where does evil come from?

[The Voice of Reason]

In my opinion:

"Evil" is the result of men placing their own wants above the needs of others.

It is not a punishment from God (of whatever religion one holds true), nor the work of Satan.

 

[cristheseeker]

what if evil is good and good is evil, what if day is night and night is day, what if the day we were born was the day we died and the day we die will be the day we are born? what if this life is simply a waiting game, and we are like sperms floating around in testies just waiting to get our chance(through death). what if everything around us does not exist, and our simple ignorance to that possibility is what keeps this nothingness in existence in our minds? boy oh boy, i wish i were stupid, then i wouldnt have to deal with all these thoughts.

 

[whereismynotecard]

where does evil come from
i dont know wether this question has been raised already. but my question for today is, if god is allknowing, all powerful, limitless and creator of absolutely everything, where does evil come from? who created it? who created or implanted the concept(knowledge) of evil into lucifer's mind? because remember, god's creation can not itself create a thought or idea that god did not know of in the first place, or that he didnt give us potential to create in the first place because he is omniscient.

because remember adam and eve were not initially created with knowledge of good or evil. evil was introduced to them through the serpent no? so question is, who initially introduced the concept(definition) of evil to lucifer? and if you are saying that lucifer did not have to be made aware of evil because he was created by god with the concepts of good and evil in the first place. than that automatically means that both good and evil comes from god.

Do you know how boring it would be if everything was perfect? We would all just sit around and be bored, because no one would realize how great everything is. God knew that if he made everything "good" everyone would be spoiled brats with no knowlege of how horrid life could be. He had to make some evil too, in order to keep everyone on their toes, and to keep things interesting.

 

[J Bryson]

Evil comes from a lack of understanding the total connection of oneself to one's fellow human beings. We're all made of the same star stuff.

 

[cristheseeker]

Do you know how boring it would be if everything was perfect? We would all just sit around and be bored, because no one would realize how great everything is. God knew that if he made everything "good" everyone would be spoiled brats with no knowlege of how horrid life could be. He had to make some evil too, in order to keep everyone on their toes, and to keep things interesting.

if life without evil were boring. then just imagine what heaven will be like...i mean, what exactly is your ambition of getting to heaven when you already know that the lack of evil will result in eternal boredom?

 

[whereismynotecard]

if life without evil were boring. then just imagine what heaven will be like...i mean, what exactly is your ambition of getting to heaven when you already know that the lack of evil will result in eternal boredom?

I KNOW!!

(I don't believe in god, heven, good, or evil. I was just being silly. But really... if heven existed... I think it would be way too boring to stand.)

 

[J Bryson]

I suspect that the "bored" part of your thought process would be turned off.

 

[cristheseeker]

I KNOW!!

(I don't believe in god, heven, good, or evil. I was just being silly. But really... if heven existed... I think it would be way too boring to stand.)

yes, but then again, if heaven were the eternal boredom of peace, and hell were the eternal boredom of suffering, and there were no third choice, id sure like to choose heaven

 

[whereismynotecard]

yes, but then again, if heaven were the eternal boredom of peace, and hell were the eternal boredom of suffering, and there were no third choice, id sure like to choose heaven

Probably... I think I'd like to tour hell first just in case though.

 

[whereismynotecard]

I suspect that the "bored" part of your thought process would be turned off.

So would it be like being stoned constantly? Or like... just in a dream like trance?

 

[McBell]

I wonder if evil is like blackness, like the absence of light, evil is the absence of good.

One problem with describing evil in such a way is that it leads to and or reinforces the "black and white" mentality that is so prevalent in religion.

Another problem is that "good" and "evil" are morality judgment calls.
Which is fine so long as one is preaching to the choir.
But once one starts preaching to those outside their choir, it becomes nothing more than a matter of opinion.


Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, not in what is being beheld.
Perversity is in the eyes of the perceiver, not in what is being perceived.
Evil is in the eyes of the one doing the looking, not in what is being looked at.

 

[kadzbiz]

Yeah, I'm thinking it was too cut and dry myself.

 

[rusra02]

how can you say evil comes from satan when GOD himself clearly says through the bible (the word of god) I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil. I the Lord do all these things" (Isaiah 45:7)

In the Bible, evil is not always synonymous with what is bad. The hebrew word rendered evil can also mean 'calamitous, gloomy, ugly'. At times, Jehovah has rightfully brought evil , or calamity, upon disobedient humans. For example, the global flood in Noah's day is spoken of as evil (Genesis 8:21).
In that sense, God can rightfully say he creates evil or calamity. However, he is never responsible for what is morally evil or wicked. Satan and wicked men are totally responsible.

