THE seventh of the seven petitions of the Lord's Prayer asks "deliver us from evil".

A prayer still used widely in so many ways, and on so many occasions, across most notionally Christian countries.

It is the prayer that still opens our daily Parliament here in Australia.

Yet, I don't know about you, but I seem to see and experience more examples, more extreme, terrifying and disturbing examples, of "evil" these days than I can ever remember.

Perhaps the most conspicuous have been the Islamic State brutalities in Northern Iraq - the crucifixions, the beheadings and the mass killings.

The image of the young son of an Australian member of the Islamic State hoisting a severed head standing beside his proud father.

US Secretary of State, John Kerry, was moved to state: "This image, perhaps even an iconic photograph... really one of the most disturbing, stomach-turning, grotesque photographs ever displayed ... A seven-year old child holding a severed head, with pride and the support and encouragement of the parent, with brothers there. This is utterly disgraceful and underscores the degree to which (the Islamic State) is so far beyond the pale with respect to any standard by which we judge even terrorist groups".

This week it was the reported videoing of the gruesome beheading of US journalist James Foley, claimed to be in retaliation for the recent US airstrikes over Northern Iraq, airstrikes in an attempt to "protect" simple, fleeing, Kurdish villagers from the wild savagery of the Sunni militants.

Militants, as has been pointed out by analysts and commentators, who wield savagery as a "tool", glorifying such extreme violence via social media.

It's tactical evil!

In other recent, globally significant events, we have the shooting down of MH17, the atrocities of the Russia/Ukraine conflict, the "disproportion" of the Israel/Hamas interminable war, the atrocities of Assad in Syria, the kidnappings of innocent school children by Boko Haram in Nigeria, the displacement of millions of refugees in a host of other conflicts, to mention but a few.

But, these are the most extreme examples of recent days.

It seems evil is evident in so many actions and events, and on so many occasions, throughout our own society.

Examples range from the drug induced "one punch" incidents and the almost daily drive-by shootings, stabbings and murders, - many "gang related"- through child and other abuse, domestic violence, particularly against women, and various layers of corporate greed and corrupt behaviour, right through to political corruption and influence.

In so much of this our society seems to be losing its moral compass, yet we seem increasingly powerless as individuals, or through our governments and authorities, to do much about it.

Unfortunately, I fear, in the "war against evil", evil seems to be winning!

Internationally, the standing and influence of institutions such as the UN seems to be waning, as too does the power, standing and influence of the US as a global leader.

Domestically, our various governments seem lost and enmeshed in the daily, opportunistic, mostly negative, political contest, unable to take the time to reflect fully on the significance of these trends and developments, so as to develop effective and deliverable policy responses.

When they do respond, the responses are little more than short-term, "band-aid" initiatives, plastered over what remains a festering sore across our society.

We all need to step back and think about where we are headed.