Good or evil? Do you believe?

[Katelin]

Just a basic, but not so simple a question.

If you acknowledge that "good" exists in the world, that Gods grace is part of the "good", do you also acknowledge that evil exists, as in the absence of Gods grace?
That in the absence of good, evil takes over.
With so much hate and crime, have people given up hope, refused Gods grace and allowed evil to enter their lives and their actions?


This is not about what religion you are, or what doctrine you follow, just about Good vs. Evil.
It is a basic concept woven through cultures since the beginning.

I believe that good does exist and that a lack of that "good" allows evil to enter ones life.



I spent some time with Scott Peck, author of "People of the Lie" discussing this concept. It opened my eyes and my heart to "good" and to be on watch for "evil". I know it exists as I really met someone who was "evil". You could see the void, the depth of nothing in his eyes. That was over 30 years ago, and I will never forget the cold of that moment. I was with one other person who experienced the same thing I did.

Thanks.. I look forward to a discussion on this topic.

 

[Railroad]

Just a basic, but not so simple a question.

If you acknowledge that "good" exists in the world, that Gods grace is part of the "good", do you also acknowledge that evil exists, as in the absence of Gods grace?
That in the absence of good, evil takes over.
With so much hate and crime, have people given up hope, refused Gods grace and allowed evil to enter their lives and their actions?


This is not about what religion you are, or what doctrine you follow, just about Good vs. Evil.
It is a basic concept woven through cultures since the beginning.

I believe that good does exist and that a lack of that "good" allows evil to enter ones life.



I spent some time with Scott Peck, author of "People of the Lie" discussing this concept. It opened my eyes and my heart to "good" and to be on watch for "evil". I know it exists as I really met someone who was "evil". You could see the void, the depth of nothing in his eyes. That was over 30 years ago, and I will never forget the cold of that moment. I was with one other person who experienced the same thing I did.

Thanks.. I look forward to a discussion on this topic.

I think that most definitely there are good and evil in the world, and in fact the whole war that's currently underway is between good and evil (not talking about Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc., but the ages-old war that is still in progress).

 

[Starman3000m]

The premise by which mankind has come to observe, realize, understand, comprehend and analyze about the presence of and knowledge of good and evil in this world is what the Genesis account specifically addresses.

There comes a time in a person's life when they do know right from wrong; good from evil, lies from truth. There also comes the time in a person's life when they choose which way they prefer to go and in which they choose to participate.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

 

[2ndAmendment]

Where there is no light, there is darkness.

 

[Starman3000m]

Where there is no light, there is darkness.

And yet there are the "uncommitted" phases of the undecided like the "twilight zone" where things are subdued and gray or the in-between of hot and cold where things are lukewarm.

Final decisions require complete commitment, either - or, no in-between.

 

[VoteJP]

Excellent.

Good or evil? Do you believe?

Just a basic, but not so simple a question.

If you acknowledge that "good" exists in the world, that Gods grace is part of the "good", do you also acknowledge that evil exists, as in the absence of Gods grace?
That in the absence of good, evil takes over.
With so much hate and crime, have people given up hope, refused Gods grace and allowed evil to enter their lives and their actions?


This is not about what religion you are, or what doctrine you follow, just about Good vs. Evil.
It is a basic concept woven through cultures since the beginning.

I believe that good does exist and that a lack of that "good" allows evil to enter ones life.


I spent some time with Scott Peck, author of "People of the Lie" discussing this concept. It opened my eyes and my heart to "good" and to be on watch for "evil". I know it exists as I really met someone who was "evil". You could see the void, the depth of nothing in his eyes. That was over 30 years ago, and I will never forget the cold of that moment. I was with one other person who experienced the same thing I did.

Thanks.. I look forward to a discussion on this topic.

In reality there is no such thing as "good or evil" or more correctly worded there is no such thing as good or bad.

It was the original poison from the Garden of Eden.

Both "good and bad / good and evil" are just judgement calls and assorted opinions, as they are not real.

It is much like make-up and jewelry in that people give power and meaning to such things when they have no real meaning at all.

People still prefer good over bad, but if we dig deeper into it then such ideas are very superficial and vain.

When Jesus said to "Love thy enemy" then He was talking about rising above the ideals of this world, and away from that original poison.

I like Scott Peck and I am sure his book is excellent as I have read some of his works, and now I will get that book too.