 

[roli]

One problem with describing evil in such a way is that it leads to and or reinforces the "black and white" mentality that is so prevalent in religion.

Another problem is that "good" and "evil" are morality judgment calls.
Which is fine so long as one is preaching to the choir.
But once one starts preaching to those outside their choir, it becomes nothing more than a matter of opinion.


Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, not in what is being beheld.
Perversity is in the eyes of the perceiver, not in what is being perceived.
Evil is in the eyes of the one doing the looking, not in what is being looked at.

Do you honestly think right now in the world somehwere there is someone who is doing something that is bad or opposite of what you may think as good.

We can all be politically correct and philosophical and approach the question as relativists,as if this position keeps one from claiming abolutism.

 

[Dezzie]

I'm not sure what the right answer to this question is, but I feel that evil is controlled by us, by our species. I can't really say whether God created evil or whether the devil tempts us. I think those are just excuses for some people to not blame it on themselves. That's just my own personal opinion.

 

[McBell]

Do you honestly think right now in the world somehwere there is someone who is doing something that is bad or opposite of what you may think as good.

It wouldn't surprise me one bit.

We can all be politically correct and philosophical and approach the question as relativists,as if this position keeps one from claiming abolutism.

You can claim whatever it is you want.
But the fact is that morality is not absolute outside your own mind.

 

[BruceDLimber]

Greetings!

>Where does evil come from?

Here's what the Baha'i scriptures have to say on the subject:

Chapter 74.

THE NONEXISTENCE OF EVIL

“The true explanation of this subject is very difficult. Know that beings are of two kinds: material and spiritual, those perceptible to the senses and those intellectual.
“Things which are sensible are those which are perceived by the five exterior senses; thus those outward existences which the eyes see are called sensible. Intellectual things are those which have no outward existence but are conceptions of the mind. For example, mind itself is an intellectual thing which has no outward existence. All man's characteristics and qualities form an intellectual existence and are not sensible.
“Briefly, the intellectual realities, such as all the qualities and admirable perfections of man, are purely good, and exist. Evil is simply their nonexistence. So ignorance is the want of knowledge; error is the want of guidance; forgetfulness is the want of memory; stupidity is the want of good sense. All these things have no real existence.
“In the same way, the sensible realities are absolutely good, and evil is due to their nonexistence—that is to say, blindness is the want of sight, deafness is the want of hearing, poverty is the want of wealth, illness is the want of health, death is the want of life, and weakness is the want of strength.
“Nevertheless a doubt occurs to the mind—that is, scorpions and serpents are poisonous. Are they good or evil, for they are existing beings? Yes, a scorpion is evil in relation to man; a serpent is evil in relation to man; but in relation to themselves they are not evil, for their poison is their weapon, and by their sting they defend themselves. But as the elements of their poison do not agree with our elements—that is to say, as there is antagonism between these different elements, therefore, this antagonism is evil; but in reality as regards themselves they are good.
“The epitome of this discourse is that it is possible that one thing in relation to another may be evil, and at the same time within the limits of its proper being it may not be evil. Then it is proved that there is no evil in existence; all that God created He created good. This evil is nothingness; so death is the absence of life. When man no longer receives life, he dies. Darkness is the absence of light: when there is no light, there is darkness. Light is an existing thing, but darkness is nonexistent. Wealth is an existing thing, but poverty is nonexisting.
“Then it is evident that all evils return to nonexistence. Good exists; evil is nonexistent.”
— 'Abdu’l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, pp. 282-284

Peace,

Bruce

 

[lophophora]

where does evil come from

jealousy ?

 

[Caladan]

where does evil come from

When can we say that an action is 'evil' rather than be the offspring of a disturbed personality. many evil actions are a result of a psychotic, or immature persona.
A logical, mature, and mentally healthy person, is not prone to 'commit evil'.

For some reason, Im not sure this is what the OP is looking for, since it delves into Judeao-Christian theology in the literal sense.

 

[Charity]

Evil is everywhere, it is under the bed, hiding in the closet, knocking at the door. It's in the people who prey on the misfortune of others. It is all in what one presumes to be evil or to be good.....Some people always seem to think everything is evil.....I personally like to try and find something good in everyone and in most situations.....I think it is a lot more positive to look for the good rather than for what is deemed as evil......
Many can take something good and always find it to be evil......