Evil?

The purpose of this thread is to discuss the is issue of evil and all the potential angles, perspectives and /or opinions that can be offered in this forum. As with any discussion civility is very important as well as is respect for cultural diversity.

I am going to begin with a scientific explanation of evil as it exist today from the context of a documentary. I would ask that all members posting on this thread take the time to watch the documentary, before responding.

It is about 42 minutes long and worth taking a look at.




Any thoughts?

Originally posted by Kashai
Any thoughts?

Yes. You are asking us for a large time commitment without explaining what is going on with no particular effort on your part. If you care to summarize the video and explain where you are going with this, then perhaps others will consent to watch it. So far, you really have not given us the incentive to do so.

I'm not going to watch 43 minutes of documentary before posting on a subject you can't summarize in a few paragraphs. Please make an effort to entice me to spend that much time out of my busy day to be interested in this. Many of us here at least put thought and effort into our posts.

reply to post by Kashai

Evil is posting a 43 minute video and getting annoyed because nobody watches it.
Seriously though, you need look no further than this week news from Norway to see evil personified.

No problem, to summarize the video it presents that evil is all about the brain and there may be ways to modify the brain so as to exclude such behavior.

Methodologies offered include medication and electrical stimulation and in the case of the latter there is an experiment that shows it is possible.

Any thoughts?

reply to post by Trublbrwing


that is the conversation I am trying to start

Why is evil more than the vid?

Originally posted by Kashai
No problem, to summarize the video it presents that evil is all about the brain and there may be ways to modify the brain so as to exclude such behavior.

Methodologies offered include medication and electrical stimulation and in the case of the latter there is an experiment that shows it is possible.

Any thoughts?

Yes: Medication & Electrical Stimulation are Evil. Just ask Ewen McCameron & Sidney Gottlieb.

P.S. - I also find it highly unlikely that "evil" is just a function or malfunction of the brain.

Evil is one side of the coin, with on the other side good.
One would need a good definition of evil in order to start a conversation about it.
This is not that simple.
One who does something, which is evil in our eyes, can be doing it because he thinks it is the right thing to do.
To make one example, i read yesterday that 17 man were beheaded in Afghanistan because they were having a party with music and dance.
Surely we will say this is evil, but they are thinking otherwise.
This is all in the field of knowledge, the known, what we are taught and hold as truth.
It is like a spell, that needs to be broken.
When the spell is broken, a change will occur, not in the brain, but in the psyche.

Of course there is another kind of evil, selfishness, which is reigning this world at this very moment.
Surely one must be devided, in order to be able to be selfish.
Love is absent in them, the only goal is power and position, gain more and more, and not caring about others.

reply to post by earthling42


I have also heard it said that no 'demon' thinks that it is 'evil'. They think that they are the righteous ones and that the 'angels' and 'Gods' are 'evil'. They truly believe that they are doing what is right and that to follow them is the true path....

Gnobody

Evil exists in the realm of human interaction,,, I can say that unbiasedly for i am a human,.,.,.

I cannot speak for rocks, plants and metals,, or if evil absolutely exists at atomic levels,..,.,

but in a universe,, on a world,, with intelligent humans,,, it is impossible to not come across the concept of "evil" when certain interactions take place between humans,.,..,

now for plants and metals we can assume that everything that structurally exists, if it can or could perceive its existence at all, would enjoy to exist as it is,, if not it can always do anything and everything it can to not exist,,,
assuming a metal bar wants to exist,,, destroying its existence can be considered evil,,, same as a plant,, same as a human,.,.,.

so back to humans,,.,., if human life is considered good,, and desirable to live,,,, then things which corrupt or destroy human life can be considered evil,, for humans,,,,.

it gets tricky when we realize we are in a earthly realm which depends on the destruction of other living materials in order to reap their energies, for our own construction and continuation of our existence,,.,. and then we think viruses, and germs, which corrupt us are evil,,,, when to cows, chickens, fish, and corn,,, we are viruses, germs, and mass mass murderers..

You know I usually like watching "though the wormhole". I find it to be a well made series, but in this case I was really shocked as to some of the content of this particular episode. It seemed more an effort to offer Behavior Modification as a valid methodology, something I disagree with completely. I can agree with several of the comments offered in this thread. Good and Evil is in the eye of the beholder, conditioning is not the answer as it suggests some aspect of society somehow knows better when in reality it is not that simple.

Ok lets get into the meat and potatoes...

Evil is usually seen as the dualistic opposite of good. Definitions of evil vary, as does the analysis of its root motives and causes; however, evil is commonly associated with conscious and deliberate wrongdoing, discrimination designed to harm others, humiliation of people designed to diminish their psychological well-being and dignity, destructiveness, motives of causing pain or suffering for selfish or malicious intentions, and acts of unnecessary or indiscriminate violence.[1] The philosophical question of whether morality is absolute or relative leads to questions about the nature of evil, with views falling into one of four opposed camps: moral absolutism, amoralism, moral relativism, and moral universalism.

en.wikipedia.org...