 

[hvp05]

And yet there are the "uncommitted" phases of the undecided like the "twilight zone" where things are subdued and gray or the in-between of hot and cold where things are lukewarm.

Good and evil? First time I've heard of them.

 

[PsyOps]

Everything has it's opposite for a reason. To know the other exists.

If there were no hot, then what do you call cold?

If there were no up where would down be?

If there were no left could there be a right?

How could you know what good is if there were no evil?

 

[VoteJP]

I spent some time with Scott Peck, author of "People of the Lie" discussing this concept. It opened my eyes and my heart to "good" and to be on watch for "evil". I know it exists as I really met someone who was "evil". You could see the void, the depth of nothing in his eyes.

I like Scott Peck and I am sure his book is excellent as I have read some of his works, and now I will get that book too.

I just finished reading Dr Peck's book "People of the Lie" and it was brilliant information.

As such I thank you for leading me to it.

 

[StoneThrower]

In reality there is no such thing as "good or evil" or more correctly worded there is no such thing as good or bad.

It was the original poison from the Garden of Eden.

Both "good and bad / good and evil" are just judgement calls and assorted opinions, as they are not real.

It is much like make-up and jewelry in that people give power and meaning to such things when they have no real meaning at all.

People still prefer good over bad, but if we dig deeper into it then such ideas are very superficial and vain.

When Jesus said to "Love thy enemy" then He was talking about rising above the ideals of this world, and away from that original poison.

I like Scott Peck and I am sure his book is excellent as I have read some of his works, and now I will get that book too.

Gee thats funny and God created the tree of Good and evil and he said so, and your saying there is no such thing? Have you read Genesis man?

 

[JPCusick]

Excellent.

Gee thats funny and God created the tree of Good and evil and he said so, and your saying there is no such thing? Have you read Genesis man?

The Bible and God called it as the tree of the KNOWLEDGE of good and evil, and it was that "knowledge" which represents the original poison.

And since "the knowledge of good and evil" is poison to us then that makes it as taboo, and it must be regarded as meaningless or nonexistent or else it is still the same old poison based on that knowledge.

As Jesus rebuked a man by saying "Why callest thou me good?" Mark 10:18, because even calling Jesus as "good" was done incorrectly.

So yes you can claim that there is such a thing as "good and bad" but that knowledge is poison to us all.

 

[Cheeky1]

Knowledge is a tool. It can used for good or evil. Knowledge itself is not "poison".

 

[JPCusick]

Excellent.

Knowledge is a tool. It can used for good or evil. Knowledge itself is not "poison".

That simply means that you are in disagreement with the Bible which declares as follows:

"But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." KJV, Genesis 2:17

And it does not mean a real "tree" and it is referring to a spiritual death.

And the Woman Eve said that the fruit would make her as "wise" Genesis 3:6, and that knowledge was poison to us all.

This is why God gives humanity commandments and principles of right and wrong, because being or doing right or wrong is not dependent on our own twisted dysfunctional ideas of it being "good or bad".

 

[PsyOps]

... because being or doing right or wrong is not dependent on our own twisted dysfunctional ideas of it being "good or bad".

 

[hotcoffee]

Genesis 3:3
"3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die."

Since Eve hadn't eaten of the tree of knowledge.... she didn't know that she was actually embelishing what God said.

Then we go on to after God found them hiding and....

Genesis 3: 12-13
"12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.

13 And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat."

Now Adam had already eaten the fruit by this time and he knew good from evil and he threw Eve under the bus.... Then Eve ratted out the serpent...

JP... the knowledge isn't the poison.... The action is....

Eve knew that God didn't want her to do it.... After Adam and Eve ate the fruit... they both knew it was wrong and tried to hang the consequences on someone else....

Here's my question tho.... There had been no death in Eden.... How would they know what "surely die" meant? They couldn't have grasped that concept. They were like babies.... babies don't know what death is....

Caine didn't know that clubbing is brother would bring on death.... that's why God spared him...

No.... the knowledge of good and evil isn't poison.... It's the knowing you've been told not to do something and you do it anyway....

Man has been told over and over and over again.... don't worship idols... and they do it anyway....

Man just doesn't listen...

 

[Cheeky1]

That simply means that you are in disagreement with the Bible which declares as follows:

"But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." KJV, Genesis 2:17

And it does not mean a real "tree" and it is referring to a spiritual death.

