What makes a person evil?

Question

Is it a matter of following the rules of law, religion, or personal morality? Can an person be evil in one culture but good in another?

Answer 1

THEIR INTENTIONS

Answer 2

The word "evil" is an opinion, which means the judgements of this word could be different among different cultures, or even individuals. For an example, Gay marriage could be count as an evil conduct, thought not neccesarly maks the person evil. Some religious people believe this conduct is immoral, while others think it should be an individual freedom to have gay marriage.

This example touches with all the matters you've stated. In some states(yes, even among states), Gay marriage is legal, and in some states it is not. Religion certainly affects the making of laws(even though it shouldn't), and personal morality is another judgement, despite the laws.

Therefore, evil could be judged by law, religion, and personal morality. And these matters are interconnected. The standards for personal morality could be from religion and laws. Though, if a person breaks the law, or did some sacriligious conduct, it doesn't mean he or she is evil.

Answer 3

Thank you for asking this question!-It is very relevant in today's world (considering there are "weapons of mass destruction".).

I think evil is understanding that something is wrong and still following it.-Denial in the face of evil. Evil is also very much apart of cruel intentions (wanting to inflict pain on others).

Definitely, American and other western cultures differ in moral values than the rest of the world: or is that propaganda? -It's hard for a lay person to make that judgment because Americans are isolated from the rest of the world. Our "world news" is very filtered.

Answer 4

People are not born Evil. Their circumstances make them evil. so I'd say that, When your Good your good and when your bad your bad, no matter what the culture is. All people know when they have done wrong. we are not like animals. People are not like wild animals running lose. If this was the case and way the things was then, Why did God give us a choice?

Answer 5

The absence of good. Since all cultures basically respect the same moral law (nowhere on earth is stealing considered a social good for instance), it is rare that someone could be considered evil in one culture but not another.

We codify "the good" into laws that we should obey, but the laws themselves are only representations.

Xan Shui,
Philosophic Philanthropist, Honest Man

Answer 6

2 types, and intentions have nothing to do with it. Some of the worst attrocities in history have been done with "good" intentions.

Evil is when someone does something to harm others that goes against the moral ideals of a society. At least on an individual level.

Evil is when the person tries to make a society with their own ideals and forces his (or her) ideals on other individuals to the detriment of everyone that must live in that society - on a grand scale (like Hitler).

Answer 7

I don't believe true evil is cultural. It is a matter of the heart and mind. I have known a few very evil people, true reprobates, and it would seem they often believe they are justified in their evil thoughts and actions. people who commit vicious hate crimes for instance often think they are upholding the will of good and sometimes even God. Evil is often distorted in it's own right and does not even know it is evil.

Answer 8

Evil is evil. I say what makes one evil is there past.If one can solve there past then that word evil would be part of that past.Think of it. Evil , is Live spelled backwards. So if one could learn to go forwards and leave the past behind then there Evil would come to Live. Make sense or did I confuse you more?

Answer 9

It just depends, it is all relative really. Even the most extreme moral "truths" in one culture are most certainly not a issue in another culture. For instance, giving autopsies in America is a common practice, although in Iraq it seems to be a very dispicable practice.

So yes, a person can be evil in one culture and not in another culture due to "cultural relativity."

Answer 10

To be absent from God, is to be present with the devil. Different cultures may see evil as relative but evil is evil no matter how small.

Answer 11

being mean is easier than being nice. so people can sometimes forget common decency and become mean because its easier to let yourself be something on its own rather than to fight it and become something you want to be (nice)