contraire, Lil’ Buckaroo. It’s simply a reminder that we’re all – the good, the bad and the goofy – all in this soup together. And perhaps, the best route to go is the route of love, forgiveness and compassion. You know, sort of like Jesus – the guy who said “love your enemies” and even forgave the ones who string him up.