What is winning -- good or evil?


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eHA_Admin_Lori is offline eHA_Admin_Lori — Advice Official Moderator Post #1  September 3,2009, 9:51am
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A friend shared a link to a video on Facebook today that really depressed me and got me thinking about how much bad ("evil") there is in the world, and wondering whether there was more good (happiness, joy) than evil, or if it was the other way around.

What do you think? Is there more strife, suffering and bad things out there, or more joy, happiness, good things?

Generally I feel like its the latter but I'm sure that many others would argue that point with me.

Edited to add: if you are wondering about what the video was, search YouTube for Hy-Line Dairy. WARNING: the video is likely not for those with a sensitive heart or a sensitive stomach. In fact I did not actually watch the video, but just reading the description was enough to break my heart. And no, I'm not generally an animal rights activist or anything, I mean I do love animals and want to see them treated well, but I eat meat, buy leather goods, etc.)
Last edited by eHA_Admin_Lori; September 3,2009 at 9:53am.
 
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waypoint_finder is offline waypoint_finder Post #2  September 3,2009, 10:20am

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I can't think of anyone who leaves their home or car without locking it.

We live in a nation where there is actually a system of alerting people of missing / abducted children.

Half the ads on tv are selling you something to protect your house, credit cards, computer files and the like.

Every state, city, town has either a prison, county jail or some form of detention center.

Most states have passed laws allowing law abiding citizens to carry concealed weapons so that they can protect themselves and their property from criminals.

etc etc etc

and before someone brings up religious beliefs and piety... not all criminals are athiests.
 
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j0hn8andy is offline j0hn8andy Post #3  September 3,2009, 10:44am
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I never tried to speculate about which is more prevalent.

If I did, I would come down on the side of Good. So many wars throughout history. Much evil has been done. And yet we are still here.

Out of adversity can come a strengthening of the human spirit.

The finest man I ever knew used to say "I have to look myself in the mirror tomorrow morning when I shave." From him I learned the importance of doing the Right Thing, for its own sake!

Hard to remember sometimes, but it does help to make my little corner of this world a better place.
 
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last12C is offline last12C Post #4  September 3,2009, 1:10pm
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I think that good and evil represent the ultimate in equal opportunity influences. They both fly above all things that artificially separate mankind. Gender, age, race, color, nationality, religion - all of it. They are what gives the entire species something in common - the ultimate equalizers, the ultimate uniters. They are both shared without exception by all who are driven by a conscience. There has never been a time in history where both did not exist in equal measure. Any attempt to separate evil into degrees is merely a ploy to justify self. It is pride and denial that separates us, not good or evil.

I also believe that it is a sad propensity to see evil where it doesn't exist and to not recognize good when it is right in front of your face.

Without evil there would be no good. They are two sides of the same coin. Without both of them we would have nothing to motivate us.

Joy lies in the fight, in the attempt, in the suffering involved, not in the victory itself.
- Ghandi.
Last edited by last12C; September 3,2009 at 1:48pm.
 
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86CJ7 is offline 86CJ7 Post #5  September 3,2009, 1:50pm

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last12C wrote :
Without evil there would be no good. They are two sides of the same coin. Without both of them we would have nothing to motivate us.
God is good- in him there is no darkness at all. Sorry, but I do not subscribe to your belief in dualism. I don't want ot get into a religious discussion in what is definately not a religious board. But I had to voice my objection to the implication that it is essential for evil to exist for God to be good.
 
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86CJ7 is offline 86CJ7 Post #6  September 3,2009, 1:52pm

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I forgot- evil will appear to triumph for a season but joy comes in the morning. I'll understand if you don't get it.
 
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last12C is offline last12C Post #7  September 3,2009, 2:02pm
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86CJ7 wrote :
God is good- in him there is no darkness at all. Sorry, but I do not subscribe to your belief in dualism. I don't want ot get into a religious discussion in what is definately not a religious board. But I had to voice my objection to the implication that it is essential for evil to exist for God to be good.
My post was clearly specific to creature not Creator and made no mention whatsoever of Creator, so your classifying of my views as dualism is both hasty and inaccurate. Metaphysical monism is rejected by Christian belief because it does not make that Creator-creature distinction. Most folks around here know that I am an extremely conservative Christian. Don't be so quick with your ripostes.
Last edited by last12C; September 3,2009 at 4:40pm. Reason: poor grammar :-(
 
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jacsmit is offline jacsmit Post #8  September 3,2009, 2:13pm
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As with most things, there are different definitions of evil (see Scott Peck's People of the Lie for an interesting example). As for society, it does appear there's a downward trend - people are more selfish, less happy, more destructive, less caring, etc. There are various theories on this (an intriguing, yet also terrifying, one is covered by Ernest Becker in his book(s)). Or it could just be a matter of perspective - you find what you seek/believe. As last12C said (with which I agree), there really can't be something without the other side to compare it to - so as long as there's good, there will also need to be evil. And sometimes you even need to experience the bad, to truly appreciate the good. As for me, I prefer to choose good (as I see it), try to lead by example, and hope for the best.
 
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winn is offline winn Post #9  September 3,2009, 2:31pm

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86CJ7 wrote :
God is good- in him there is no darkness at all. Sorry, but I do not subscribe to your belief in dualism. I don't want ot get into a religious discussion in what is definately not a religious board. But I had to voice my objection to the implication that it is essential for evil to exist for God to be good.
It's not often that I disagree with Last12c but this time I'm in agreeance with you. God is only good and everything He made was good. The existence of evil comes only because God doesn't want us to act like robots but gave us the free will to choose for Him or against Him. It is definitely not essential for evil to exist for God to be seen as good because otherwise Jesus would not jhave needed to come and defeat evil. One day evil will be completely anihilated and there will be a new heaven and new earth with only good.
 
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winn is offline winn Post #10  September 3,2009, 2:36pm

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last12C wrote :
I think that good and evil represent the ultimate in equal opportunity influences. They both fly above all things that artificially separate mankind. Gender, age, race, color, nationality, religion - all of it. They are what gives the entire species something in common - the ultimate equalizers, the ultimate uniters. They are both shared without exception by all who are driven by a conscience. There has never been a time in history where both did not exist in equal measure. Any attempt to separate evil into degrees is merely a ploy to justify self. It is pride and denial that separates us, not good or evil.

I also believe that it is a sad propensity to see evil where it doesn't exist and to not recognize good when it is right in front of your face.

Without evil there would be no good. They are two sides of the same coin. Without both of them we would have nothing to motivate us.

Joy lies in the fight, in the attempt, in the suffering involved, not in the victory itself.
- Ghandi.
Sorry, Valerie, I have a problem with this. We can be motivated to do good for good's sake. Those of us who are doing good can be motivated by God Who is the Father of all that is good and holy. We don't need evil to motivate us. In fact, it often also happens that evil can motivate us not to do good because it often makes us feel defeated before we have begun. I have heard the phrase so many times, "What's the use? Things are never going to be better anyways."
 
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