In your personal opinion, does evil exist?

Question

Or are such acts as the the recent murder at the Mormon school in PA the result of insanity? Please feel free to elaborate. Thank you.

Answer 1

I believe that sociopaths are evil. I see human behavior as a continuum with sociopaths on one end and the Mother Theresa's and Mr. Rogers on the other end. Sociopaths are evil for the following reasons: They feel no guilt for hurting innocent people and animals, are inherently selfish and will hurt others to satisfy their desires, are master manipulators to get people to do what they want. The Mormon school killer sounded like a terrible individual but not sure yet if he was a sociopath.

Answer 2

Evil does not exist, it has no form.
Good and evil are judgments we make.
We all agree that killing is not acceptable behaviour.

Inhuman events that you speak of occur when a person's thought patterns are not connected to what we accept as human morality.
The healthy human mind develops only when our genetic inheritance is combined with learning experiences in a loving environment.
That suggests three possible causes for heinous behaviour.
1. A genetic fault which cannot be overcome by a loving upbringing.
2. Severe neglect or trauma of a young child leading to a very distorted brain / mind development.
3. A chance combination of these two things.

A loving environment challenges a person to take responsibility for his / her actions, which is why we do not tolerate such bad behaviour. However, we can focus on the behaviour, not the 'badness' of the person. We restrain the person for the protection of society, but at the same time we can take a loving viewpoint of the person and create the opportunity for him to develop to his own potential, which may or may not make it safe for him to rejoin society within his lifespan.

Answer 3

Many people seem to regard evil is a 'thing'... something that has some form of corporeal existence in the physical universe. In that sense, evil does NOT exist.

Evil 'exists' only as an abstract concept... one that is 'dualistic' in nature. 'Evil' cannot 'exist' without 'good'. They are the two sides of the same coin, in the Yin/Yang sense. One cannot 'exist' without the other; neither can be defined or described except in terms of the other.

Good/evil is further abstracted in the sense that it represents a 'judgement'... not a 'thing'. As a judgement, good/evil is wholly subjective, since it relies entirely upon the 'criteria' that is employed in making the judgement.

So, the real issue is not good/evil per se... rather it is the criteria that people use in making their judgements of good/evil.

Since we are pretty much all wired the same, and share pretty much the same cultural values in a larger sense, we usually find ourselves on common ground when we judge questions such as "Was Hitler evil?", since we can agree on the criteria. However, we should realize that if Hitler had been asked the question "Are you evil?", he most certainly would have been thoroughly offended by the very idea. According to HIS criteria, he would have seen his actions as good, for his people and for 'The Fatherland'.

When we get down to subtler questions, where someone's 'criteria' might depend upon interpretation of a particular bible verse, for example, these kinds of judgements can get a little stickier.

Remember, though... it's not really about good/evil, it's really about criteria... which ultimately comes down to one's moral compass.

Answer 4

If you are referring to evil as some type of infectious disease, no , I don't believe that it exists. If you are asking if I believe that people can do evil things, the answer is yes. The incident at the Amish school in Pennsylvania may very well have been the desperate act of a mentally or emotionally ill person. Does that make the perpetrator evil, or just desperate and deranged?

Answer 5

The white race is the only evil that exists on earth. They destroyed all cultures for their greed, head most of worlds countries now calling other races racist for wanting to retaliate for for centuries of oppression. They changed the hearts of good decent people everywhere and now cry foul. Hatred begets hatred and thats all they ever gave to others. If they die a thousand deaths they will still not be absolved of their sins. So what if there are a few good whites, if they die aswell they can be called collateral damage just like what they call innocent civilians in all the wars.

Answer 6

evil is knowing the real GOD and making an offence under that knowledge.if you do not know the real GOD it is not evil but it is a lack of knowledge,and the offence you commit is a call for help or suicide.because you do not know the real GOD you will get a similar life next time,until you find the real GOD. if you are evil you will descent in negativity the next life until you ask THE REAL GOD to help you get out of it.if you know the real GOD and apply positive goodness like GOD you will get better lives and grow closer in love and feel the feelings attached to that with the people and surroundings equal to your growth and that is the truth.evil is human created nothing else,there is no demon,hell ,devil or anything unreal,only what you see ,only reality exist.

Answer 7

I think so. It's a hard question though. In this post modern world, we have come up with a disorder for everything. 100 years ago we were hanging "witches" in Salem. As we progress, the spiritual realm gets less attention, and we prescribe drugs to ease the side effects. Sometime it is mental illness. Other times it truly is evil. We need to remember this and be careful.

Answer 8

Evil exists. Those who say that it doesn't are deluded! The first thing to suggest that is you calling that school a Mormon one. It is Amish. There is a VAST difference between the two groups in what they believe and do.

Answer 9

The massacre at the PA school (Amish, not Mormon) is tangible proof that evil exists.

The perpetrator's notes, lists, and conversation with his wife indicates a well thought-out plan.

Driven by guilt and hatred, he acted out in a way that would prove his sanity by it's (twisted) intent and detailed planning.

Answer 10

Evil is Live spelled backward. Satan likes things backwards. Evil is real, that's why there is a God willing to save us.

Mormons are known for their bloody deeds including the bloody temple oaths, the Mountain Meadows Massacre, their blood atonement doctrine, etc.

Brigham Young
Journal of Discourses, Vol. 4, pp. 219-220.
"This is loving our neighbor as ourselves; if he needs help, help him; and if he wants salvation and it is necessary to spill his blood, spill it. Any of you who understand the principles of eternity, if you have sinned a sin requiring the shedding of blood, except the sin unto death, would not be satisfied nor rest until your blood should be spilled, that you might gain that salvation you desire. That is the way to love mankind."

Evil is insanity. People who have turned against God go insane.