End of the Universe Part Two

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Originally Posted by fourdc

If we tread upon the subject of evil and our responsibility for it we'll have to analyze our sins of omission as well as our sins of commission.

Is it a sin to do nothing while evil happens even if we aren't participating in it?

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There is the rub......if you are a passerby and witness an act of evil and because you are afraid for your self you walk on, but if your a person of conscience do you step in regardless of the consequences?

I don't know if it's my memory but I think at one time it was the rule and not the exception for strangers to step in as "good samaritans" and help someone who was in trouble, today I don't see that as much as everyone's attitude has sort of gone the way of NIMBY, does that make us evil, does it make us complicit, we stood around during the holocaust, as nations should we feel guilty, the Church stood around as well, do they aknowledge this, surely while it was being carried out, the Pope had to have believed that this was wrong and that the people (Nazi's) who were doing this were according to the bible "evil".....Apathy and complacency have become more and more ingrained in people today, the "sanctity" of life has been so devalued that no one really cares anymore, they are more interested in who the pappy was for Anna Nicoles kid...everyone's values are so warped nowaday's no one knows what's what anymore....:rolleyes:

I think so fundamentally. It depends on the circumstances of course - sometimes in a practical way there is nothing we can do, other times we know there's a lot we could have done and didn't do. It comes down to ultimate accountability and the more you analyse it, the more you realise how your conscience should be making you realise you are accountable for your actions, ie the buck stops with you.

I tend to agree with Dalek on this one. To add a few more logs to the fire - I think liability has become a problem. When there needs to be a law created for Good Samaratin Acts, just so the person trying to help doesn't get sued by the person(s) they're trying to help - well that's just pathetic.
So, I think fear of legal action plays a large part as well. Along with general attitudes, I think the legal system has become an unstoppable juggernaut that mainly consists of frivilous lawsuits aimed at making a quick dollar.

*I hope no one sues me for this post :eek:

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Oh God said to Abraham, "Kill me a son"
Abe says, "Man, you must be puttin' me on"
God say, "No." Abe say, "What?"
God say, "You can do what you want Abe, but
The next time you see me comin' you better run"

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http://bobdylan.com/moderntimes/songs/highway61.html

Yeah, God can be a difficult person to get along with,
but, if he made the universe, you'd have a long way
to go to get away from him.
:cool:

Is it a sin to just walk by when something evil is happening? depends how you define evil. I would define evil as the absence of good, hence you have done nothing good therefore are evil. Now, as for self preservation yes it IS relevant but doing NOTHING is still the wrong choice. Take for example three hells angels beating someone else up. Obviously if you intervene you are next, but that doesn't stop you going round the corner and calling the police. Maybe they will arrive too late, but obviously joining the victim doesn't help either.

Yes, I think deep down we all know when we have accountability towards someone or something. Conscience tells me what I should be doing and not doing (even if I often ignore it!).

I define evil or satan or the devil, not as a figure with a pitchfork, horns and a pointed tail, more the negative force that nobody can deny exists in the world and which can be out of proportion to the human reasons for our actions. Upbringing and genetic factors don't adequately explain how someone can sexually abuse and strangle a child for instance. That's evil.

But the hardest sort of evil (too strong a word really) to fight is the insidious, tempting force that surrounds us and lets us succumb to smaller "dark" acts in the belief that they aren't serious enough to matter. But evil accumulates and can have farther reaching consequences than we imagine.

The greatest trick the devil ever played was to convince us that he didn't exist.

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the negative force that nobody can deny exists in the world

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Moira, before I even get into my rebuttal, my intention is not to imply that your opinion is wrong, just that we differ in opinions.

Now, on with the show -
I personally don't believe any negative force exists on this planet or in this galaxy. While we may feel there are certain acts that are, without a doubt, "evil" (like your example) - I think that act of attributing it to some "evil" force is a conditioned response/reaction. A by-product of reasoning if you will.

Even the term "evil" has such vastly different connotations from region to region that I find it almost has no intrinsic value whatsoever. I simply don't feel there is some invisible driving force behind it all.

We differ then. As I said, this is the devil's greatest trick. Do you not acknowledge spritis then, the occult or hauntings?

The idea of a negative "force" such as evil is propagated among all humans. Even those untouched by the idea of "god". And evil is determined by your idea of reality. A ruling on "killing" has been handed down as a commandment by "god" for example. If you do it against god's will, it is evil. If done with gods will, it is good. If done for god's will in the wrong way, bad. Or evil. Today we see slavery as evil, but 100 years ago it was not only good it was great. Is this satan's work????

Come to think of it, if god created the universe he created Satan. And thus can destroy him. If god did not create the universe then this thread is off track. The opening statement was a reference to why creation is possible or at least to add some thought into the modern theoretical ideas. Even though the science that "deflates" inflation theory is faulty by measurable observations.

Actually on another twist I said Satan is a "him", the reality is all females are inherently evil. ;) And the folks from the time of Alexander until the 1900s will agree with me. They tell their truth through historical context in the treatment of woman and other humans. Through extortion, justified by their particular non-belief in evil and the acceptance of a statement of good measured through written rules passed on from Moses and then Jesus. An action which in itself is evil.

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Originally Posted by RoadClosed

the reality is all females are inherently evil. ;)

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Thanks! :fpissed: And yes, if you read revelation you find out just what God's plan for Satan is. Satan was once an angel who turned bad basically so yes, in that way God did create evil, which has always been present in our world. God may be the supreme ruler of the universe, but he doesn't rule our world right now.