Philer
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How would you define evil?
The following quote from crogin raises this question. People talk a lot about evil but how do they define it? They generally seem to have a little difficulty doing that. They just recognize it exists when they see some human being harming other people. Sometimes.
quote: I don't believe in demons, ghosts, witches, etc. But I know evil exists and that it loves to hide under a false front of sanctity and self-righteousness (see Adolf Hitler, Jim Jones, David Koresh, and oh so many more!
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11/20/2018, 4:45 pm
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mais oui
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Re: How would you define evil?
I dont think that there is such a thing as 'evil' its context and culturally specific
Last edited by mais oui, 11/20/2018, 4:49 pm
--- HAPPINESS, THE IGNOBLE LIFE GOAL OF THE ILLITERATE
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11/20/2018, 4:48 pm
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Philer
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Re: How would you define evil?
quote: mais oui wrote:
I dont think that there is such a thing as 'evil' its context and culturally specific
I disagree. It exists even if some cultures see it as something good.
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11/20/2018, 4:59 pm
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Philer
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Re: How would you define evil?
Just as I figured. It's not easy to define is it? But the term must mean something.
What exactly is that something?
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11/20/2018, 8:35 pm
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katie5445
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Re: How would you define evil?
Depends if you are one that believes 100% of the Bible, all humans are born sinners, evil is a sin, so all Christians are evil. Other words for evil are far more simple, bad or wrongdoing, so it is cultural and can be specific to one person, depending on your own morals of what you call bad or wrong and that is why bad people go to jail, we don't accept certain crimes, also dependent on personal view, addicts shouldn't be in jail, prostitutes shouldn't be in jail. Some here see gays as evil but we don't cane them, torture them in jail. FGM is not acceptable in most the world. Or is killing whales, smashing the heads of baby seals, nets that kill dolphins, porpoises, trashed thrown overboard, destroying the environment and doing nothing about it evil/bad/wrong, yes it is, for me.
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11/21/2018, 1:17 am
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crogin
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Re: How would you define evil?
Why ask how "we" define evil if you only pooh-pooh (as usual) anything you don't agree with? If your sure you know the answer why ask the question?
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Don't try to tell me the only way left is up.
There's always more down!
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11/21/2018, 5:06 pm
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Philer
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Re: How would you define evil?
quote: katie5445 wrote:
Depends if you are one that believes 100% of the Bible, all humans are born sinners, evil is a sin, so all Christians are evil. Other words for evil are far more simple, bad or wrongdoing, so it is cultural and can be specific to one person, depending on your own morals of what you call bad or wrong and that is why bad people go to jail, we don't accept certain crimes, also dependent on personal view, addicts shouldn't be in jail, prostitutes shouldn't be in jail. Some here see gays as evil but we don't cane them, torture them in jail. FGM is not acceptable in most the world. Or is killing whales, smashing the heads of baby seals, nets that kill dolphins, porpoises, trashed thrown overboard, destroying the environment and doing nothing about it evil/bad/wrong, yes it is, for me.
"Wrongdoing" is a possible definition but that seems to be more the result of evil than a good definition of what it actually is.
It certainly doesn't provide us with a clue about why someone commits evil acts. Good definitions contain a bit of an explanation.
For example, even the name internal combustion engine to a large extent explains how such an engine works and why it works the way it does. The full dictionary definition goes into more detail. "Wrongdoing" does nothing to explain why "wrongdoing" takes place.
It is the equivalent of defining engine as the thing which moves a car.
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11/21/2018, 10:22 pm
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Philer
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Re: How would you define evil?
quote: crogin wrote:
Why ask how "we" define evil if you only pooh-pooh (as usual) anything you don't agree with? If your sure you know the answer why ask the question?
I'm not sure and I'm very curious about how other people define the term.
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11/21/2018, 10:25 pm
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mais oui
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Re: How would you define evil?
pictures of shoes and bones dont prove evil - why was it evil for Germans to kill Jews but not evil for Britain to kill german civilians?
Why is it evil to hang people from trees but not evil to strap them to a gurney anf inject them with poison?
as I say its all context and culture
--- HAPPINESS, THE IGNOBLE LIFE GOAL OF THE ILLITERATE
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11/21/2018, 11:34 pm
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