Does Evil Exist?

[Virgil Showlion]

Who cares if he's a drug addict? I don't. I don't equate drug addiction to "evil".

Suppose an addict is high, not in full control of his faculties, and commits a horrible crime. Suppose his judgment is deeply affected and he comes to believe with all his heart and soul that a random man on the street is coming to kill him. The addict fights back in (what he believes is) self-defense, killing an innocent man.

A great evil has been committed. The addict may not have been in control of his faculties when he committed the crime, but a man is dead by his hands nonetheless. Is he not responsible for the death? Is he not responsible for gravely impairing his own judgment and wantonly endangering the public? Is he any less evil than a man who gets behind the wheel of a car while drunk?

And if not an extreme crime like homicide, what if his drug addiction leads to burglary, or larceny, or abandonment of his duties to his family, or abandonment of his duties to society? If the addict becomes unable to work, or damages his brain, etc., and becomes a burden on his family or his society by his own choices, is that not a kind of evil?

Would it be a man's moral right to willfully attempt a daredevil stunt, destroy his health in the process, and thereafter rely on the hard work of his family and his society to support him in his infirmity?

The Bible, at least, is very clear that taking unnecessary risks, willfully impairing our judgment or ability to work, and being poor stewards of our bodies are certainly not acceptable in God's sight—and I share His view on the matter.

Pedophilia isn't illegal anyways. Pedophilia is technically simply the desire of an adult for a child. And what's a child? 17? What's an adult? 19? Or is 16 considered an adult somewhere and a child is 15?

The guy obviously isn't campaigning to legalize "the desire of an adult for a child". He's campaigning to legalize something that is presently illegal—which is the only sensible reason he'd invest any time in it.

Think of what crimes are currently identified by law as 'pedophilia'—including rape of a minor, statutory rape, child pornography, etc.—and suppose this individual already lives in the most liberal state in the US where these laws are concerned. Suppose he still wants to 'loosen up' the restrictions on each of the three. Not much, but enough to make life easier for individuals who partake in any of the three. Would this change your opinion?

[femmefatale]

Karma, Virgil. Well put.

Well, in 4 minutes when I re-charge.

[mrsdutt]

Dec 27, 2012 17:50:30 GMT -5 hoops902 said:

::And individual B is both a drug addict and campaigning to legalize pedophilia. What would happen if some politician bowed to his lobbying efforts? And why would he campaign to legalize such a thing unless...?::

Who cares if he's a drug addict? I don't. I don't equate drug addiction to "evil". Pedophilia isn't illegal anyways. Pedophilia is technically simply the desire of an adult for a child. And what's a child? 17? What's an adult? 19? Or is 16 considered an adult somewhere and a child is 15? To say nothing that our current idea of adults and children wasn't remotely the same as those ideas a few centuries ago. There are children who are 3, and there are children who are 17.

If I said you are one sick mother, would you take offense?

[Deleted]

Dec 27, 2012 17:50:30 GMT -5 hoops902 said:

Who cares if he's a drug addict? I don't. I don't equate drug addiction to "evil".

Neither do I. Stupidity more like, or perhaps misfortune.

Let's have a show of hands, my people: Are other animals capable of evil?… or is it just humans?

[Deleted]

Dec 27, 2012 19:22:33 GMT -5 @devianity said:

Dec 27, 2012 17:50:30 GMT -5 hoops902 said:

Who cares if he's a drug addict? I don't. I don't equate drug addiction to "evil".

Neither do I. Stupidity more like, or perhaps misfortune.

Let's have a show of hands, my people: Are other animals capable of evil?… or is it just humans?

I saw a video clip of monkeys raiding another monkey camp and eating their babies. Thats not nice eh?

[Virgil Showlion]

Let's have a show of hands, my people: Are other animals capable of evil?… or is it just humans?

Animals are instinctual creatures, with no capacity for higher reasoning or moral judgment. Nor are they subject to any spiritual law.

Hence: No. Animals cannot commit evil.

