Go back
How do you define evil?

How do you define evil?

Spirituality

Clock
Vote Up
Vote Down

@fmf said
"Evil" is egregious immorality (as already defined in numerous previous discussions, involving doing harm, deceiving and coercing) and gratuitous, sociopathic action that is gravely detrimental and/or damaging to others, and which stems from an abject lack or even absence of empathy and compassion.
Love the definition, but I wonder if we could also add “without love or compassion?”

Clock
Vote Up
Vote Down

That which results in pain, sorrow, or distress. In order to convey the correct thought in English, the very comprehensive Hebrew word raʽ is variously translated as “bad,” “gloomy,” “ugly,” “evil,” “calamitous,” “malignant,” “ungenerous,” and “envious,” depending upon the context. (Ge 2:9; 40:7; 41:3; Ex 33:4; De 6:22; 28:35; Pr 23:6; 28:22) The Greek word ka·kosʹ may be defined as that which is (1) morally evil and (2) destructive; among the ways it has been translated are: “bad,” “evil,” “hurtful,” “injurious,” “wrong.” (Ro 7:19; 12:17; Col 3:5; Tit 1:12; Heb 5:14) The Hebrew verb qa·lalʹ means “call down evil upon.”​ INSIGHT 1

Clock
Vote Up
1
Vote Down

@galveston75 said
That which results in pain, sorrow, or distress. In order to convey the correct thought in English, the very comprehensive Hebrew word raʽ is variously translated as “bad,” “gloomy,” “ugly,” “evil,” “calamitous,” “malignant,” “ungenerous,” and “envious,” depending upon the context. (Ge 2:9; 40:7; 41:3; Ex 33:4; De 6:22; 28:35; Pr 23:6; 28:22) The Greek word ka·kosʹ may be ...[text shortened]... 2:17; Col 3:5; Tit 1:12; Heb 5:14) The Hebrew verb qa·lalʹ means “call down evil upon.”​ INSIGHT 1
I cannot go along with this one since pain is required; without it, we would all bleed out or worse. Not everything that happens to us that is painful has an intent towards those ends, and I think the intent is required for evil to be authentic. Stubbing my toe isn't evil but painful.

Clock
Vote Up
Vote Down

@kellyjay said
I cannot go along with this one since pain is required; without it, we would all bleed out or worse. Not everything that happens to us that is painful has an intent towards those ends, and I think the intent is required for evil to be authentic. Stubbing my toe isn't evil but painful.
I agree. We have as much choice as we have, and intent makes the difference.

Clock
Vote Up
Vote Down

@kellyjay said
Examples of evil would be lies, false balances, greed, reviling, vengeance, murder, rape, lust, stealing, anything that puts oneself above God and others in ways contrary to loving them.
anything that puts oneself above God

The word "evil" refers to certain kinds of morally unsound behaviour. It is a human social construct, not a supernatural one, even if many humans do superimpose such notions onto the concept in their efforts to make sense of the human condition.

Clock
Vote Up
Vote Down

@galveston75 said
That which results in pain, sorrow, or distress.
Ostracizing people, whole families, even their children, over disagreements over doctrine ~ would that be evil?

Clock
Vote Up
Vote Down

@fmf said
anything that puts oneself above God

The word "evil" refers to certain kinds of morally unsound behaviour. It is a human social construct, not a supernatural one, even if many humans do superimpose such notions onto the concept in their efforts to make sense of the human condition.
Faith speech.

Clock
Vote Up
Vote Down

@kellyjay said
Faith speech.
It's odd that you are satirizing yourself in this way.

Clock
Vote Up
1
Vote Down

@FMF

What of your own behavior would you be willing to admit was evil, even in humanistic terms?

Clock
Vote Up
Vote Down

@fmf said
KellyJay [on another thread]: "All have sinned and fallen short of God, God who is good. How do you define evil?"
If all evil and "sin" can be traced back to "Satan", and the Abrahamic God's intention was to have a perfect "sinless" world, according to the theology/folklore, why doesn't God just destroy "Satan" and end the suffering?

Clock
Vote Up
Vote Down

@fmf said
If all evil and "sin" can be traced back to "Satan", and the Abrahamic God's intention was to have a perfect "sinless" world, according to the theology/folklore, why doesn't God just destroy "Satan" and end the suffering?
On the other hand, why don't you just shut your typing yap and stop being such a stirrer?

Clock
Vote Up
Vote Down

@fmf said
If all evil and "sin" can be traced back to "Satan", and the Abrahamic God's intention was to have a perfect "sinless" world, according to the theology/folklore, why doesn't God just destroy "Satan" and end the suffering?
How does that “end the suffering” when man’s sin nature is still in him?

Do you think men and women will become perfect and sinless if God destroyed Satan?

Are you aware that Lucifer took a third of the angels with him when he was cast out of Heaven? Does God get to destroy them too?

Clock
Vote Up
Vote Down

@kevin-eleven said
@FMF

What of your own behavior would you be willing to admit was evil, even in humanistic terms?
I think your question, put plainly, is:

Do you, FMF, think trolling and bearing false witness are evil?

That gets right to the heart of the matter as far as the SF is concerned.

Clock
Vote Up
Vote Down

@pb1022 said
How does that “end the suffering” when man’s sin nature is still in him?
Isn't humanity's "sinful" nature something the Abrahamic God created?

Clock
Vote Up
Vote Down

@pb1022 said
Are you aware that Lucifer took a third of the angels with him when he was cast out of Heaven? Does God get to destroy them too?
Why not?

Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services or clicking I agree, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More.