Is 'evil' a thing, the absence of good, or something else?

[RegularJoe]

Is 'evil'
(1) a 'thing,'
(2) simply the absence of 'good,' or
(3) something entirely different than "(1)" or "(2)"
??????
Many thanks.

 

[Spotlite]

Depends on who’s responding.

For the Christian it’s both 1 and 2.
1. A thing - it’s a work of Satan
2. Absence of Good - anything not of God

Outside of religion - what defines good / evil and often does that change? I see pictures of cave men dragging their wives to the kitchen and I see Ward Cleaver (Leave it to Beaver)

 

[Artfuldodger]

I'm gonna say #2.

 

[Artfuldodger]

Is "good" a thing, the absence of evil, or something else? Maybe the answer to this question is also #2.

(2) simply the absence of 'evil'.

 

[bullethead]

Did either exist prior to humanity?

 

[Artfuldodger]

Are babies born good and become evil or are they born evil and have to become good?

 

[RegularJoe]

Is "good" a thing, the absence of evil, or something else? Maybe the answer to this question is also #2.
(2) simply the absence of 'evil'.

Art - A wonderful question, Sir.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Are babies born good and become evil or are they born evil and have to become good?

Every baby I've ever been around is definitely evil.

 

[NCHillbilly]

I guess I would define an evil person as someone who has absolutely no empathy for others, hurts others to justify his own means, and actually enjoys causing suffering. Like Karl Panzram.

 

[jollyroger]

Every baby I've ever been around is definitely evil.

Arguably the most violent subgroup of our species.

 

[gemcgrew]

Theologically speaking, evil is anything that is contrary to God's nature and commands.

Good is a person.

 

[NCHillbilly]

I've always had issues with the mainstream Christian belief that humans are inherently evil as the default position, and have to be saved in order to be good. From what I see, there are good folks and evil folks, and going to church doesn't have much sway either way.

 

[oldfella1962]

Are babies born good and become evil or are they born evil and have to become good?

at 3:00 A.M. all good babies become evil when they start screaming like a banshee!

 

[Spotlite]

I've always had issues with the mainstream Christian belief that humans are inherently evil as the default position, and have to be saved in order to be good. From what I see, there are good folks and evil folks, and going to church doesn't have much sway either way.

Technically, born into sin.

That being said, there are many very good non Christians and there are many very evil Christians.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Technically, born into sin.

That being said, there are many very good non Christians and there are many very evil Christians.

Yep. Contrary to popular belief.

 

[oldfella1962]

I've always had issues with the mainstream Christian belief that humans are inherently evil as the default position, and have to be saved in order to be good. From what I see, there are good folks and evil folks, and going to church doesn't have much sway either way.

Humans are evil? Humans seem evil (to us humans) because only one species (humans) has the mental ability to conceive of and express the concept of evil. Humans are the only species that asks "why?" or needs an explanation for our behavior.
If any of the other hominids (like Neanderthals or homo erectus) had beat homo sapiens to the evolutionary punch, then they would likely be acting just like we do. Maybe they would never understand why, or have a reason for it, but an extremely complicated intelligent mind tends to go haywire and act contrary to what the rest of the group thinks is normal.

 

[1gr8buildit]

Religion uses the word evil more so than my definition exists. There is evil in the world, but not to the extent that religion uses it. Religion needs to embellish the word to contrast it's agenda. That sounds bad coming from a believer, however I use the word religion in a negative sense. I could call some democrats evil, or the media whom is trying to control how you think by feeding you what diet they have cooked up in order to brain wash you into what ever is their owner's agenda. A serial killer would be called evil.... However, evil as I define it, as most would define it.... is not very common. Our natures are self serving. Is that evil? We consider ourselves civil, a society of good people. Let me assure you we are not, including the religious. If we were to go without access to food or water for 6 days, no help in sight, you would see a different humanity. People would kill to feed their kids. I personally think the word evil is an over played word. The contrast of good and evil for me is more of good contrast bad. Evil, exists, but not the extent that religion poses

 

[Spotlite]

at 3:00 A.M. all good babies become evil when they start screaming like a banshee!

My kids were evil. My Grand-boys……..pure angelic!!!

 

[gordon 2]

1.Thing.

 

[gordon 2]

Did either exist prior to humanity?

Prior to humanity there was no out of sync with the then order of things ( and therefore no disorder was possible regards the human context).

With reference to man's measure of evil as a thing, evil did not exit before humanity, because mainly man did not exist. But also and more I propose that nothing created that I am aware had the will to oppose or get out of order with whatever order there was prior to humanity. Every thing fell into the order. Humanity has a penchant to question order and to experiment itself out of it...just to see what will happen. Humanity is a tool maker, an artisan, an artist able to question, forego and/or create order (s).

If the above point is valid that nothing had an independent will to get out of order, or out of sorts in human terms due to getting out of order, then there was no possibility for evil before humanity as humans define it now. And more the case can be made that there was but good as some in humanity would define good.

And I think that this good is from a notion that there was/is an ancient order echoing to the senses or the imagination that life was once not cursed because it was in lock step with a wholesome order which was the first order of humanity when it came into its own; That is that human beings despite having free will were so enraptured or captivated by what we might call "love" or "good' or " good order" as to not know to leave this order. Love had no borders to cross once because there were no borders.

I'm trying to use other than a theological outlook here... or trying to be independent of it in my thoughts.

If a mink on an island destroyed all the birds of a kind, the last ones remaining on the planet, we would not say the mink is evil. If man did this, with the full knowledge of what he was doing and knowing there was alternatives... then we might say of ourselves that man's humanity in this case is evil-- because there is an order or some orders in which it is not deemed evil because these orders operate from instinct independent of free will.