Are people born basically good or evil?

Question

Please give examples supporting your answer.

Answer 1

Neutral...babies learn behavior either way

Answer 2

It all depends on the human. Some are born with personality traits that lean towards a evil/egocentric/malicious person and some are not. Environment has about 50% to 70% to do with someones personality and the rest is inherent. So it isn't as easy as saying humans are either born evil or born good. Some are and some aren't, but most can go either way depending on there environment.

Humans are social creatures. To develop a society, humans need to be able to consider others needs and work together.

So I guess your answer is most humans are mainly good people, and some are not. On the other hand, most people can be molded to be more evil based on their environment.

Answer 3

the idea of children being born bad or evil can often be viewed in full during the modernization period of England. Although the idea was very popular during the time, most scientific evidence based societies refute this idea and have adopted the notion that children are good.

It's good this happened too, since I think enough children were beaten (in order to get the "demons" out of them) before society finally realized children are precious and good.

Answer 4

Some say one way, others the opposite. This has been a disagreement amongst scholars and clergy for quite awhile. If you are predestined to evil, then you must have been born that way. However, environment as you age can make a "good" person "bad."

Remember, too, that we are all born sinners, but sinning doesn't necessarily make us evil.

Answer 5

We are all born evil. We are born as sinners. Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. No one has good in them from the day they are born. The only way that you can be saved from your sins is to confess them to Christ and believe in him and what he did for you on the cross so that you could be saved from your sin. I know at first it's hard to swallow this truth but you hurt yourself by not excepting it. The reason you need to accept it is so that you can be saved and spend eternity with Christ . The only other alternative is hell....and thats not a nice alternative is it?
I hope this helped. God bless.

Answer 6

No, are you Calvinist or something?!?! Just kidding man. No, people are a product of their upbringing. Plus, everyone has the capacity for good and evil. Just look at the tempations the apostles endured and how legendary "villians" like Darth Vader or Capt. Jack Sparrow can still do good. No one is one way or another, but a mixture of both.

Answer 7

I believe it has to do with the parents of the individual..when a child is born they are taught with the people around them. And when you show love and the power of sharing, loving, giving and teach them the Godly way of teaching how to treat others they grow up a good person. If you teach a child to be lazy, drinking, cussing, cheating, treating others without any respect they will grow up evil and hurting others...

Answer 8

I don't think that we are born a particular way, but I do think that we are born with natural instincts that may seem good or bad and continue to seem that way until we are taught differently. some people are bad because they didn't learn a better way and the same basically applies to those who seem to be good. I think It all boils down to home training.

Answer 9

people are born into sin. id say the word evil would be better said then good. we live in a world full of sin and we sin here on earth. but we can chose to be good and not sin.
supporting examples are in the Bible.

Answer 10

Religion is a crock. It has no influence on a newborn. With the exception of a mental chemical imbalance, babies are born 'neutral'. They are then created into a product based on environmental attributes. You can create a variety of persons on what you bestow upon them. Then once age and maturity take place, it's up to them.

Answer 11

Neutral