And the Woman Eve said that the fruit would make her as "wise" Genesis 3:6, and that knowledge was poison to us all.

This is why God gives humanity commandments and principles of right and wrong, because being or doing right or wrong is not dependent on our own twisted dysfunctional ideas of it being "good or bad".

I grew up with people like you preaching to me. You, and they, could talk yoursevles into circles trying to figure life for all your listeners, but I've found you're just as lost, or more lost, than the people you preach to.

The Bible in and of itself is a giver of knowledge. It is an account made of stories, biblical contexts, and a material guide at the very least.

The "dysfunctional ideas of it being good and bad" only come into play when we [humans] act in our own self-interest and not in the interest of God. For God is good. If you follow God, you will do good.

It is a good day indeed.

 

[Cheeky1]

Man just doesn't listen...

Psh......what about those women?














(I know, I know..."man" is gender neutral in most cases)

 

[JPCusick]

Excellent.

I grew up with people like you preaching to me. You, and they, could talk yoursevles into circles trying to figure life for all your listeners, but I've found you're just as lost, or more lost, than the people you preach to.

What that really means is that God has long sent you many preachers and you repeatedly reject the truth by your stubborn refusals which have kept your self lost.

It is not a question of whether I am lost or if other preachers are lost - but whether the message is accurate or not.

The Bible in and of itself is a giver of knowledge. It is an account made of stories, biblical contexts, and a material guide at the very least.

The message is not that "knowledge" is wrong as it is only saying that this particular kind of knowledge as the "knowledge of good and bad" is the poison.

Not all knowledge is poison - just that one kind of knowledge is poison, Genesis 2:17

But with effort the old original poison can be healed, as the poison can be reversed.

 

[Cheeky1]

What that really means is that God has long sent you many preachers and you repeatedly reject the truth by your stubborn refusals which have kept your self lost.

Wrong. Over years [of healing] I've come to realize there are some who seek to, in affect, make other people miserable like themselves. Some do it by intention and some un-intentionally.

Also, stubborn isn't inherently bad either. Being "stubborn" and opposed to the someone else doing something BAD to me isn't bad. It's called self-defense. ...and some cases...God defense.

It is not a question of whether I am lost or if other preachers are lost - but whether the message is accurate or not.

They were wrong and so are you. And, yes, it is a question of whether you and they are lost or not. Do you follow God, or just spout biblical texts like a parrot?

The message is not that "knowledge" is wrong as it is only saying that this particular kind of knowledge as the "knowledge of good and bad" is the poison.

Not all knowledge is poison - just that one kind of knowledge is poison, Genesis 2:17

Wrong. There is good and bad in the world. In some ways, I believe one requires other. Knowledge of what makes good, good, and what makes bad, bad is not poison - this is a prelude to wisdom.

wisdom [ˈwɪzdəm]
n
1. the ability or result of an ability to think and act utilizing knowledge, experience, understanding, common sense, and insight

Do you follow God's wisdom, or your own?...that's the question here.

But with effort the old original poison can be healed, as the poison can be reversed.

Yes, follow God and anything can happen.

 

[JPCusick]

Excellent.

Also, stubborn isn't inherently bad either. Being "stubborn" and opposed to the someone else doing something BAD to me isn't bad. It's called self-defense. ...and some cases...God defense.

You are defining your reasoning as "bad" which is the poison of the "Good or bad" knowledge.

That is an example of the poison in reality functioning / dysfunctioning.

Judging an action as like judging "stubborn" as being "bad" or as "good" is the poison working in your mentality.

The poison is both simple and complicated at the same time.

Wrong. There is good and bad in the world. In some ways, I believe one requires other. Knowledge of what makes good, good, and what makes bad, bad is not poison - this is a prelude to wisdom.

wisdom [ˈwɪzdəm]
n
1. the ability or result of an ability to think and act utilizing knowledge, experience, understanding, common sense, and insight

Do you follow God's wisdom, or your own?...that's the question here.

What you are saying here is very close to exactly what Eve (as in Adam and Eve) said because Eve saw the knowledge as to make her as wise and she was not correct, see here:

"And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat."
KJV, Genesis 3:6

You are making the exact same wrong mistake and wrong judgment that Eve made, because the poison is not to be had for any reason.