If you could remove one evil from the world

[~Anastasia~]

Pride.

It is wounded pride that motivates revenge which harms so many.

Pride thwarted is the root of covetousness which can lead to attempts to forcefully take what isn't ours.

Pride negates charity and acts of goodwill to others, preventing us from having compassion and placing the needs of others first.

And so on and so on ...

Pride was the first sin which led to all the eventual suffering in the world, but if it could somehow be removed from this point forward I think it would also prevent the most suffering of any sin.

 

[BNR32FAN]

donald trump....lol just kidding!

Yes unfortunately at election time choosing between Hillary or Trump was like choosing between satan or the antichrist. Although Trump has really surprised me and isn’t doing as bad of a job as I expected. Hopefully he doesn’t help Israel rebuild the temple. Lol

 

[Jenniferdiana]

Yes unfortunately at election time choosing between Hillary or Trump was like choosing between satan or the antichrist. Although Trump has really surprised me and isn’t doing as bad of a job as I expected. Hopefully he doesn’t help Israel rebuild the temple. Lol

ok hehe

 

[Sabertooth]

Disbelief in Jesus Christ.

"Disbelief" is a better word for it.

 

[variant]

Hypocrisy. I think most of our social evils would dissolve if people were unable to treat others with differen't standards than they would reserve for themselves and their own.

 

[variant]

Disbelief in Jesus Christ. The world would be a much better place

It would never be an evil to believe in the truth.

What Christians don't understand is that the truth is free to be differn't than the way they believe.

 

[BNR32FAN]

It would never be an evil to believe in the truth.

What Christians don't understand is that the truth is free to be differn't than the way they believe.

The Bible says different. Disbelief of Jesus is a deception from satan.

 

[Desk trauma]

Dysentery.

 

[variant]

The Bible says different. Disbelief of Jesus is a deception from satan.

I understand what you believe, and to some extent why you believe it, but as I said, you don't seem understand that what you believe is quite possibly false.

If so, then disbelief in christianity as it exists is no evil.

 

[gaara4158]

Dogma. Beliefs that can’t be questioned for fear of destroying one’s precious worldview. People might not be so quick to judge or attack each other if they’re constantly reminded that they could be wrong.

 

[Chesterton]

'Evil' is a word with strong religious overtones suggesting the sense of a supernatural force (eg. Satan). As an atheist it's a loaded word I don't use.

lol, I could make you use that word. I might have to go to prison for doing it, but I could. (Thankfully, I've never been that desperate to win an argument. )

If I were to choose the thing which is most harmful to society it would be ignorance.

Ignorance of what?

 

[BNR32FAN]

I understand what you believe, and to some extent why you believe it, but as I said, you don't seem understand that what you believe is quite possibly false.

If so, then disbelief in christianity as it exists is no evil.

I see your point and after rereading my post I hope I didn’t seem condemning or discourteous. It was not my intention. I had just woke up and my brain wasn’t fully functioning. I just meant that the Bible states that satan is deceiving people I didn’t mean that you are evil or a satan worshipper or anything like that. As a believer I can’t really contemplate the idea of God not existing. Thoughts like that cause me to feel conviction. Atheists may say that it is my own conscience but I believe it is the Holy Spirit talking to me. I can’t prove it but I do know that since I came to Christ my life has been changed extremely drastically. I’ve never had such a wonderful life before. I struggled all my life unable to succeed before I came to Christ. Finally I made a friend with a Christian girl and over time I began to see how her life was so much better than mine. No matter how hard I tried I couldn’t get my life together. I was single, never married, no children, always struggling with my finances, my job wasn’t paying good even tho my performance was excellent and I had 20 years experience. Then one day I asked myself why do I struggle so much and why is everything so perfect in my friend’s life? Then I realized she was blessed and what had I done to deserve blessings from God? I also realized that I had to change my life. I had been trying to live my way all my life and failing. It was time to try living God’s way and see what happens. So I devoted myself to changing my life and turning to God. Almost immediately I began receiving blessings. I received a 25% raise in my job, I met a beautiful young lady with 2 daughters. We fell in love and got married. Were expecting a son in about 2 weeks. We started a small business at home that is doing well. My life has never been better. I can’t count all the blessings God has given us. So for me seeing is believing and I can see God working in my life. I look back now at the time I was struggling and I believe that it was God pushing me to Him. He knew what the outcome would be and I thank Him so much for the struggles I went thru to get me here to where I am now. If I never had those hard times I probably would’ve never turned to Him for help. When you see it happening for real in your life you can’t deny it. 24 years of struggling without God always failing and 5 years I’ve been a Christian now and everything is great. It didn’t take 5 years for the blessings to start. I noticed the first major blessing about 8 months after turning to Christ which was my raise in my job. About 12% increase. That’s my testimony and why I believe that God does exist. I guarantee He would bless you to. We have nothing to lose by believing and everything to gain. Perhaps He is calling you to.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

Apathy for other people.

 

[variant]

I see your point and after rereading my post I hope I didn’t seem condemning or discourteous. It was not my intention.

I wasn't offended. I reiterated what I said because it didn't seem to have been heard.

I had just woke up and my brain wasn’t fully functioning. I just meant that the Bible states that satan is deceiving people I didn’t mean that you are evil or a satan worshipper or anything like that. As a believer I can’t really contemplate the idea of God not existing. Thoughts like that cause me to feel conviction. Atheists may say that it is my own conscience but I believe it is the Holy Spirit talking to me.

