The Evil in us all?

[SocketRocket]

Evil, hmmmn. It depends on whether the act you have carried out is justifiable to you at the time you commit the act, Note the justifiable to you. It will certainly not be justifiable to the law or indeed society in general but few show scant regard for that. A person may kill another individual or group of people. The law calls this murder and reviles it and you will be punished. A soldier fires a mortar that kills 50 enemy soldiers and that soldier gets a medal because an MP gives the soldier permission to carry out mass murder. In the eyes of religion both have committed a crime against humanity. Is the soldier evil in the same way a murderer is?

I think the difference is whether the act of killing was motivated by a need to defend.

 

[Slab]

And in the case of Evil (& therefore Good) some people are just too Good!

 

[SocketRocket]

We Humans have developed ways of supressing our primative/animal instincts so that we can exist together in such large numbers.

I have just realised that I really am getting cabin fever otherwise I would not be writing the above drivel.

 

[Papas1982]

I think there is maybe a morale grey area we have all delved into. But evil? For me that is a whole new kettle of fish. I personally think that we're all born with certain elements of our personality that no matter how we are raised will show themselves.

 

[Hacker Khan]

Tune in next week where a bunch of golfers discuss John Paul Satre's work, including: -'Man is condemned to be free; because once thrown into the world, he is responsible for everything he does'. ' Hell is other people' and the classic 'She believed in nothing; only her skepticism kept her from being an atheist'.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I suppose that we are all shocked when we hear of heinous acts and it is true that many of us are also pretty judgmental when it comes to those who have perpetrated them. However I find it sobering to remind myself that we are all inherently capable of such acts - and there but for the grace of God go I...

Hopefully this enables me to have perspective on those unfortunate (?) enough to find that evil part surfacing and in control - albeit for what can be a very short period - and to be able to accept or reject the more excessive 'rants' and headlines of the tabloids given that perspective and understanding.

 

[freddielong]

Good and evil do not really exist and are down to interpretation, we cannot forget that we are all animals and in the right/wrong circumstances would be capable of pretty much anything.

 

[NWJocko]

I suppose that we are all shocked when we hear of heinous acts and it is true that many of us are also pretty judgmental when it comes to those who have perpetrated them. However I find it sobering to remind myself that we are all inherently capable of such acts - and there but for the grace of God go I...

Hopefully this enables me to have perspective on those unfortunate (?) enough to find that evil part surfacing and in control - albeit for what can be a very short period - and to be able to accept or reject the more excessive 'rants' and headlines of the tabloids given that perspective and understanding.

Would you feel the same way if you were directly affected by an act of "evil"?

 

[SocketRocket]

I suppose that we are all shocked when we hear of heinous acts and it is true that many of us are also pretty judgmental when it comes to those who have perpetrated them. However I find it sobering to remind myself that we are all inherently capable of such acts - and there but for the grace of God go I...

Hopefully this enables me to have perspective on those unfortunate (?) enough to find that evil part surfacing and in control - albeit for what can be a very short period - and to be able to accept or reject the more excessive 'rants' and headlines of the tabloids given that perspective and understanding.

What is your opinion on the concept of 'Original Sin'

 

[williamalex1]

What is your opinion on the concept of 'Original Sin'

The opposite of sin is its out.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Would you feel the same way if you were directly affected by an act of "evil"?

I don't know as I haven't been. I'd hope I could forgive - plenty do.

 

[NWJocko]

I don't know as I haven't been. I'd hope I could forgive - plenty do.

It's very easy to have that perspective until you are (I sincerely hope you never have to find out).

However, those that have been affected may find your pomposity a little hard to relate to.

Forgiveness and/or understanding is one thing, but compassion as you originally defined it is a different matter entirely.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

It's very easy to have that perspective until you are (I sincerely hope you never have to find out).

However, those that have been affected may find your pomposity a little hard to relate to.

Forgiveness and/or understanding is one thing, but compassion as you originally defined it is a different matter entirely.

I just hope that if ever I found myself in a such a position I can find it in me to forgive. I have no idea whether I would be able to not. But I might as well start from a position that has at least a smidgen of hope about it. Whether I would ever be able to have compassion - again no idea and yes a lot harder I am pretty sure.

 

[NWJocko]

I just hope that if ever I found myself in a such a position I can find it in me to forgive. I have no idea whether I would be able to not. But I might as well start from a position that has at least a smidgen of hope about it. Whether I would ever be able to have compassion - again no idea and yes a lot harder I am pretty sure.

A fair response :thup:

Not sure how it ties in with your OP about perpetrators of evil requiring our compassion though?

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

A fair response :thup:

Not sure how it ties in with your OP about perpetrators of evil requiring our compassion though?

Sorry - maybe wasn't clear from my OP that I was actually asking the question - do they require our compassion? (given that we all have the capacity for evil etc...) I wasn't saying that they do.

And similarly in respect of 'deserving our compassion' - though there is a huge difference between requiring and deserving. In fact they are probably not on the same scale. What might require compassion may not deserve it - what might deserve it may not require it.

Clearly a lot of this 'depends' upon the circumstances. and the deed so I don't think there is actually an answer. I suspect however that with some people any consideration of compassion or forgiveness towards individuals will not be anywhere on their radar - regardless of circumstances.

 

[NWJocko]

Sorry - maybe wasn't clear from my OP that I was actually asking the question - do they require our compassion? (given that we all have the capacity for evil etc...) I wasn't saying that they do.

And similarly in respect of 'deserving our compassion' - though there is a huge difference between requiring and deserving. In fact they are probably not on the same scale. What might require compassion may not deserve it - what might deserve it may not require it.

Clearly a lot of this 'depends' upon the circumstances. and the deed so I don't think there is actually an answer. I suspect however that with some people any consideration of compassion or forgiveness towards individuals will not be anywhere on their radar - regardless of circumstances.

It wasn't clear, understood now though.

At least we didn't need 700 posts to clear that one up!

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

It wasn't clear, understood now though.

At least we didn't need 700 posts to clear that one up!

Not convinced it's cleared up

 

[macca64]

No compassion here I'm afraid,