is Evil real? - Page 6

17th Angel · 11-01-2006, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dondi

Evil is contrary to love.

Evil is beauty... It is in the eye of the beholder.

Dondi · 11-01-2006, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 17th Angel

Evil is beauty... It is in the eye of the beholder.

Never said evil was unattractive, else why would people flock to it? But the beauty doesn't last forever.

17th Angel · 11-02-2006, 10:10 AM

No sorry that was a little mixed up, what I meant was; “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” And evil is exactly like this. You’re evil would be different to mine, (obviously you believe evil is a rebellion of god, I believe in no god so What I see as evil is on a different level to you.) mine would be different to bob’s and bob’s different to sue’s and so on….

cavalier · 11-02-2006, 10:41 AM

and Rita too

Francis king · 11-02-2006, 11:23 PM

well, I think that evil, by itself, of itself, does not exist, after all, evil is a concept, and a concept cannot be worked without some form of intelligence to shape it, mould it, breathe life into it... is a dog evil..? is a cat evil..? a bird of the air, a fish of the sea..? no, they do what they have to do to live and survive... evil only exists in the minds of men (and women too) there is no divine evil, just screwed up or callous, uncaring individuals, who commit their grevious acts becuase they want to...

Prober · 11-02-2006, 11:32 PM

I believe evil is a construct of the human ego. Good would be also. To use a biblical example, Adam and Eve didn't know evil (or good either) until they ate of the fruit of the tree of the KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL. Then...

They notice that they are naked!

The devil doesn't sin until he says (using ego) "I will be like the most high".

God preferred that we wouldn't know the difference; that we would just be happy...

Have you noticed that the more you kill your ego, the happier you are?

lunamoth · 11-02-2006, 11:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prober

I believe evil is a construct of the human ego. Good would be also. To use a biblical example, Adam and Eve didn't know evil (or good either) until they ate of the fruit of the tree of the KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL. Then...

They notice that they are naked!

The devil doesn't sin until he says (using ego) "I will be like the most high".

God preferred that we wouldn't know the difference; that we would just be happy...

Have you noticed that the more you kill your ego, the happier you are?

I agree with your interpretation of the tree Prober. The only thing is, we can't make evil go away now just by using semantics, saying it's not 'real.' As long as we need to rely upon our knowledge to get along in the world we're faced with the reality of evil. We need something active, I call it God's love, to deal with it. Good and evil may just be illusions stemming from man's judgement about himself and the world, but, we we are mired in it for now. We can transcend it, in glimmers now, in fullness in time (our afterlife or God's time). In the meanwhile, we have grace, love, forgiveness.

2c,
luna

Quahom1 · 11-02-2006, 11:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prober

I believe evil is a construct of the human ego. Good would be also. To use a biblical example, Adam and Eve didn't know evil (or good either) until they ate of the fruit of the tree of the KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL. Then...

They notice that they are naked!

The devil doesn't sin until he says (using ego) "I will be like the most high".

God preferred that we wouldn't know the difference; that we would just be happy...

Have you noticed that the more you kill your ego, the happier you are?

When the four contractors in Iraq were killed...that could have been of perspective neccessity. Ok(I'm not agreeing but perhaps a point can be made). But when their bodies were hung from the bridge, and burned while people danced around and laughed as they burned...that is evil.

Prober · 11-02-2006, 11:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quahom1

When the four contractors in Iraq were killed...that could have been of perspective neccessity. Ok(I'm not agreeing but perhaps a point can be made). But when their bodies were hung from the bridge, and burned while people danced around and laughed as they burned...that is evil.

My ego not being quite dead yet, I would perceive it that way as well...

JosephM · 11-03-2006, 02:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quahom1

When the four contractors in Iraq were killed...that could have been of perspective neccessity. Ok(I'm not agreeing but perhaps a point can be made). But when their bodies were hung from the bridge, and burned while people danced around and laughed as they burned...that is evil.

Hmm. When I read this I see people dancing and laughing at burning bodies. No more ... no less.... That is not evil to them. It is only evil in your eyes because you have defined it so and found a multitude of others to agree with you. It seems to me that one can make perception a reality in their own mind. It is not a reality in their eyes. To them it is justice. But the question remains. Is evil real? The answer remains.... Only in the mind of the beholder.
Just a thought to consider.

