How do you distinguish good and evil?

Question

It feels that sometimes that I'm carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders. I don't know what to believe anymore. They say two people can look at the same thing and see totally different things. Are we truly creating our own world... making these illusions with a blindfold over us?
I once had a weird dream.. there were these people and they seemed like they wanted to help me. Their words were, "Don't be afraid. We're watching you. Don't believe it."

Poverty, sickness, death, tragedy, war, chaos.. these are just a few factors of the world we see today. How do we find truth within ourselves when the path to that truth is degraded and manipulated? Does anyone else feel like they're another puppet in a play?

Answer 1

Whether you're slapping the hand that feeds you versus you BITE it.

Answer 2

The popularity of "situational ethics" has made things worse in the last 50 years, but the problem of what is good and what is evil has been around for a long time.

The reason is that most people judge good and evil according to what THEY think, want, or are seeking ..at the time.

Even though God has "absolutes" of what is good or evil, it is still difficult to apply His commandments to every variation in life that we run into. The best thing we can do is focus on what God tells us what is good and evil and let these be curbs which we don't want to go over. (no murder, steal, adultery, etc.).

After that, if you are a follower of God, you have to depend on His Holy Spirit. Sometimes that takes a good deal of prayer unless you know a lot of what directions God has given us in the Bible. Letting God be the sole judge of what is good or evil, takes a big load off from us. We just trust Him to know what's right and pray to find out how He will lead us. As a Christian, be careful not to make law out of what God has NOT made law. If He hasn't specificaly called something evil, then don't worry about it. He called us to be FREE as we look for what is beneficial:

1 Cor 6:12

12 "Everything is permissible for me"-but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"-but I will not be mastered by anything.
(from New International Version)



If you don't know God or what and how He directs us, then you are kind of stuck with the burden that you are talking about: the burden of trying to judge things even though you have no basis on which to judge them other than "feelings".

Answer 3

Most of the time it's very clear. If I am ever not sure, I take some time to meditate on it. I look at the situation from all angles. It eventually becomes clear.
The more you are educated the clearer it becomes. For instance, once I learned about the exploitation of people in oversees sweatshops, I buy things that are made in countries with fair (at least somewhat, like the US) pay. Most people don't realize that buying things made in 3rd world countries is contributing to evil.

Answer 4

I believe every thing happens for a reason so you could believe in a little bit of everything. The world needs a little bit of balance we are controlled and yet we control ourselves just think what you think is right and if you have any doubts ask a friend or some one you trust.

Answer 5

i'm no longer an Atheist, yet- sturdy and evil, properly and incorrect, those are issues that we are inherently predisposed to note of- that is about survival. truly, your church and oldsters coaching you about God being the benevolent being and devil being the corrupter provides you with the right equipment to make certain it extra obviously, or be in a position of label the sturdy and evil interior of humanity as both being the artwork of God or the devil. yet all dad and mom (or maximum a minimum of) instruct their little ones the enormous difference between properly and incorrect, no count what faith or conception equipment they belong to. for sure there are going to be exceptions to this, together with those with particular psychological health topics, sociopaths etc. even as it comes all the way down to it although, non secular beliefs don't have to any extent further some thing to do with with the flexibility to differentiate between sturdy and evil. you do not pick to be a Christian to make certain the sturdy and/or evil interior the international, is what I recommend.

Answer 6

We are all taught morals and values as a child. Most of these teachings are from our parents. By the time we start school we pretty much know what is good and what is bad.

When we are going against our morals & values we are being evil. When we live up to our values and morals we are being good.

Answer 7

remember you are a spirit being having a human experience and this free will zone of earth is not very pleasant one some times.....hang in there..... it wont always be this way.....you will learn what you will and make the best choices possible..... you will know whats good by the way you feel when it happens to you ... and the evil also..... you have more power than you realize and you will do fine.

Answer 8

Good is anything that helps. Evil is anything that hurts, either directly or indirectly. Ethics is learning how to tell the difference.

Don't despair. There's more good in the world than you know.

Answer 9

It is important to view the evil things that the world does indeed practice, through the eyes one who had the greatest of insight. --In my understanding that would be Christ Jesus---why?

1. He was able to view and expose the world for what it was. Religiously, politically & commercially. He knew both the evil & good of fields above.

2.His teachings showed how to deal with all three especially --religious, where in his view hypocrisy-- reined as king.

3. The Bible shows experiences and lessons for all times thus very little has changed as far as corruption--there is nothing free of it organizationally including education, philanthropic , news organizations, charities etc.

---So if we view life under the examination of the scriptures, there really is no field that cannot be examined:

(2 Timothy 3:16-17) 16" All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work."

--Also knowing the principles of the Bible can be a very focused tool , not only reasonably on ourselves but any subject--, please note:

(Hebrews 4:12-13) 12" For the word of God is alive and exerts power and is sharper than any two-edged sword and pierces even to the dividing of soul and spirit, and of joints and [their] marrow, and [is] able to discern thoughts and intentions of [the] heart. 13 And there is not a creation that is not manifest to his sight, but all things are naked and openly exposed to the eyes of him with whom we have an accounting."

Jesus stated who indeed is allowed to control the entire world and its activities, business the whole mess of happenings on this earth.--

(1 John 5:19-20) 19 "We know we originate with God, but the whole world is lying in the [power of the] wicked one. 20 But we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us intellectual capacity that we may gain the knowledge of the true one. And we are in union with the true one, by means of his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and life everlasting."

There is a lot of literature and web sites that claim to have the truth--but it is indeed wise to beware. As a suggestion I have provided the web address of our web site, for you to view and see if any of the subjects we have listed and available might be of some concern for you.

--An illustration as far as insight in the scriptures that could be available by a group of Christians earth wide:

--Our eyes could be compared to the Bible and its teachings and kindred literature finely tuned to the Bible and its teachings could be a finely prescribed pair of glasses that focus very well into the scriptures.

--Please keep in mind that God would not provide the Bible without providing a people to help us to understand its true teachings.

Hope your search goes well.

Answer 10

Nope. There is no such thing as good or evil. It's all about choices. You are the master of your own destiny in this respect. You have to be prepared to deal with the outcome of whatever choice you make however.

Answer 11

I hear ya.
How can I be "good" if this standard varies from person to person? How can I be rightly charitable without giving up all my possesions?

I strive to spread peace and love.
To love is good; all you need is love.
Let all your actions be motivated by Love.