What is Evil?
- Thread starter Jozen-Bo
- Start date
Evil walks the earth in many forms. With predatory eyes and a cold and calculating presence. I first came across it when I was younger. Evil killed those many young women and children. I killed evil with the same intent it had when it gutted them for the pigs to eat. I slit their throats with no remorse or feelings. War is hell at times. I again witnessed evil here in the United States, luckily I did not have to deal with it. It preys on the weak, on those that are afraid. It's like it seeks out those that it can do the most harm. I ran across a very evil presense in a nursing home. You could not sneak up on this old lady, her eyes was always awake and staring. Her room was cold and dark. She never said a word to anyone. You could stick your head in her door to check on her and she would be staring right back at you, regardless of the time of day. Until people are able to deal with evil on its own level we will suffer. Does it matter how you kill evil? We place limits on the way we kill, what is inhumane and suffering? When this evil does not have the same boundries. I guess I had better stop...I could ramble on forever.
DNA changes approximately 3,000,000 times per a second, get your figures straight!
That depends on the times and circumstances. What we might consider evil now may at one time have been morally justified. When an animal kills another animal, we don't typically recognize it as evil, but when a human kills another human we do. This is because humans are consider by themselves and off themselves to be more conscious and capable of construction reality into a better place instead of destroy its creations. Lions kill deers to survive, are they evil? No.
When it comes to killing, which is clearly an evil of the relative world of existence, there is a fuzzy line dividing two clearly different grounds for the act. On one end it is enjoyed, diabolical, and methodical, and at the other it is indifferent, instinctual, and unplanned. Circumstance wise, it might be evil to break someone's head open, but if they are attacking your life; immoral injustice is pursuing to impend misery and suffering. Then one is obliged to defend their state of happiness and possibly inflict mortal damage in return for controlling the situation.
Evil doesn't have to kill to be evil.Where it does the most harm is what it is after. It is an entity! It is a consciousness that observes and is spontaneous is its actions. Killing is just part of it existence. The blackness of a place, the history as well contributes. But it is free to roam and observe. Yes, I am talking about it as if it was a real person. When you meet evil or you on the serving end of evil, you will know.
Expressive patterns that take a life of their own, that will not be denied their expression? Their expression being the reality of suffering, of misery, of madness? I understand this, what your saying. You can feel something that isn't individual, yet a sensation present in life. I used killing as an example, there are others. I am very curious what the limits of evil are. I recently heard of its limits, and when I ponder this, I find that they are equal to the relative limits of good. There comes a point where neither exist anymore, that which is beyond relative, and thus beyond good and evil.
If this is so, then evil has as much power as good in this relative world. History has shown it to be tireless, ever alert, and exploiting nearly every opportunity that is presented. Its ability to survive and persist in this world is amazing. Good on the other hand, seems to miss so many opportunities, can easily turn evil or get lazy, and usually must suffer before it learns to watch out. Perhaps it is not good enough? Then again, evil can turn to good and good can turn to evil. This only confuses matters and makes it harder to pin down at the most essential level, where it is most vulnerable.
They are oppsote ends of the same scale and that scale is entirely relative to the beholder.
One does not turn into another, because there is nothing to turn into.
There is not some spectre of evil that does battle with the angel of good and ony other such thing.
Neither exist as an entity at all, rather simple, relative value judgements of outside observers.
One does not turn into another, because there is nothing to turn into.
There is not some spectre of evil that does battle with the angel of good and ony other such thing.
Neither exist as an entity at all, rather simple, relative value judgements of outside observers.
OK...outside of the relativity of time this makes sense. As to the entity...
Can you please define what an Entity is?
Something which exists as a distinct, discrete, separate, individual item.
A "thing".
It often implies, by connotation, a consciousness or cognizance.
Evil is not a "thing" to exist.
It can be fun and interesting to view it as such, but it is not.
