What is evil?

Question

Atheists are looking for the proof of God's existence, and one of their usual complaints is that there can be no God because there is so much evil action going on around the world.

Here's my question: by what means do we know what is "evil"? For example, we know what is "red" because it reflects a certain range of EM radiation; we know what is "loud" because it hurts our ears. If "evil" demonstrates that God does not exist, please teach me how to perceive this "evil" because it is obviously some potent stuff.

Thanks, and God bless.

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Addendum #1
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I have no idea whether or not anyone is checking back on this question, but so far no one has really answered the question.

Let's assume I believe you and evil exists -- my question wasn't "does evil exists?" My question was "what is evil? How do I perceive it?"

The WonderKid came close to answering, but his answer is too loose. If I asked, "How do I perceive 'red'?" andone could point me to something red and say, "If you measure the wavelength of the EM light reflected from this object, it falls between X and Y wavelength. Even if you are colorblind, you can know that this object is red."

I'd like to know for sure when I am encountering evil. How would I do that?

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ADDENDUM #2
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Below, Mark said:
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"Evil" is not needed to disprove God. "Evil" just shows that the so called loving God is a fake story.
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That's fine, I guess. If that's what "evil" does, how do I perceive evil? How can I identify it?

Answer 1

Evil is simply a form of fear. Each moment we have the choice of choosing fear or Love. When the ego chooses fear in abundance, it may manifest as "evil."

However, the soul always chooses Love.

Answer 2

I dont believe "evil" is tangible, like so many other things, I believe it is an illusion created by the way our minds have come to experience the material world.

I will site something called the Law of Duality:
" Any concept or force may be divided into two totally opposite concepts or forces, each of which contains the essence of the other. Opposites can be defined only in relation to each other."

We observe things and tend to classify them as being two seperate things, when actually they are simply parts of a whole.

If God is supposed to be omnipotend and encompassing all things, then God would be in possession of all qualities.

I am not trying to argue for or against a god. This is simply the occult perspective.

Answer 3

Evil is doing something to intentionally hurt someone else for no rational reason. Pure evil may be the hardest thing to recognize because the person doing the dirty deed may appear to be the nicest person you have ever met. Someone who is evil will do whatever has to be done to gain your trust. When you trust that person unconditionally you have made yourself the perfect target for someone who is totally absent of love and has a heart filled with hate. There are many good people in the world and because of that an evil person takes advantage of people's trust. Common sense and your "gut feelings" may be your best defense to avoid those who may hurt you.

Answer 4

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  264  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.

Answer 5

Evil is very easy to see all around you. Since Evil is a set arbitrary standard, simply find a standard for evil, apply it, and there it is. For example, I find stepping in dog poop to be evil. Therefor, people letting their dog poop on my lawn are evil as they propagate evil.

Generally, using this statement to disprove God is made with a sort of cyclical logic.

1) Let us assume God exists and the Bible is right.
2) God is supposed to be loving and kind
2) The Bible defines X as evil
3) There sure is a lot of evil.
4) It doesn't seem right that a benvolent God would allow all those things he considers evil to exist.
5) Therefor our assumption (God exists) must be false.

However, there's a number of logical fallacies and pieces of misinformation within this arguement. The biggest ones are:
1) The Bible says God is loving and kind only to those who worship him.
2) The Bible can be interpreted to allow for free will of mankind, thus as God allows men to act as they will, and men choose to do evil, evils existance proves the evil of man, not the nonexistance of God.
3) The reasoning only holds up under a NUMBER of assumptions, not just the one given. Thus failure of the reasoning, were all else correct, would logically imply failure of ONE of it's founding assumptions, not failure of all or failure of a PARTICULAR one.

Answer 6

morally bad or wrong; "evil purposes"; "an evil influence"; "evil deeds"
morally objectionable behavior
having the nature of vice
that which causes harm or destruction or misfortune; "the evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones"- Shakespeare
tending to cause great harm
the quality of being morally wrong in principle or practice; "attempts to explain the origin of evil in the world"
malefic: having or exerting a malignant influence; "malevolent stars"; "a malefic force"




Evil is a term describing that which is regarded as morally bad, intrinsically corrupt, wantonly destructive, inhumane, selfish, or wicked. In most cultures, the word is used to describe acts, thoughts, and ideas which are thought to (either directly or causally) bring about withering and death —the opposite of life.

is the antithesis of good in all its principal senses, in the widest sense, evil is that which is the reverse of good, whatever is censurable, mischievous, or undesirable, morally depraved, bad, wicked, vicious; doing or tending to do harm, hurtful, mischievous, prejudicial, depraved intention or purpose, desire for another’s harm, causing discomfort, pain, or trouble, unpleasant, offensive, disagreeable, troublesome, painful. ...

Scott Peck defines evil as that which kills, the body as well as the spirit.

Dreaming of evil elements, of evil doing dream characters or of participating in an evil act, is direct suggestion that the dreamer is in conflict within themselves. Acknowledging a "wrong" action, attitude or approach from a waking life situation, the dreamer manifests this moral dilemma on the dream plane.

Things that are not of God.

an organization of immortals which was headquartered in Hell. The group was unofficially led by Michael "Warlock" Ferier, and was responsible for the so-called Apocalypse. Other members include Ryan "Plasman" Hunter, Scott "Bloodstreak" Ferier, Daniel "Ballistic Boy" Shephard, Thranade mo "Demonik" Nika'thraga, and James "Elemental" Rayne.

Answer 7

"Evil" is not needed to disprove God. "Evil" just shows that the so called loving God is a fake story.

It's not needed to disprove God either. There is no proof for God, Zeus, Balamarhina, or whatever other God might be believed in. You are free to believe in what ever story you choose to believe in.

Disprove Zeus to me, then we might start a discussion on your God.

(i take offense to the "god bless" btw...)

Answer 8

Evil exists, and good exists. Evil is created by the humans, without them there would be evils amongst humans. There is so much good happening.

Answer 9

Evil is the anti-God. It is God's absence.

Answer 10

To not love thy neighbor as thyself.