What is the nature of evil?

What is truly the nature of evil? is it an absence of good? is it just people being so self-centered that they allow evil to happen because it will be of benefit to them.Or is it something so totally and utterly part of our nature that we cannot overcome it?

One word:

Humanity.

Sorry, but in this current stage of progression, we are negative beings. Not all of us..but most of us.

~Keeper

reply to post by mike dangerously


If God is one, how can I be evil?
Good and evil are the same thing, they are both exercise of the will.
If I want to cut your throat, or if I want to buy you an orphanage, what does it matter to me if you rate orphanage-good, murder-bad?
Either way I am just using you in an offhand way to get my jollies...the two are morally equivalent.

Originally posted by tothetenthpower
One word:

Humanity.

Sorry, but in this current stage of progression, we are negative beings. Not all of us..but most of us.

~Keeper

So therefore evil is not humanity, but some of humanity is evil.

Call me ignorant, but i believe everything to be based on perception. One can see good in evil, while another can see evil in good, and i use those words very loosely.

Its all about language.

I will not claim to know the "absolute" definition of evil, since its definition by humans is merely relative.

Although, giving it a try.....

Relative to us, what I have gained from my readings, and what I see in the world, I think evil can be classified as benefiting from hindering one from their ability to develop a sense of purpose, "freedom", or exploiting their way of life.

As anyone can see, it is difficult to define evil without giving examples.

On the Nature of Evil? It is hard to say but it seems as though one of the seven deadly sins can allow evil to arise. I am not a religion fanatic but just grant me that those are related to human feelings/emotions/tendencies. Thus, perhaps it just takes one of those sins, and their you go.

reply to post by nine-eyed-eel


While everything is relative in a way, that is a very selfish and ultimately destructive ideology that you present. While our perspectives on what is good and evil do differ, and while they are often defined in relation to the other, as polar opposites, what we believe has infinite ramification that echo and resonate throughout the entire world, and perhaps the universe. Yes good and evil do play against the other, but there is a state beyond the war of good and evil. There is reconciliation. There is grace. And evil seeks to either continue or repeat again the cycles of war, division, divide and conquer for exploitation, self without regard for the other, etc. Good sees the interconnection of all, and only does this by ceasing judgment and by forgiving. Then, the false layers are removed. Love reconciles good and evil. And good seeks to unveil love. Evil seeks to continue the obfuscation due to division. There, I provided you with a perspective of good and evil in which they are not, by any means, equivalent. Please, do not make your ego, a mere fabrication, a god.

reply to post by orwellianunenlightenment


What nine-eyed-eel was seemingly stating and perhaps invoking, was the classic paradox related to the religious "God" being deemed all "good", all loving, yet at the same time being infinite, which means that "God" must also be or portray "evil". Hence the yin and the yang. Existentialism.

[edit on 11-8-2009 by Unlimitedpossibilities]

Evil is not absolute for Love has no opposite.

All evil is relative, to the victim.

We must put an end to historical evil or the evil without, and for the first time in human history, take responsibility for it within ourselves, and forgive.

We are after all all one, and love is the rule, the measure, the standard.

Evil then dissolves, and is reintegrated in the right light, the light of love and forgiveness.

Anything else, anything less, gives evil too much credit and more power than it deserves.

The end of evil, the end of time and history as we know it - that's our job in this lifetime, to be the beginning, of the end of evil, through enlightenment, and the more that suffering has carved into our being, the more joy we can contain.

Evil is just a bad program, a habituation of a faulty premise, nothing more.

When the strong man is bound in love, within the sphere of one's own duality, that's the end of evil for that world, and in so far as we are all connected, when each of us does our part, we do so on behalf of everyone.

[edit on 11-8-2009 by OmegaPoint]

Evil is a creation of religion in the sense that the church defines evil as that which is not with God in his plan. The 7 deadly sins as described by the church as being the root of evil are all acts or inaction based on selfishness or self direction or the acts inspired by beings who are against God.

Selfishness is any act for the gratification of ones self apart from the will of the creator in the enacting of the divine plan.

Other ideas for evil are I think based on interpretations of the church teachings. The church also defined evil as being the will of those apposed to the divine will. Evil as a force against the divine plan has incarnate and non-corporeal agents called daemons or fallen angels.

Light is also thought of as good since the origin of religion is in worship of the Sun. Darkness is thought of as evil since it was the most dangerous time for early man since the lack of light allowed night predators and thieves and murders to have free reign, thus the concept of the reign of darkness.

Love is also considered a type of light and the absence of love inspires evil because of the darkness that a lack of love allows to fill the human soul. When someone has never known any kind of love they are considered dark beings devoid of the light of love. God being the source of all light and also love drives out the darkness and thus drives off evil. Evil is said to flee with the light of the love of God.

God also shows his love by teaching humans his divine plan which is said to light up the path of his followers and this allows humans to overcome the darkness of the soul devoid of love and also provide guidance to others who see this light within them.

Evil does not exist by itself, neither does Good. Both are conceptual symptoms of a belief in Duality. Duality does not exist beyond the Soul levels of awareness, so evil and good likewise cannot exist.