Someone can be evil in your view - even that requires an awfully limited mental capacity to not recognize that every person will tilt one way or another on that scale and not be wholly at either end. Often times how far one is on the scale is based largely on the mood of the person, and often times it is based on the mood of the beholder.
This is a value judgement you placed on another person, which says at least as much about you as it does about them.
Evil and Good do not exist as entities just as Pretty and Homely do not exist as entities.
So an entity is a conscious thing? I always thought it was something alive?
I would say that it can appear within the form of things. In the face of a cold killer, in a bomb that blows up innocent people, in the sadistic glee of the torturer. If it is ignored or dismissed, then it becomes easier for it to to appear in the features of the form itself, while going unnoticed.
The mood, interesting. So are you saying there is an evil mood?
Value, now your zeroing in. Yes, indeed value is a primary role in what could be considered evil or good.
I do have it straight. It's quite a bit lower. But: OT.
I've never heard of crimes,wars or attrocities carried out in the name of evil only in the name of good.........If you claim to be good then anything that opposes you is evil, without Good there would be no evil........
As far as I know hordes of rampaging evildoers/devil worshipers/satanist have never caused harm to anyone,yet the crusades/inquisition was done by people claiming to represent good......Iraq war is in the name of Good.......the jewish persecution of palestinians is done for the good of the jewish israelies......
People who act in the name of good, generally perform evil acts on those who are opposite them (evil) , I think good is just a cover to perform evil acts, i.e. war in the name of peace............?
like the ying and yang, good and evil are 2 halves of a whole.
Good and evil is the same thing as if there was no Good there would be no opposite..!
As far as I know hordes of rampaging evildoers/devil worshipers/satanist have never caused harm to anyone,yet the crusades/inquisition was done by people claiming to represent good......Iraq war is in the name of Good.......the jewish persecution of palestinians is done for the good of the jewish israelies......
People who act in the name of good, generally perform evil acts on those who are opposite them (evil) , I think good is just a cover to perform evil acts, i.e. war in the name of peace............?
like the ying and yang, good and evil are 2 halves of a whole.
Good and evil is the same thing as if there was no Good there would be no opposite..!
Mrs.Lucysnow
Valued Senior Member
Jozen-bo: This is because humans are consider by themselves and off themselves to be more conscious and capable of construction reality into a better place instead of destroy its creations.
No I disagree, I think its because we have a culture which determines when, where and how killing another human is justified. For example the law protects abortion and yet many think of it as an evil and at one time the act was not protected under the law. In many countries the act is still not protected under the law. A soldier is expected to kill and we see this as justified. If he goes home and gets in a brawl in a bar, we then try and determine whether it was pre-meditated or in self defence and punish or not on that basis. In the West we condemn honor killings and yet in some societies this is considered right action.
No I disagree, I think its because we have a culture which determines when, where and how killing another human is justified. For example the law protects abortion and yet many think of it as an evil and at one time the act was not protected under the law. In many countries the act is still not protected under the law. A soldier is expected to kill and we see this as justified. If he goes home and gets in a brawl in a bar, we then try and determine whether it was pre-meditated or in self defence and punish or not on that basis. In the West we condemn honor killings and yet in some societies this is considered right action.
Awesome answer Pinocchio's Hoof! This clarifies a lot of what I meant when I wrote the evil and turn to good and good can turn to evil!!!
Culture is made of individuals. Their collective will determines that standards. What you are implying is that evil is in the perception and relative to the culture that perceives. The individual is granted immunity from being classified as evil by his peers if they agree on what calls for justifying killing. Then again, there are individuals who indulge in the practice of being evil and try to obtain greater states of it. This is consciousness turned against consciousness without any justification at all. This seeks to promote anti-values and exert anguish and suffering. When a member of a culture turns against other members of the culture and performs cruel calculated murder, it is a general feature of all cultures that this is considered evil.
Evil is the label we give to that which threatens our survival.