On Topic Discussion It's Sunday. Let's talk about evil.

[NotHardUp1]

Yes, no matter what is described as the topic or the discussion, we'll get the predictable posts attacking countries, religions, parties, and philosophies, but the topic is still evil.

There's a poll to ask some rudimentary questitons, but the request is for you to post what you see as the markers of evil, beyond specific people, ideologies, empires, or criminality.

The charge is for you to define evil in terms that suffice to overlay actions and attitudes beyond any one sphere. Sure, it can be lobbed as a stink bomb at whatever group you are against, but how would you define it to a child who doesn't know anything about history, leaders, movements, or crimes?

And I would hope that contrasts between posts would be the basis of debate, as no idea is worthy of consideratiton that cannot or will not defend itself against examination or opposition.

 

[Alistair]

It’s all going to be a view from where you stand, ie A Christian is going to think a Muslim is evil and vice versa

For me good and evil is as simple as the Golden Rule, and for me that has nothing to do with religion or countries.

 

[rareboy]

Oh evil is all around us and is inherent in humans as a manifestation of brute sociopathy.

Individuals with the power to persuade and mislead can create an environment for it to flourish.

It does not recognize truth and reflexively lies to gain advantage.

We are watching it live...every day. Supported by cult followers and those who see the way that they can advance their own power and wealth through it.

 

[pigface]

None of the options.
Evil is an entirely human construct, a cultural interpretation of an event or intent that has no inherent goodness or badness.

 

[NotHardUp1]

It’s all going to be a view from where you stand, ie A Christian is going to think a Muslim is evil and vice versa

When I met my friend Masoud J. in my Freshmen year as a pre-pharmacy majory, I loved learning about his culture (Iran) and his religion. I did not then or now think of him or his religion as evil, and I've been a Christian since childhood. I don't know how he regards me today.

 

[NotHardUp1]

It does not recognize truth and reflexively lies to gain advantage.

Plenty of people bully mentally retarded individuals, both as children and adults. The retardation is truth, but mocking it seems evil to many people. Making them miserable through taunts and belittling isn't spreading a lie, but telling truth with cruelty.

 

[NotHardUp1]

None of the options.
Evil is an entirely human construct, a cultural interpretation of an event or intent that has no inherent goodness or badness.

From your statement, a few of the poll choices align with that.

 

[LeicsDom]

It’s all going to be a view from where you stand, ie A Christian is going to think a Muslim is evil and vice versa

All organised religion is evil

 

[Peloso]

Evil is subjective, like humor or sexual attraction. There are evils almost everybody can agree on, but beyond that it's just a measuring tool.

 

[NotHardUp1]

All organised religion is evil

Although that is as vague as uttering an expletive, or for the religious, a profanity, it begs the question of the problem being in the organizing you so carefully carved out. The implication is that religion could conceivably be unorganized. Almost the very definition of religion is organized thoughts about the metaphysical, the origins of everything, and sentience.

Perhaps unironically, that is almost the defiition of physics, a modern discipline that has sometimes behaved as a new religion, complete with apologiists who actively attack rival religions.

 

[NotHardUp1]

Evil is subjective, like humor or sexual attraction. There are evils almost everybody can agree on, but beyond that it's just a measuring tool.

I think I am much more interested in the former, the origin of our most profound taboos.

Our civilizations today love to claim descent from great cultural traditions of the past empires, yet we have dramatically different taboos. To wit, these were both common and accepted in past centuries of our forebearers:

Executions for theft
Slavery
Life and death power over wives and children
Concubines
Pederasty
Executions for heresy
Feudalism
Torture & cannibalism
Female infanticide
Compulsory suicide
Domesticated animal abuse
Child labor
Race wars
Colonialism
Elitism
Environmental destruction
Intentionally induced drug addiction
Impalement
Intentional use of biological weapons
Intentional use of chemical weapons
Intentional starvation of enemies
Seige
And on and on.

 

[LeicsDom]

Although that is as vague as uttering an expletive, or for the religious, a profanity, it begs the question of the problem being in the organizing you so carefully carved out. The implication is that religion could conceivably be unorganized.

Anyone is entitled to believe whatever myths and magic they like if it helps them sleep at night.
The problem comes when they try and impose it on others or use it to manipulate the vulnerable

 

[NotHardUp1]

The problem comes when they try and impose it on others or use it to manipulate the vulnerable

That imputes a lot to religions that do not do that.

God knows the Anglicans don't, nor most Buddhists, or Taoists, nor most Jewish.

Organized Religion and "God botherers" are not synonymous.

 

[nadawon90]

Evil goes to the old question: "Nature versus Nurture". Being in the behavior health field I truly believe that some people are born evil. I also believe that people can be taught to be evil. However, even if a person can be taught to be evil, I still believe they must have some small part of evil within them when they are born.

 

[NotHardUp1]

Evil goes to the old question: "Nature versus Nurture". Being in the behavior health field I truly believe that some people are born evil. I also believe that people can be taught to be evil. However, even if a person can be taught to be evil, I still believe they must have some small part of evil within them when they are born.

And that, in turn, rotates back to philosophy and religion, whether man is inherently good or not.

We throw around such terms without really considering them sometimes.