Understand the nature of evil

Have you ever read a book so great, so important, so revealing of the deepest convictions you hold that you say to yourself, "Gee, I wish I wrote that!"

That's what happened to me not just upon turning the final page of "How Evil Works," but literally after every chapter!

"How Evil Works" by my longtime friend and colleague, David Kupelian, is the sequel to another work that had that effect on me – "The Marketing of Evil." While the first book, as the title implies, exposed how the very real existence of evil in our world is sold to us as good, this book probes even deeper, providing insights into the very nature of evil and how prevalent it is in our modern world.

This book is deep, but engaging – transformative, but eminently readable.

It doesn't just expose the manifest evil we're all aware of in the darkest corners of our world, it shows how seductive it is right in our own comfortable, well-furnished, brightly lit living rooms.

He doesn't try to convince the reader of evil's existence. He gives his readers credit for that level of discernment.

His premise: "There really is an all-knowing God. He really does create human beings whose true purpose is to discover ultimate fulfillment through obedience to Him in all things. And our life goes badly – and is supposed to go badly – if we defy His laws, which besides being written in the Bible are also 'written' clearly inside each of us."

Most Americans accept this premise, which is why our nation still has a fighting chance of remaining godly and free.

Kupelian does show just how rare and fleeting real liberty is in our world today and throughout history. America is exceptional – and it is exceptional because of our Judeo-Christian heritage.

Just as we can experience God's existence in a gorgeous sunset or the eyes of child, however, there is no denying the reality of evil in our world. It is all around us. It is palpable. It is ubiquitous. It is equally self-evident.

While many turn to God and righteousness by being confronted with evil, some inexplicably are lured into evil after experiencing God's profound and unmerited blessings.

It is the latter that serves as the focus of this book and Kupelian's prequel.

Why? How? These are the key questions he addresses – and he doesn't disappoint with his answers.

Who would have thought, for instance, that the most devastating attack in history on the American mainland by Islamic terrorists on Sept. 11, 2001, would result not in an anti-Muslim backlash as many predicted, but rather in sympathetic curiosity toward the attackers – and even a wave of conversions to the religion of Muhammad?

Evil works in counterintuitive ways, Kupelian shows us over and over again.

Human beings are not always repulsed by the ugly, the repulsive, the insidious. Sometimes, more frequently than we realize, we are attracted to it, romanced by it, yoked to it.

This is one of those books that will stimulate discussion and debate among those who read it. It's the kind of book that provokes conversation and deep reflection. It's not preachy. But it is most definitely persuasive.

I admit I have an ego and wish I wrote this book. But I also acknowledge that God uniquely equipped and tasked David Kupelian, the son of genocide survivors, to do a much better job than I could have done.

Read this book. Share it with your friends. Bring it to the attention of your family members. I promise you it will embolden your faith, strengthen your worldview and prepare you for the challenges that evil will confront you with throughout your life.