What is the preferred evil?

Answer 1

When being forced to choose between two Evils, choosing the lessor of the Two is always preferred. Don't know if this is what your Question is asking though.

If the question is not asking for a response as to which, of all evils, is the one to be preferred, but is, rather, inquiring as to what "The Preferred Evil" actually is, then the answer becomes something altogether different.

In "Volume Two" of the 1830 book, "Sermons On Several Occasions," in the chapter entitled "The Fall of Man," author, Rev. John Wesley (founder of the Methodist Church) informs us that Adam, who, as the sole representation of Mankind, was faced with the first true human choice (and, as tends to happen with all we humans- even the first, it seems- he botched botch things rather badly). In comparison, generations after Adam, in an act of similar importance, Jesus would make the choice to die for the sins of Mankind, the First Man, with little or no understanding of the generosity of spirit, freely chose to live for his. In so doing, Adam became not only the first fallible person, but, more importantly, was the first to exercise the liberty of which he was so graciously endowed by his Immortal Creator (no matter how well or unfortunately his choice was made).

Despite freely choosing Evil, there was, perhaps, only one genuinely unforgivable aspect to this free act of will. In by doing so, Adam's choice became one, not only for himself, but became true for all Humanity that was to follow. Every person born of God after the creation of the First Man has been condemned to live with the outcome (despite her little faux pas with the apple, Eve is included in the count, as well). Because of Adam, we will never have the choice not to choose between good and evil. Throughout the course of a lifetime, we will each be required to choose whether, like Adam, whether to pursue those things we know are unmistakably right or unconscionably wrong; whether we, too, will place our own will above that which is desired by God.

This, then, is the choice made by Adam, of openly and actively- willfully- rebelling against the moral fiber that was God, his Creator and Holy Most Father. It is such a choice that was, at least among clerics of old, referred to as "The Preferred Evil," or more simply put, "preferring Evil."