Good = Evil

a reply to: knowledgehunter0986
I gathered that from the OP already. Apparently that idea was quite tricky for you to put in words without claiming or implying both the existence and non-existence of good and evil as was done in the OP (or somewhat leaving it in the middle, vague and unclear). Of course, someone who may want to deny or is reluctant to face the existence of their own evil actions and thoughts, ideas, philosophies, etc., may be prepared or even desire to jump through such hoops (moving past the contradiction without seeing an issue with it in their reasoning). The same counts for those whose conscience is seared as with a branding iron and who do not want to put in any effort to determin whether their choices in life and their behaviour is good or evil and possibly make changes, improvements, where they deem it necessary.

Not saying that's you of course.

1 Timothy 4:1,2

However, the inspired word* [Lit., “the spirit.”] clearly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to misleading inspired statements* [Lit., “misleading spirits.”] and teachings of demons, 2 by means of the hypocrisy of men who speak lies, whose conscience is seared as with a branding iron.

The conscience of the people described there at the end has grown numb. Their ability to identify evil actions or teachings (or demonic teachings) is desensitized like a piece of skin seared with a branding iron. It's the same situation with recognizing certain good and beneficial teachings or actions (in particular those incompatible with their own desires, see 2 Timothy 4:3,4 again as quoted in my previous comment).

Paul also wrote to Timothy: “O Timothy, guard what is laid up in trust with you, turning away from the empty speeches that violate what is holy and from the contradictions of the falsely called ‘knowledge.’ For making a show of such knowledge some have deviated from the faith.” (1 Timothy 6:20, 21) That “knowledge” also represents the teachings of demons.

In the end, your question at the start of your OP:

Does good and evil even exist?

Only has 2 possible answers, either they exist or they don't. You gave your answer or opinion about it:

In my opinion, I don't think so.

Which is in contradiction with your statement that:

I believe they only exist by virtue of one another, products of relativity.

i.e. "I believe they ... exist...". That's what you're saying there now. Like I mentioned before:

You seem to be unable to make up your mind whether or not good and evil exist...

Of course I understand you can't edit the OP even if my commentary did change your original opinion about the matter that you started the OP with. But would you agree that your opinion there might be rather poorly phrased compared to what you are saying now?

And we aren't even talking yet about the way you phrased the thread title: "Good = Evil". I.e. "good is evil" or "good is bad" (a rather blatant contradiction). But just to touch on that, Isaiah 5:20,21:

20 Woe to those who say that good is bad and bad is good,

Those who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness,

Those who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!

21 Woe to those wise in their own eyes

And discreet in their own sight!

Proverbs 17:15

15 Anyone who acquits the wicked one and anyone who condemns the righteous one

—Both of them are detestable to Jehovah.

Malachi 2:17

17 “You have made Jehovah weary with your words. But you say, ‘How have we made him weary?’ By saying, ‘Everyone who does bad is good in the eyes of Jehovah, and he finds pleasure in him,’ or by saying, ‘Where is the God of justice?’”

Ezekiel 18:21-32

21 “‘Now if someone wicked turns away from all the sins he has committed and keeps my statutes and does what is just and righteous, he will surely keep living. He will not die. 22 None of the transgressions that he has committed will be held* [Lit., “remembered.”] against him. He will keep living for doing what is righteous.’

23 “‘Do I take any pleasure at all in the death of a wicked person?’ declares the Sovereign Lord Jehovah. ‘Do I not prefer that he turn away from his ways and keep living?’

24 “‘But when someone righteous abandons his righteousness and does what is wrong,* [Or “does injustice.”] doing all the detestable things the wicked do, will he live? None of the righteous acts that he did will be remembered. For his unfaithfulness and the sin he has committed, he will die.

25 “‘But you will say: “The way of Jehovah is unjust.” Please listen, O house of Israel! Is it my way that is unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust?

26 “‘When someone righteous abandons his righteousness and does what is wrong and dies because of it, he will die for his own wrongdoing.

27 “‘And when someone wicked turns away from the wickedness that he has committed and begins to do what is just and righteous, he will preserve his own life.* [Or “soul.” See Glossary.] 28 When he realizes and turns away from all the transgressions that he has committed, he will surely keep living. He will not die.

29 “‘But the house of Israel will say: “The way of Jehovah is unjust.” Is it really my ways that are unjust, O house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust?’

30 “‘Therefore, I will judge each one of you according to his ways, O house of Israel,’ declares the Sovereign Lord Jehovah. ‘Turn away, yes, turn completely away from all your transgressions, so that they will not be a stumbling block bringing guilt upon you. 31 Rid yourselves of all the transgressions you have committed and acquire* [Lit., “make for yourselves.”] a new heart and a new spirit, for why should you die, O house of Israel?’

32 “‘I do not take any pleasure in the death of anyone,’ declares the Sovereign Lord Jehovah. ‘So turn back and live.’”

Proverbs 14:12

12 There is a way that seems right to a man,

But in the end it leads to death.

originally posted by: whereislogic
...
With ideas circulating such as the idea that evil does not exist, that it's an illusion, and shaping our attitudes and actions, some may reason that they are not to blame for their evil acts. What, though, is the reality? Just as a steering wheel controls the direction of a car and a rudder controls the direction of a ship, the mind controls the body.

Every deliberate act, good or evil, is preceded by a thought. Thus, it could be said that man is as good or as evil as he chooses to be.

Freedom of choice also binds us with a restraint that creatures lacking such freedom do not have. The writer Corliss Lamont asks: “How can we attribute ethical responsibility to men, and punish them for wrongdoing, if we accept . . . that their choices and actions are predetermined?” Of course, we cannot. Instinct-driven animals are not held morally responsible for what they do, nor are computers deemed accountable for the functions they are programmed to perform. Freedom of choice, then, places upon us a heavy responsibility and makes us accountable for our actions.

God's gift of free will, or freedom of choice, makes us unique among his earthly creation. We can choose whether we will follow God’s moral guidance or not.

a reply to: whereislogic

I appreciate the effort, but I'm happy with what I wrote. I don't feel like I contradicted myself at all.

I may not be the greatest writer, but thought I was pretty clear with the point I was trying to make.

And again for clarity sake: I don't believe they can exist absolutely as separate entity's. That's not in contradiction to saying they only exist by virtue of one another. I'm trying to illustrate the idea of good and evil only being able to exist on a spectrum, that in itself only exists relative to our perspective. An illusion. Kind of like movements in space. No matter how much we feel gravity pulling us down here on earth, remove gravity and you're no longer moving down, even if your still moving in the same direction.

It's all perspective.

And like I've already stated in my OP, this is not to me trying to excuse all the "evil" in myself or the world, contrary to what you want to believe.

So again, I appreciate the effort but I'm more than comfortable with both my thoughts, and what I've presented here, as vague and unclear as it may be (which was the point). And quite frankly, I don't care what the Bible has to say about it (I skipped all those parts).

Cheers though.