Is the nature of man to be good or evil?

Answer 1

Nature of man is to be good.
Aha, but the nature of woman is to be mysterious and tempting.

Answer 2

What is good and what is evil?

Many that think that they are good yet are cruel to their fellow man. Many play good in front of others yet they will use the law of the land to take from others. They do legal things yet because of intent they are evil at heart. So who decides?

Some believe that good and evil come from the Bible, and the others say that is not where it comes from. Some will say that they can make that decision on their own. Who is to say who is right and who is wrong? Many that use the I define right and wrong don't ever admit when they have wronged someone else. Yet it is okay to do so because they get to make their own definition or right and wrong, good and evil. I guess if you do it that way then by our own definition to you it is okay.

You can however see if someone is good or evil and that is watch their actions. Compare them to the things that they claim and the truth will show. Your actions will either affirm your claims of who and what you are or they will condemn you.

But here is what I call the good test. Can you pass it? It simply judges actions and thoughts, see how you will come out.

Have you ever told a lie? Doesn't matter how big or small. What does that make you?

Have you ever stolen anything? Cost doesn't matter. What does that make you?

Jesus taught that if you look at someone with lust the you have already committed adultery in your heart. Have you ever lusted?

Jesus taught that hate is equal to murder. Have you ever hated someone?

I have pegged all 4 of these without even trying. What about you?

One day each one of will have to stand before a Holy God and how will you be judged. I'm guilty. Doesn't matter what good things that I do, they will never make up for the evil that I have already committed. What about you?

On that day payment will have to be made. Since nothing good that I have done can makeup for the evil I have committed, payment is going to be demanded. How will you pay?

My payment was made on a blood stained cross by someone that was not evil nor did that person ever commit the things that I did. He paid that I might be found guiltless. Not by my actions by by my faith.

Evil is in the hearts of us all. It is our own selfishness that we are unwilling to completely care about others. It is selfishness that will define our evil, because it is when we put our on selves over the needs and the concerns of those that we commit evil act against others.

Answer 3

Evil

Answer 4

As a whole, and that clause excludes whole universes of negation, humans come equipped with a "universal moral grammar." Even tots seem to have a sense of fairness and such.

But this is like a trend, "propensity," or vector. It only defines the outlines or general direction of a cultural ethos. (Much as the inherent "universal language grammar" doesn't dictate which language we learn, just that we CAN learn one or more of them.)

Like most aspects of human culture, a particular ethos evolves (or not) under the pressure of great forces. Thus we look back with some consternation at our slave-owning, but religious, great-great grandparents. (OK, at least us oldsters can.)

My feeling is that in some cultural formations - tribes, clans, theocracies, city-states, etc. - there are parameters that promote certain ethical dimensions we might see as "evil" or at least objectionable. For example, if you cultural group thinks of itself as THE humans - and all others as lesser beings - then wreaking havoc on the lessers may be seen as permissible. The breakdown of these parochial formations probably leads to a superior "species" ethic.

Summary: We have the biological wherewithal to be "moral," but a specific morality can in fact be seen as base and "evil" from a more developed point of view.

Answer 5

Good is man's natural state. He becomes evil when he is disconnected from his fellow kind, internalizes his alienation, and feels no sense of belonging with other humans. At that point, he could justify to himself victimizing others for his own benefit (evil). The basic nature of man can be seen in small children and lesser primates, like chimps and great apes. Small children whose basic survival needs have been met seek to be helpful to their care-givers. Troops of chimps work together to survive and spend a lot of time grooming and socially interacting with each other.

Answer 6

The nature of man is good, however, we are given agency to choose; God has allowed for evil to be present in the world to allow us to progress according to our own desires. Just because Adam fell, i.e., man is fallen, it does not been we are evil, just subject to the external, humanistic forces in the world.

Answer 7

Evil...because we're born with a sin nature.

Answer 8

Man basically wants to be good, but wants to be good in his own way..He does not realize that there is only one thing that can truly make man good—the power of the Spirit of God. Apart from that Spirit, the works of the flesh rule. "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God" (Gal. 5:19–21). Jesus had a very good reason for saying: " . . . That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and defile the man" (Mark 7:20–23).

Answer 9

It is the nature of man to do evil since they are sinners, But God is the one that changes that nature therefore making a True Christian wanting to do good.

Answer 10

The default nature to man is most probably neutral, and they only shift to the alignments of good or evil under influence of certain external factors.