PS. Prober, you make good points. No need to bend when the heat gets hot.

Love in Christ,
JM

Prober · 11-03-2006, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JosephM

PS. Prober, you make good points. No need to bend when the heat gets hot.

Love in Christ,
JM

The observer always knows the truth, including the fact that the observed lags behind sometimes!

Rouge47 · 11-03-2006, 03:06 PM

Funny this is the exact same thread that made me want to join CR. Now I found it again.

I really enjoy listening to Einstien's famous debate with his college professor. Unfortuanatly, he only argues on the side of the physical, rather than the side of the psychological.

I don't think that evil exists physically, but that it instead exists mentally. As the saying goes, "Its all in your head."

wil · 11-03-2006, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quahom1

When the four contractors in Iraq were killed...that could have been of perspective neccessity. Ok(I'm not agreeing but perhaps a point can be made). But when their bodies were hung from the bridge, and burned while people danced around and laughed as they burned...that is evil.

Now one can argue degrees, and we all know what mob mentality does...as very similar things happened in the South with our American Good ol Boys stringing up people...and then I remember another one with draggin someone behind a truck recently, or the gay kid outwest where they took him out of the bar and left him on the fence....

No country, people or religion holds any kind of high ground on this matter. When one shuts out the light, darkness fills the void...

I don't see any of these people as evil, I see them as crying out, needing love and understanding, as any society that creates this has done a disservice to these folks. We don't have to go around the world to find atrocities like this...they are backyard. In the DC area are the snipers already a distant memory? We need to look at ourselves and see what we can do, maybe it can be construed to late for some...but we've got generations growing up right now....we need to be the change, be the love, and not see evil, but people in need.

Just for a minute imagine what one must think to move forward in any of these cases...what their lives and attitudes must have been to get to that point...for this to be acceptable behaviour.

Rouge47 · 11-03-2006, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wil

Now one can argue degrees, and we all know what mob mentality does...as very similar things happened in the South with our American Good ol Boys stringing up people...and then I remember another one with draggin someone behind a truck recently, or the gay kid outwest where they took him out of the bar and left him on the fence....

No country, people or religion holds any kind of high ground on this matter. When one shuts out the light, darkness fills the void...

I don't see any of these people as evil, I see them as crying out, needing love and understanding, as any society that creates this has done a disservice to these folks. We don't have to go around the world to find atrocities like this...they are backyard. In the DC area are the snipers already a distant memory? We need to look at ourselves and see what we can do, maybe it can be construed to late for some...but we've got generations growing up right now....we need to be the change, be the love, and not see evil, but people in need.

Just for a minute imagine what one must think to move forward in any of these cases...what their lives and attitudes must have been to get to that point...for this to be acceptable behaviour.

I found that very insighting, wil. So tell me, do you look at the person, or the pain of the person? I ask that question to a lot of people who talk about this kind of stuff or say what you just said. As for me, I look at the pain of the person. This reminds me a theological speech I gave infront of the Student Congress one time at one of my debate tournaments:

A bill was wanting to legalize gay marriages again. I went against and brought up many religious arguements. During the cross examination part I was asked, "Representative, are you aware that the Bible also says to 'love the sinner and hate the sin'?" I responded with a firm yes and explained that it was the homosexual that I had a problem with, it was the act of homosexuality.

I placed in finals and won a certificate for that speech. Not to brag or anything...:cough:

Ciel · 11-03-2006, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quahom1

When the four contractors in Iraq were killed...that could have been of perspective neccessity. Ok(I'm not agreeing but perhaps a point can be made). But when their bodies were hung from the bridge, and burned while people danced around and laughed as they burned...that is evil.

Q, apart from the "perspective neccessity", I find myself in total agreement.

Wil, I hear you're plea, and the responsibility of looking at ourselves to see what we can do...... Have I missed something concerning the contractors in Iraq, wasn't that the very reason why they were there, to help rebuild the lives of the Iraqi people. Many, many people in this world have experienced terrible atrocities and they also realise there is no point in creating further escalation by becoming the same as the oppressor. So yes, the only way is to Stop the Cycle. Walk in understanding, small steps at a time until peace is firm foundation in hand with compassion, and the new generations are able to see love and care showing the way as gentle giant and great hero.

- c -