Do you believe that people are born evil or is it something that life experience creates?

Answer 1

I believe that we are all born with the capacity for evil as well as good, but choosing "good" is often the more difficult choice. After all, Good cannot exist without evil, and vice-versa.

"evil" is nothing more than selfishness--giving in to ones desires for pleasure, whatever the basis of those pleasures may be. Sometimes it is power over another or power over life that is seen as being an "evil" deed.

As children, we are by nature selfish, and have to learn things such as empathy and sympathy in order to act good. the older we become, the more good we learn, and then the good/evil actions become a matter of choice or circumstance.

Without rules in society or laws to guide us, there would be more evil because the hunger for power for the individual would go unchecked, and the darker side of human nature is allowed to flourish.

So, to answer your question simply, Yes, people are born "evil", and life experience either teaches goodness or releases unchecked evil.

Answer 2

I believe that "evil" as you call it, is not born, but created. If a child is born into a caring, loving family, chances are it will grow up to be a decent person. But if a baby is born into a not-so-great world, with parents or relatives that are abusive and mean, it has less of a chance to be a good person because he or she will follow in their parent's footsteps. So I think I believe both ways, both that it is birth and life experience that creates good or evil. But I also think every person, as an individual, has something of a say in how they turn out as an adult.

Answer 3

It's the nature vs. nurture debate that has been going on for decades, i personally believe it's both. Were not born evil per say but we are born with the potential or ability to do and be evil. however as baby's and children we are not yet equipped with the ability to reason right from wrong, good from bad that is where are care givers come in, as well as the world around us. if we were not born with the ability to be or do evil then evil would not exist. How did the first person or animal, being or thing on earth learn evil. Who or what was there to teach it evil if it was the first?

Answer 4

Life experience creates evil

Answer 5

Evil is a potential in all of us. it is just waiting for the 'right' circumstances. for example being hooked on hard drugs. It can really turn a decent person into an evil little bugger.
Human beings have various types of personality that they are born with. These are then modified by their parents and life events. Some personalities are more likely to place themselves in situations where they will act in a bad way. They are called psychopathic personalities and fill up our prisons. Unfortunately these same personalities, in the 'right' circumstances have given us some of our greatest leaders.

Answer 6

I dont necessarily think people are born evil. I think something goes awry somewhere. There are many serial killers who had normal childhoods with normal loving parents. They werent abused or neglected. But some wires got crossed in their brains somewhere. Life experiences definately are an influence. But there are many people who grew up without parents surrounded by violence and grew up to live normal lives. Some even using those experiences to make a difference, while others feels being violent themselves is justified.
bball_samurai-We ALL sin whether we know Jesus or not. Can you honestly say that not one time in your life, you have never sinned? Everybody on the face of this earth sins. It is through the sacrafice of Jesus that if we believe we are forgiven of our sins. But we certainly arent free from them. Good grief!!!!

Answer 7

First of all the Good Word of God teaches us that we are born into sin and another thing to take into consideration is genes. Sad to say, but there is a such thing as generational curses! Also consider what that individual childhood was like, whether or not they were neglected, molested, abused verbally or physically or both all of these things in play can definetely give a person evil tendencies.

Answer 8

Evil is a point of view. People are how they are because of how they are raised and what there influences are. If i raised a kid, and everyday, I drove it into his head that killing people is good, and made him kill a person everyday and told him he was liberating them, he wouldn't see it as evil. That is just how he grew up. He would see himself as good. So I would say evil is something life experiance creates by people driving it into your head every day what is bad. You aren't evil. No one is evil. They just match what we have believed for thousands of years is the defenition of evil. There isn't such a thing as evil.

Answer 9

Biblically speaking, we were born with evil in our soul and thanks to our first parents adam and eve. And yet in ethics, I've learned that man is by nature good. It is the things around him that triggers the evil inside, initiatiating and introducing him to the satisfaction of the physical self. Though being the highest form of Gods creation, we have the free will to ultimately choose the path we have to undertake. Everything in life is about choices and nobody is exempted. Born evil--no, it is the seed of evil that we carry.

Answer 10

I think a little bit of both. I have meet people that have had no bad experiences in life, but still they are evil. It's something in their eyes it is like they are dead. However other people use their bad experiences to their advantage.