I don't feel this way, somewhat opposite in fact. At one time I was a believer as well, and doubt simply would gnaw at me. Eventually I lapsed into depression over it until I simply had to admit that I didn't believe in these ideas.

This was just me being honest with myself.

I feel better not trying to carry water for ideas I don't believe, but I've never experienced what you seem to be speaking of.

I can’t prove it but I do know that since I came to Christ my life has been changed extremely drastically.I’ve never had such a wonderful life before. I struggled all my life unable to succeed before I came to Christ. Finally I made a friend with a Christian girl and over time I began to see how her life was so much better than mine. No matter how hard I tried I couldn’t get my life together. I was single, never married, no children, always struggling with my finances, my job wasn’t paying good even tho my performance was excellent and I had 20 years experience. Then one day I asked myself why do I struggle so much and why is everything so perfect in my friend’s life? Then I realized she was blessed and what had I done to deserve blessings from God? I also realized that I had to change my life. I had been trying to live my way all my life and failing. It was time to try living God’s way and see what happens. So I devoted myself to changing my life and turning to God. Almost immediately I began receiving blessings. I received a 25% raise in my job, I met a beautiful young lady with 2 daughters. We fell in love and got married. Were expecting a son in about 2 weeks. We started a small business at home that is doing well. My life has never been better. I can’t count all the blessings God has given us. So for me seeing is believing and I can see God working in my life. I look back now at the time I was struggling and I believe that it was God pushing me to Him. He knew what the outcome would be and I thank Him so much for the struggles I went thru to get me here to where I am now. If I never had those hard times I probably would’ve never turned to Him for help. When you see it happening for real in your life you can’t deny it. 24 years of struggling without God always failing and 5 years I’ve been a Christian now and everything is great. It didn’t take 5 years for the blessings to start. I noticed the first major blessing about 8 months after turning to Christ which was my raise in my job. About 12% increase. That’s my testimony and why I believe that God does exist. I guarantee He would bless you to. We have nothing to lose by believing and everything to gain. Perhaps He is calling you to.

My life actually improved considerably when I stopped believing and decided instead to believe more in my self than a religion.

God can speak to me any time if he so chooses, I'm listening.

I don't consider people as evil simply for not thinking like me and I don't think people should use religion or the idea of God to do so.

 

[Occams Barber]

lol, I could make you use that word. I might have to go to prison for doing it, but I could. (Thankfully, I've never been that desperate to win an argument. )

Now I know you're evil and - yes- I do sometimes use the word - its hard to find a secular alternative. I have a similar issue with 'believe' since it's also loaded particularly in an environment like CF.

Ignorance of what?

Nothing specific - general ignorance. The need for broad based knowledge hopefully associated with some understanding and the ability and inclination to think things through. Knowledge allied with rationality. Knowing enough to know you don't know.
OB

 

[Lik3]

I would remove dishonesty. I wish I could remove other things as well like a lack of love, integrity, honor, and character. That is a great, yet hard, question to answer.

 

[Aryeh Jay]

Religious extremism.

 

[Occams Barber]

Religious extremism.

Interesting thought.

It raises the question of where extremism starts and stops.

Is biblical literalism extreme?
Am I extreme if I wish for a theocracy?
Is Westboro extreme?
Am I extreme if I believe that withdrawing from the world is appropriate?
Is constantly focusing on an imminent end times/apocalypse extreme behaviour?
Are preppers extreme?
Is extreme in the eye of the beholder?

I don't expect you to provide answers AJ - I'm just thinking out loud.
OB

 

[Aryeh Jay]

Interesting thought.

It raises the question of where extremism starts and stops.

Is biblical literalism extreme?
Am I extreme if I wish for a theocracy?
Is Westboro extreme?
Am I extreme if I believe that withdrawing from the world is appropriate?
Is constantly focusing on an imminent end times/apocalypse extreme behaviour?
Are preppers extreme?
Is extreme in the eye of the beholder?

I don't expect you to provide answers AJ - I'm just thinking out loud.
OB

Good points. Becoming a hermit having no contact with the outside world could be considered extreme but it would not cause any harm to anyone else.

Some would consider preppers’ extreme but a few of them are not religious and when is being prepared for emergencies bad?


I will clarify, religious extremism that crosses in the realm of physically or advocating causing harm; physical, emotional, or psychological, to another person or group of people.

 

[Occams Barber]

Good points. Becoming a hermit having no contact with the outside world could be considered extreme but it would not cause any harm to anyone else.

I was thinking of Christians I've encountered on CF who have the attitude that voting or being involved with broader societal issues is inappropriate. At a certain point the level of non-participation can become harmful.

Some would consider preppers’ extreme but a few of them are not religious and when is being prepared for emergencies bad?

I see prepping as a gross overreaction to a remote and undefined possibility. If I applied the same risk averse attitude to daily life I'd never leave the house. I also see the U.S. as a society suffering from a collective anxiety disorder and preppers only adding to the general sense of insecurity.

I will clarify, religious extremism that crosses in the realm of physically or advocating causing harm; physical, emotional, or psychological, to another person or group of people.

I think this is a reasonable definition although you would get some disagreement about what constitutes 'harm'.
OB