This leaves us with only what is.. once those beliefs are shed that is. And what we are left with is a bigger picture understanding that all Souls are equal, and each chooses what it does to gain experience without there ever being judgement placed on it. After all, we humans are the ones who Judge everything due to our currently limited ability to see outside of our own personal boxes of Beliefs.

So in effect, the concept of Duality as we experience it is only a part of the make-up for this Experience World, as well as other worlds working the duality aspect. Hence we think we see evil and good in every place, when the reality is we are observing experience choices of other souls.. which we cannot understand clearly because we are not Awake enough yet.

There is a saying that infuriates a majority of people.. as it should if it is ever to be understood clearly.. "Even Hitler went to Heaven". When you can understand what this really means then you will be able to see outside your Box of Beliefs and see a bigger picture reality with no Judgements.

Wonderful,thoughts form all of you.In my personal view evil is really a perception of others what is evil to one person may not seem so to another and yes religion does play apart in ones ideas of just what the nature of evil is.

reply to post by mike dangerously


To say there is good and evil is to pass judgement giving validity to the ego. There is neither good, nor bad. It just is.

It all depends upon how you choose to perceive the situation(s).

I still see the need for a standard of judgement in forgiveness and mercy, but one where justice is served, and this is why I am a Christian.

reply to post by OmegaPoint


But who are WE to pass judgement and grant mercy on one another? That is the job of God (or other higher source), not a mere human.

"Do not judge lest ye be judged first."
- If everyone held true to this, there should be no judgement passed upon others since it's really a chicken or the egg situation.

reply to post by mike dangerously
anything that oppresses is evil...but just because you are oppressed doesn't necessarily mean you are not eviland, yes, like an earlier poster said humanity is evil right now.

Originally posted by Nivcharah
reply to post by OmegaPoint

 

But who are WE to pass judgement and grant mercy on one another? That is the job of God (or other higher source), not a mere human.

"Do not judge lest ye be judged first."
- If everyone held true to this, there should be no judgement passed upon others since it's really a chicken or the egg situation.

We must forgive as we are forgiven. And the highest standard, where justice was served, requires mercy, not sacrifice. We cannot judge, and the only one who could judge rightly, would have to be one with the all in all, and his judgement was to pay the price, and serve as a standard of love, relative to which all judgements are measured justly.

So we agree.

What I like about the Christian framework, is there can be satisfaction, in the face of something, an absurdity, of human evil running down through the generations as a continual process of victimization, which doesn't allow the individual as historical participant, to be truly free, and to laugh again, even at the evil within his own self. To be free of the causation of evil in a radical transformative forgiveness. To come to recognize the end of evil within the standard of judgement rendered at the cross, which is mercy, adn forgiveness. Then we can forgive and show mercy as we are and have been forgiven even in eternity. That's liberating!

Then, perhaps we can get to freely laugh again, as children of one God under the dome of heaven..

[edit on 12-8-2009 by OmegaPoint]

I personally feel evil is someone lacking a soul and a conscience. I know one person, whom I labeled "Satan" because his name is Friend and well he isnt friendly, well he is pure evil. I swear being around him gets me nervous. His own wifes good friend who is a psychic and reads auras wont be around him. She says she sees pure evil around him and I believe it. I have always felt uneasy around him, and I am not really scared by much but he freaks me out. The stuff he is into and I mean demonic stuff is out there. I worry for his family but they just accept it and ignore it. I will say I have had some very very interesting conversations with him that left me a little uneasy. I have never been around anyone who made me feel like this in 30 years. He is empty and hollow in my opinion and one of the most negative people I have ever been around. When I am around him I feel very drained emotionally and physically and I just feel dread.

reply to post by mike dangerously

You asked :
What is the nature of evil?

Before asking this question, since the knowledge of good and evil is a matter of viewpoint, we should first address a more basic issue -

What is the nature of perception ?

But, similarly, since perception is a function of mind, we need to ask an even more basic question -

What is the naure of mind ?

I know, I know ... this is pretty heady stuff for ATS ... so, let's bring it back down to Earth ...

One might even express the matter this way -

If the world looks dark and shi**y, chances are you're head's up your butt !

Just my two cents ...

Another good thread Mike Keep them coming.

What is truly the nature of evil?

Evil can be anything and everything, but that comes down to the person to decide what is evil and what is good.

is it an absence of good?

Well whats good? Thats another personal question that comes down to the person. Because good could be a lack of evil, since evil is more prevelant than good.

is it just people being so self-centered that they allow evil to happen because it will be of benefit to them.Or is it something so totally and utterly part of our nature that we cannot overcome it?

Evil is part of nature. I am not sure about good though. Its complicated and I don't really have an answer.

The perspective of the person you are asking.Some people might think it's good to ethnically cleanse a peoples because of *insert here*...but i think it's evil.Good and Evil are not universal...alot of people have a consensus of what constitutes good and evil through culture or ideologies but it is not set in stone.



[edit on 12-8-2009 by Solomons]