Does Evil Exist?

[Deleted]

We seem to want to ascribe some sort of mental illness to every evil or heinous act nowadays. Is it possible that evil is just simply that, evil?

[Green Eyed Lady]

It is, in my opinion. Evil is just evil and sometimes it wins.

[beags]

Evil is just that, evil. Sometimes you can't stop it. It takes no personal responsibility. It's always someone or something they blame it on, whatever it is, as long as it isn't themselves. You know because they can't be evil, they were just bullied growing up, or misunderstood, or grew up in an abusive home, or have a mental illness or the NRA made them do it, or the person looked at them funny, god made them do it, or that stupid SOB cut them off in traffic and deserved to die. . . whatever the excuse . . it's not their fault.

Evil exists, sometimes wins, and takes no responsibility.

[Reckless Roselia]

To me it personally boils down to matter of perception. To one's evil may be another's act of good.

It's a game of semantics.

[Deleted]

A game of semantics? You can truly look at goings on in the world and say it is "just a matter of perception" and that there is no Real Evil? Wow.

[suesinfl]

Dec 23, 2012 1:24:53 GMT -5 beags said:

Evil is just that, evil. Sometimes you can't stop it. It takes no personal responsibility. It's always someone or something they blame it on, whatever it is, as long as it isn't themselves. You know because they can't be evil, they were just bullied growing up, or misunderstood, or grew up in an abusive home, or have a mental illness or the NRA made them do it, or the person looked at them funny, god made them do it, or that stupid SOB cut them off in traffic and deserved to die. . . whatever the excuse . . it's not their fault.

Evil exists, sometimes wins, and takes no responsibility.

[Reckless Roselia]

Dec 23, 2012 4:39:27 GMT -5 @shooby said:

A game of semantics? You can truly look at goings on in the world and say it is "just a matter of perception" and that there is no Real Evil? Wow.

Defining evil is a can of worms. To some evil maybe something that is immoral and an act of crime and to some it maybe something that is forbidden in the scriptures and which necessarily isn't all too bad. As I pointed out, it will boil down to matter of perception.

Isn't it the humans that decide what is evil and what isn't? Are we infallible? Somethings may be declared as evil in one culture but not in another. Or there may be degrees of evilness. It's not all black and white with the term evil.

To the original question. Does evil exist? Yes, it does.

[busymom]

Do I believe evil exists? Sadly, yes. My personal belief is that God created man as a perfect being, but original sin brought evil into the world.


IMHO, evil is the ultimate form of selfishness.

[whoisjohngalt]

Again, I can't stop thinking about the book We need to talk about Kevin - I think that kid was PURE evil - no matter what your perception is.

[Deleted]

Is it possible that evil is just simply that, evil?

Interesting question & I really don't know. I do know that some people are evil.

The theory that I came up with years ago is this:

The brain is a series of switches (picture a garage door opener) & each person has those switches in a different position. Well every now & then a person comes along with those switches flipped totally wrong. I believe that most people will kill (for example) to protect a child. But some people will kill for the simple joy of it (& of course there are lots of levels in between). We usually label those people as having a mental illness simply because the switches in their head don't met societies expectation (or requirements). Are they evil or sick? I really don't know or even know that it matters. What matters is that their actions are unacceptable to society.

[Deleted]

How can we deny Evil? Is it "evil" to murder and kill toddlers in a rampage? Are there people who enjoy killing purely for the thrill of killing nowadays? Evil absolutely exists and is undeniable.

[whoisjohngalt]

I often wonder what impact a stressful pregnancy has on a fetus.

I can only speak for myself, but your theory doesn't work with any of my pregnancies or any of my kids.

[Deleted]

Does Evil Exist?

Difficult to answer until you define what you mean by 'evil', for it connotes a wide range of phenomena.

[Happy prose]

There are many sociopaths amongst us. Not sure, but I thing I read 1 in 4 people. Here's the profile of a sociopath. www.mcafee.cc/Bin/sb.html

[mrsdutt]

HAPPY: That's quite a list on that site. I would be interested in knowing how and why you found the site. The dissertation does not mention the number of items a person has to have to comply with the definition.

Do I believe in evil? If one believes in goodness, then one must know there is evil. One can not exist without the other. What we surround ourselves in is what we will become. It's our personal responsibility to do what is morally and / or ethically beneficial for ourselves and our communities. Even though I agree we are each a speck of God the Creator, there is free will and free choice. So many have disregard for others in this time - the only regard they have is for themselves. Mainstream America has become self absorbed and narcissistic. This is the very center of evil. IMHO, of course.

[Happy prose]

Hi dutt...I have a family member that fits the bill. If you scroll down, they give some more examples, saying a person must have 3 of those to be diagnosed.

[mrsdutt]

I must have missed that. Thanks, I'll start my scrolling! My brother fit most of those items. He never killed anyone. We should be thankful he was a drinker. A very wealthy one, at that! I think he 'killed' people by taking what was theirs and making it his. He enjoyed destroying people economically. The ultimate was his mother.

[Happy prose]

I can relate. Read all the way to the end. It's very interesting.

[Happy prose]

Also, it says some are serial killers, but most are not. Hard to diagnose and impossible to cure.

[ZaireinHD]

I was looking at a superhero movie and asked GF it looks like super villains can exist because their main motivation is destruction and sometimes take over the world. She said evil does exist we don't have the superheros.

[mrsdutt]

LONE: So sad. My heart goes out to your family.

[mrsdutt]

Dec 23, 2012 11:24:07 GMT -5 Happy prose said:

Also, it says some are serial killers, but most are not. Hard to diagnose and impossible to cure.

Yes indeed. DD1's masters is in forensic science. They had to study serial killers. One of the things they had in common was that they appeared normal and just plain regular folks. Eerie

[Reckless Roselia]

I find it hard to believe that any human is born evil.

I don't think anyone is born evil.

[ZaireinHD]

born evil no - but raised at birth from the very start yes could happen

[ZaireinHD]

on second thought people are born with birth defects, so maybe someone is born without something or have a part of the brain not fully develop?

[BeenThere...DoneThat...]

...fwiw, I consider this a theological discussion... because "evil" is a relative term to "good"... aka degrees of Godliness... much like cold is relative to heat...

...although I'm not one to say that hate is the absence of love...

[BeenThere...DoneThat...]

...oh, and Merry Christmas Eve Eve, everybody!

[Happy prose]

I think they're born missing something. How would you explain two children raised in the same home- one good, one evil?

[Deleted]

To some, evil is just profound immorality.

To others it is a malevolent, supernatural force.

I'm waiting to see what kind of evil the threadmeister is referring to before opining on its existence.

[BeenThere...DoneThat...]

Dec 23, 2012 13:06:32 GMT -5 Happy prose said:

I think they're born missing something. How would you explain two children raised in the same home- one good, one evil?

...same reason some twins prefer Alaska over Hawaii (and vice versa) as their adulthood homes... free will...