ETA: Except snow leopards.

[cranberry49]

Dec 27, 2012 19:38:19 GMT -5 Virgil Showlion said:

Let's have a show of hands, my people: Are other animals capable of evil?… or is it just humans?

Animals are instinctual creatures, with no capacity for higher reasoning or moral judgment. Nor are they subject to any spiritual law.

Hence: No. Animals cannot commit evil.

ETA: Except snow leopards.

You are absolutely correct! Oh, and funny to boot! ;D

[Deleted]

Drug addiction in itself is considered "evil" or "sick" in some senses. So do people commit crimes out of sickness? Of course. However, that isn't what we are talking about. With "sickness" we usually consider that the individual has some component that they are NOT responsible for that may affect their thinking, etc. And, i would agree. However, there are plenty of cooley, rational "evils" that occur everyday. There are plenty of cooley rational evils whereup one human being simply decides to perpetrate his/her evil upon that individual often someone weaker, smaller, etc as an easier target. Some would say that all evil is 'sickness". Perhaps. That may be the prevailing opinion. However, i would argue that some Evil is simply Evil.

[femmefatale]

I consider "evil" an act of someone "intentionally" doing something malicious or mean, on purpose and knowing fully what they are doing. That is what I consdider "evil".....

[Virgil Showlion]

With "sickness" we usually consider that the individual has some component that they are NOT responsible for that may affect their thinking, etc. And, i would agree. However, there are plenty of cooley, rational "evils" that occur everyday.

My argument is that willfully making oneself "sick" (per the examples in #301) is an evil act.

By "cooley", I'm assuming you mean "coolly", and by "coolly" I'm assuming you mean "cold" or "callous". "Coolly" is an adverb.

[Deleted]

Agreed Virgil! Sometimes my spelling isn't up to snuff! LOL ;D

[Virgil Showlion]

Didn't mean to pick, but originally I thought it was beatnik slang.

Man, you wanna check out that cooley flick down at the 'plex?

[Deleted]

Sure, Virg , let's go!! ;D

[Virgil Showlion]

Dad- dad- daddio.

[Deleted]

Catch ya later, i am eating a tater! ;D

[Virgil Showlion]

Sometimes I'm glad my earliest memories are no earlier than 1985.

[Deleted]

I think i pulled that one from The Honeymooners!!

[Virgil Showlion]

The what?

[Deleted]

The Honeymooners. It is a funny show. We are big fans. ;D

[Deleted]

Lone - As i said before, i DO think there are common evils upon which we agree.

[Deleted]

Dec 27, 2012 19:24:58 GMT -5 @joey said:

I saw a video clip of monkeys raiding another monkey camp and eating their babies. Thats not nice eh?

lol! That's just not cricket is it, Apple?

[femmefatale]

Dec 27, 2012 20:42:50 GMT -5 @lonewolf said:

Dec 27, 2012 20:12:17 GMT -5 @femmefatale said:

I consider "evil" an act of someone "intentionally" doing something malicious or mean, on purpose and knowing fully what they are doing. That is what I consdider "evil".....

But what seems like evil to one, doesn't to another.
I think hunting is evil, most don't.
So, like I said, how can we determine if something is evil, if we can't even agree on what evil is?

Well, I guess everyone may agree or disagree about what they think evil is. I personally think it is a malicious act or mean doing on ones part. Basically if you look it up on Wiki or anywhere else, it will basically say the same. But as I said earlier, that is what I believe evil to be.

[Deleted]

Well, we DO know that Evil Does exist.

[femmefatale]

It sure does.

[Deleted]

Yuppers!

[femmefatale]

[Virgil Showlion]

Righty-o my hep cats.

[Deleted]

yes

[Deleted]

Dec 27, 2012 20:51:45 GMT -5 Virgil Showlion said:

Righty-o my hep cats.

What era did you pull that one out from Virgil?

[Deleted]

Well, that isn't my point. My point is "EVIL" that exists beyond some sickness, etc.