What is "evil"? I don't want answers like "murder is evil," or "it's really really bad," but what constitutes evil?
I believe evil is the lack of empathy.
2006-10-03 05:26:39 · 46 answers · asked by ZombieTrix 2012 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I think evil is partly a lack of empathy but I think it isn't just empathy with humans but all other living and non-living creatures. "vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another." I think creating toxic waste is evil, no matter where you store it. I think it is possible to have empathy with something and then take no action to help them. I see a homeless man and have empathy but isn't it evil stepping in when I just walk by without helping? And helping does not imply handing him money and leaving, but actually trying to help with the roots of his problems.
2006-10-03 05:32:26 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Well, first of all, Anger is a misunderstanding of the other person's view (view being a collection of that person's experiences from child birth to now, which are totally different from the person who is feeling angry). SO to answer your question (because evil is similar to anger), EVIL is when someone says/does something to harm another person AND get something truly lifting out of the experience. Think of bullies: a kid pushes another kid into the locker: if he felt empathy for the kid he pushed, he wouldn't be evil, he would have just made a bad decision. However, if that kid pushed the other kid and felt amazing afterwards, and NEVER thought of the situation again, then he is EVIL.....that's what I think at least :P
2006-10-03 05:38:39 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Evil is the lack of spiritual intelligence (or light).
Empathy would be a similar way of seeing this, but I believe the latter.
(Check Neoplatonism, the teachings of Plotinus, Greek philosopher)
"They (the neoplatonists) did not believe in an independent existence of evil. They compared it to darkness, which does not exist in itself, but only as the absence of light. So too, evil is simply the absence of good. Things are good insofar as they exist. They are evil only insofar as they are imperfect, lacking some good that they should have. It is also a cornerstone of Neoplatonism to teach that all people return to the Source. The Source, Absolute or One,(or God) is what all things spring from and as a superconsciousness is where all things return. It can be said that all consciousness is wiped clean and returned to a blank slate when returning to the source."- wikipedia
2006-10-03 05:30:58 · answer #3 · answered by RubberCat 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Where the good is absent.....Evil exists.
Murder.....I don't justify Murder but circumstances may have forced it....
I would just say wrong and right is within the mind of the particular individual.What might seem wrong to me might be even right for you.....
Whats Good to You....So what is not good to You is the evil ....Evil is a negative force but it has coexist.Just like without Ugliness how would You know what beauty is!!!
2006-10-03 05:34:09 · answer #4 · answered by Specky 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Eccentric Vile Indescent Life
Every View Is Livid
Every Vice Is Looked down
Every Very Important Lucifer
2006-10-03 06:26:18 · answer #5 · answered by St.Jon A 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Evil to me...
First i am neither atheist or christian:
people that preach one thing and do another
people that condemn you for your personal beliefs, instead of reflecting on their own
people that intentionally cause harm to others for any reason
people that care more for themselves than other people
people that do things in the name of god and hurt others for their "lord"
people that constantly look for the bad instead of good in other people
people that are too narrow minded to actually think they are not the best thing on the earth
people that fail to realize without other people, they would be sol.
people that lie, steal, cheat for personal gain (though we ALL have been there lol)
kicking a kitten in the head
and those darn people that just let their cart sit in the middle of the isle while trying to choose which tea they want on saturday afternoon in walmart (now THAT is pure evil)
2006-10-03 05:36:10 · answer #6 · answered by Vita 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
We all start out with the same impulses, basically to be happy and to avoid suffering. Somewhere along the way, some people get confused or twisted about what they think would make them happy and/or reduce their suffering. They then feel the need to inflict harm and suffering upon others. This is most often seen in those prone to rigid thinking, such as those who rigidly cling to political and/or religious ideologies. It could be suggested then that rigid thinking is the real source of evil.
2006-10-03 05:37:45 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
It is something you do against you will, the commandments and God! as defined by others. For me evil is the everywhere and it is in every man, woman & children...believed me just look around, evil lurks here and there....i may be wrong or i may be right - it's your judgement that makes me evil....
2006-10-03 05:34:06 · answer #8 · answered by Lok2Lok 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Evil is the comprehensive term under which are included all disturbances of the divinely appointed harmony of the universe.
2006-10-03 05:35:32 · answer #9 · answered by G3 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Evil and sin are not synonymous.
Sin is missing the mark. (not being perfect)
Evil is lawlessness, something that is a cause or source of suffering, injury, or destruction.
Pivotal verse in the new testament is John 10:10 Jesus says,"The thief's purpose (devil's purpose) is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness."
2006-10-03 05:34:32 · answer #10 · answered by Jay Z 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