What is Evil?

I asked 8 different RLSH members from across the board what their views were on good and evil. Of those eight, six responded. Three questions were asked:

Question One: What is evil?

Question Two: So if no direct harm is done to others.... but knowing that ones actions may hurt others... is this evil?

Question Three: Could the same be said for Good as well?


Treesong

1.I think evil has something to do with harming others. Really, I think it has to do with falling out of harmony with the positive potential that lies within you. When you are self-aware enough to hear that voice telling you the kind, compassionate, honest thing to do, and yet you don't follow it because you would rather take advantage of others for your own gain, that is evil.

2.Hmmm not sure what you mean. I think if you know it may harm people, and there's no good reason to risk that, then it may be at least a little evil.

3. A lot of philosophical questions tonight... :) I guess that if you know something has a chance of helping people, and you do it, then that's at least a little good, even if it was a small act.


Silver Sentinel

1.Evil is that which brings harm to self or others. By its very nature it causes pain and suffering.

2. If you know your actions may be harmful to others, yet continue to do them, then you are engaged in wrongful behavior. If your intention is to purposely cause harm (even if only potentially) and you continue to act.. Then yes, you are doing evil.

A person may believe whatever they want to, but if they are "purposeful" in their behavior, and such behavior is potentially harmful, then they are engaging in evil.

It is the habit of rationalizing away the intention, that people use to excuse their behavior. They say that evil people never see themselves as evil.. but I believe that they know better.

3. Absolutely not. If Good intentionally commits acts of harm and then rationalizes it.. then Good is wrong and must attone. Good must not use Evil methods.

Unfortunately good people often resort to evil to overcome problems. But at least Good will attempt to make up for and pay for its sins. Evil does no such thing.


Red Voltage

1. Evil is doing something to harm someone else in any way shape or form, whether its physically or mentally, and its doing the act out of revenge, jealousy, or for no reason at all. That's kinda what I think it is.

2. (Waiting for reply)

3. (Not asked yet)


Amazoina Alkidike

1. What is evil? To me evil is a force that will do whatever it takes to effect an outcome in it's favor and cares nothing of anyone or anything. That it will betray or destroy it's own family or kind just to get what it wants.

For the record, I do not believe that there is total evil in the world.

2. (Waiting for reply)

3. (Not Asked Yet)


Dc's Guardian

1. Things that are destructive.

2. this would depend if you feel there is an absolute. . .i believe there is evil in the world. . .someone could what if the situation to death. . .and always find a way to say it's not causing real harm. . .at least directly. . .but if someones got to go down that rabbit hole. . .it leads me to beleive the person knows they are doing wrong. . .and merely finding ways to excuse it. . .if you believe there is no absolute then you can always excuse actions out of convienyance. . .you are putting the question as if they know it will hurt others. . .just not directly. . .that in itself says something. . .

3. yes it can. . .but the question to you is this. . .with both sides in this situation. . .is it better to stay on the sidelines. . .or to at least try what you feel is the right way to go. . .


Mr. Jack (Note I did not feel the need to ask Mr. Jack Questions 2 or 3 as he seemed to answer them already on his first response.)

1. I am inclined to believe, much as I do about many things, that evil is innate. That is to say, objective. I will give some background first to root it.

I believe that the world we live in is completely objective. The issue is that people themselves are beings of pure subjectivity. They live in this world of absolute reality, but their own interpretations and subjectivity blur it, often beyond all comprehension. This is a huge and irreconcilable issue, and one which people tend to ignore.

I used to say that good and evil are absolute terms, rooted in the objective world. But since I have come to terms with what really is going on, I have changed that belief greatly, also a by product of that revelation of subjectivity.

Good and evil, like all things man made, are subjective creations imposed upon objectivity. They are therefor nearly impossible to define on a general basis. You can give estimations however. Killing is generally perceived as an evil act, and while I would like to think of it as absolutely evil, that is my own bias talking. The universe does not have an opinion or a moral compass. Man does. And so death in the universe is not evil, it just is. Just like everything else. Man gives it meaning, and that meaning is often that it is evil.

On this theory, the world is simple to understand, because really, there is very little to understand and find out. The laws of physics, the development of the universe, but these are rarely questions of why. Why is reserved for questions concerned with subjectivity, therefor man, as the universe is so objective it does not actually have any why to speak of. It is again, just is.

If you are following, which I assume you are since you are rather intelligent gathering from your blogs and sarcasm (wit is a sign of wisdom in my book) I think I can speak plain. Evil is whatever you make it to be. It is an unfortunate thing in some ways, but in others, liberating. Evil is defined as whatever a person defines it to be. You could say that you are a supreme being of evil and the most incarnate vestige of it. That is your definition of it, and it stands.

There is, however, a contention to be had with this. That is the power of group subjectivity. You see, if many completely separate and subjective sources identify one thing as being something, it becomes much more powerful and real. It is one thing for you to call yourself the most evil supreme being of all time. It is quite another for 1,000 people to do so. This, this subjective collectivity of definition, is actually what I believes the definition of what power is. The more power, the more agreed upon subjectivity, the more real and accepted something is, for instance you reign as supreme evil overlord.

In this light we can see that evil is completely subjective, and therefor without definition. But we can also see, as with all things, that if subjective investigations are made and all agree upon certain definitions, we can make the completely subjective nature of such things as evil a powerful and real force.

-------------

I would like to thank all those that responded to my questions. I will update this post if I hear from those who have not replied back currently.