Evil is not a matter of the past.
It is not something that happened once upon a time and no longer exists.
War, mass murder, and genocide remain a part of our society, as do deadly acts of terror committed in the name of equality, fraternity and God.
These things can happen very close to home, or in more remote places, but in either case, ignoring them does not cure them.
Like a physical malady, ignoring evil makes it worse and enables it to rear its ugly head again and again.
To truly prevent evil from growing stronger, we cannot simply write letters to the editor of our local newspaper, expressing our shock and horror at the goings-on in our world.
The human struggle against evil requires a tremendous input of resources on our part.
Medications that cure deadly diseases do not always taste sweet; many of them even have negative side effects.
But dangerous, deadly conditions must be combated using every possible strategy.
–Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz
From an essay, "Good vs. Evil," July 19, 2007