Re: Evil
I completely agree, and would even argue that context is everything when it comes to judging anything as absolute as 'Good' or 'Evil'. Obviously, many acts or situations are deemed 'evil' or 'wicked' or other such terms to anyone with some measure of common sense. But I'm sure I don't have to elaborate on the fact that many attempts to do 'Good' in the world end(ed) up being detrimental or harmful to others, thus showing even the term 'Good' is entirely subjective. Many of the things we perceive as 'evil' today are, in my belief and opinion, the result of an immensely long line of action and reaction, choices and consequences that can barely still be recollected over the centuries.
But I'd like to go back to the fact that most people with common sense can tell when a situation is 'wrong', or at least 'not right', and for me, there comes the question of 'Does absolute Good and Evil exist?'
Now, this is a bit of a trick question I feel, since you could begin putting forth every object or living creature in an argument and pose 'Is this good/evil?', which is a rather lengthy way of answering the question. What we -can- perhaps have a look at is 'Does absolute Good and Evil exist within ourselves, within humankind?' When individual morality has so many different layers and shades of gray, and is influenced so heavily by what we see around us, by friends and family, media, beliefs, etc. -- how can there exist an absolute in morality? When our views on the world, eachother and ourselves change as we grow and experience life, can our inner being be labelled by just one word? If you ask me, I would say no, and I would say anyone claiming themselves to be the incarnation of either moral absolute is a liar.
Lastly I'd like to put forth this quote from the original post:
To this day, I still find it highly troubling that so many people that hold their faith so high, and claim to believe in the pursuit of what is the 'absolute Good' (forgive me if that's an assumption in the case of quoted friend), have such an obsession with the end of the world. This perception of 'evil is winning', is in my opinion nothing more than nature taking it's course. Why? Because I believe mankind is, in truth, still a large group of primates who fight over territory, who fight for their 'tribe', with popularity contests of who gets to lead and manipulate, and an endless cycle of everyone trying to get what they want. We are still monkeys, essentially. And wether we will eventually find some sort of unison, or if the monkeys with dangerous toys end up making the wrong decisions, well... only time can tell, really. I certainly can't tell you anything with absolute certainty, but at least I won't claim to.
Originally posted by B. de Corbin
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But I'd like to go back to the fact that most people with common sense can tell when a situation is 'wrong', or at least 'not right', and for me, there comes the question of 'Does absolute Good and Evil exist?'
Now, this is a bit of a trick question I feel, since you could begin putting forth every object or living creature in an argument and pose 'Is this good/evil?', which is a rather lengthy way of answering the question. What we -can- perhaps have a look at is 'Does absolute Good and Evil exist within ourselves, within humankind?' When individual morality has so many different layers and shades of gray, and is influenced so heavily by what we see around us, by friends and family, media, beliefs, etc. -- how can there exist an absolute in morality? When our views on the world, eachother and ourselves change as we grow and experience life, can our inner being be labelled by just one word? If you ask me, I would say no, and I would say anyone claiming themselves to be the incarnation of either moral absolute is a liar.
Lastly I'd like to put forth this quote from the original post:
Originally posted by Bartmanhomer
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