Does evil happen because good people do nothing?

Question

What evil would happen if good people did something?

Answer 1

The holocaust could have been averted if more people had spoken out and had united against the Nazis. The allies could have bombed even one of the railroad tracks to the camps. Those who knew what was going on did nothing. They allowed the atrocities to continue.

The same thing is happening today, on *our* watch in Darfur, Sudan. What are your doing about it? Are you speaking out against the first genocide of the 21st century? Write your legislators. Demand that the U.S. use diplomacy to place U.N. troops in Sudan!!!

“In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”
Martin Luther King, Jr.. Baptist minister who led the civil-rights movement in the US, 1929-1968.
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Answer 2

If the Jews in Germany had fought back and not willingly gone into the freight cars, who knows what would have happened. They were marked for death anyway, but their resistance would have made a different outcome. Submission to authority allows tyranny to succeed, and keeping silent when observing injustice allows injustice an easy path. Collectively our self esteem has been so successfully frightened that submission can be counted on by those that would exploit the masses. Doing nothing in the way you put it is definitely at least part of the reason these evils can go on unabated.

Answer 3

Evil happens because Adam and Eve were tempted and chose to disobey God. No matter what anyone would do, evil would still exist, because that is the punishment placed down by God for disobeying Him. Some people say that it isn't fair that all of mankind is being punished for a decision the two people made, but that's the way it is. God is a god of justice; a life on earth full of evil is nothing compared to what we deseve. We deserve to die for our sins, but we live purely by the mercy fo God.

Answer 4

If a person doesn't except the Spirit of God into thyself and ask for guidance and try to do Gods will. then there open to the influence of the Prince of the power of the airs power and control and influence, so yes if you do nothing then evil Will happen automatically. Its a natural thing of this world to be controlled by the evil ones power. in some way. unless we choose other wise.But bad actions , there iron shackles, good actions. golden chains. the way to heaven is a narrow path..

Answer 5

attrocities happen because everyday people feel powerless and are represented by people who put economies first. I have researched with horror the rwanda evil as one example and cant believe we did nothing to help..but there was nothing in it for our polititions. I didnt even know about it at the time,these genecides go on today with limited news coverage, so good people dont have the opportunity to make a noise...most people are good but dont know what to do when these situations arise....as for the compliant jews comment earlier i suppose it was hard to stand up to a nazi with a gun in his hand and your family at his mercy..plus a lot in the beggining had no idea what they were being condemed to.

Answer 6

Keep this thought in mind when wondering if evil thrives because good people do not speak out. The following was a statement made after the end of World war II. It relates to the extermination of Jews, Gypsys, etc under the Third Reich:

First they came for the Jews
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for the Communists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for me
and there was no one left
to speak out for me.


Pastor Martin Niemöller

Answer 7

People, good or bad - do not have the power to stop evil as this world/system is run by the higher power of Satan. (2 Corinthians 4 v4) However, there is a higher power than Satan who has judged him and sentenced him to death (John 14 v30; Revelation 20 vs2, 10)

Answer 8

that is true the evil happens and get chance to show up when good people do nothing to stop it or prevent it from happening.

Answer 9

Indirectly, yes. Far less evil would happen if it was opposed consistently and strenuously by good people. Its never easy though.

Consider Hitler and WWII. Good people in Germany did not do enough to oppose him as he rose to power. Good people failed to oppose him as he implemented his radical fringe doctrine on the whole nation. Surrounding nations failed to oppose him as he rearmed their military and became belligerent and aggressive. Fortunately good people and nations finally did rise up against him and defeat him, but not until an incredible amount of evil was done.

Answer 10

The only thing necessary for the triumph [of evil] is for good men to do nothing

It is different form the question you are asking but I believe in this saying. There is still good in the world, no matter how much bad we see