The Lords Prayer bears a striking resemblance to The Kadish in the Talmud. An exception being that the influence of evil is viewed in the Kadish as an external influence. Implied in the Lords Prayer is the conclusion that the problem is more or a less a matter of an internal function in response to an external stimuli.

As offered the idea of a devil and or demons does not preclude the conclusion that they feel they have
done the right thing. Though in the context of a Hell I would offer that deviating from Gods plan and
being shown that plan, after death? Would suggest that given a hell those inside realize why they
are their. For the record I am applyng the context of Christianity because it is a concept we as
a whole and in general do understand.

Any thoughts?

reply to post by Kashai

All evil is relative, to the victim, and all goodness, mercy, truth, beauty and justice, the only absolute we can be absolutely certain of via the work of the cross of Jesus Christ (as the willing victim of evil) - edit to add: who, by turning it against itself at right angles to itself (as a house divided), bound the "strong man" leaving nothing behind of any value whatsoever, except the absolute love of God embodied in himself as the new set (established) standard of forgiveness and love by which all judgement is measured (if and when a just judgement must be made). To understand this, to "grok" it fully, is to understand how it all works, may all evil flee from your presence in the name and the spirit of Jesus Christ, the Lord. Amen.

Bu-bye evil, you're no longer needed and have long outlived your usefulness. Into the abyss (oblivion) you go.

reply to post by NewAgeMan


While Jesus Christ was a wonderful person his actions were interpreted as a cause for war's by humans.

Literally, billions died horrible deaths because he claimed to be the only means to achieve nirvana and or access to heaven.

Any thoughts?

Originally posted by NewAgeMan
reply to post by Kashai

 

All evil is relative, to the victim, and all goodness, mercy, truth, beauty and justice, the only absolute we can be absolutely certain of via the work of the cross of Jesus Christ (as the willing victim of evil)

Your saying absolute goodness, mercy, truth, beauty and justice could only be attained through evil. Maybe that is not what you meant but that's what it says.

reply to post by daskakik


Actually i am suggesting that human interpretation is flawed in such way's, that evil can result.

Jesus did say he had been on Earth before, certain interpretation sugest tat was only as the God of Jacob. I submit otherwise, Jesus was every prophet that expresed powers akin to what he was capable of.

Any thoughts?

Originally posted by Kashai
reply to post by NewAgeMan

 

While Jesus Christ was a wonderful person his actions were interpreted as a cause for war's by humans.

Literally, billions died horrible deaths because he claimed to be the only means to achieve nirvana and or access to heaven.

Any thoughts?

I think it was more his teachings, as well as his actions that were/are misunderstood.

I believe that when he said that he was the only way to heaven, he was referrering to the path he followed (bodhisattva) and the work that he performed (study of the self, sacrifice, comprehension of the nature, universe and Gods) that will allow someone to ascend.

I don't think that he meant that the only way to heaven was to blindly follow him and become a Christian, although sadly millions do...

This is only my personal belief and opinion.

Gnobody

reply to post by Gnobody


Actually it is more like billions today but yes, I understand where you are comming from.

My trouble is that simply defining 'evil" is a difficult thing to do. The concept of "evil" is very subjective and abstract. For example, almost all of us can say that a mass murdered is evil. But what of a storm that kills many people?

Our instinct is to think of evil as being something destructive and dangerous. But as Hannah Arendt explains, real evil is often banal and boring.

Another reality is that what I find morally repugnant and evil might not match up to what you, or others, would see as evil. The difficulties between Christians and Muslims illustrate this example.

So... in the long run I am incapable of addressing your query as I lack perspective. All I can suggest is that we all, as human beings, take time to try and strip away at our own dogmatic or self-interested thoughts until we can all agree on some basic principles of behavior and mutual respect. Maybe then we'll have enough common ground to finally be able to define evil and to, then, comment upon it.

~Heff

reply to post by Kashai


My reply was not made to you but to NewAgeMan.

My take on evil is that it doesn't exist in and of itself. Its a matter of perspective.

reply to post by Kashai


LOL.... most Christians believe Satan is just a symbol??? LOL LOL

awwehhh that's good!!! LOL.... mmmmmhhhhh YES HE'S REACHED HIS GOAL THEN... after all "Satans greatest deception is to make people believe he doesn't exisit right" ha ha

One of the most new age shows I've ever seen. What a joke. Ya you are your brain, what a joke. Phychopaths are likely often demon possessed or oppressed. It's not a tumor! If you're not saved your subject to demons. Even Chrstians can be oppressed, but to a far lesser degree.

okay still watching...

at 21:00 the bible talks about that. "The sins of the fathers passed down several generation". Many different verses on that.

24:00 wow the NWO criminals would just love this! They'd use that on everyone! When everyone gets chipped that's one feature the chip will have built in.

28:00 this is insane. What is this world coming to.

29-36 Good idea that would be sweet!

38:30+ Tell that to TPTB they're world class eugenicists

40:40 Tell that to the million+ iraqi's and Afgans civilians that just got massacred! ...(stupid new age idiots)

40:50 oh great just what we need to solve all our problems! please just shoot me now!

41:20 in otherwords as they get brainwashed by institutionalized education

42:15 .... Really? Tell that to the global elitists. I'm sure they'd be all ears lol