It is easy to look at the news over a relatively short period of time and think that everything is going to hell. Despite centuries of what many characterise as the march of progress, despite the more enlightened view we have in the West of the differences between people, there is a nagging doubt that very little has changed.

I mean in human nature, which remains in the thrall of ancient drives and perceptions that rise to the surface in both small and large circumstances. Crimes against children, against women, against others are not decreasing. In fact they are more commonplace and often just plain inexplicable.

Some like to point to mental illness (also rising) but are quick to ignore the harsh reality of human evil. It is real, it exists, it is on the march. It's not fashionable to talk of evil as a present reality, much as sin is seen as being outmoded too. We pathologize pretty much everything, this an attempt to give a rational explanation, but miss the clear danger of what is and was there all the time.

Alas science is not equipped to deal with what is actually a metaphysical problem. We could do worse than humble ourselves in the presence of an all-merciful God and pray for insight. The alternative (more of the same) is looking increasingly grim.