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Are we all inherently good and incapable of committing atrocious evil?

Neonap

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Are many of us just good individuals with a few bad seeds that ruin the peace we are trying to build within this world? If these mistakes of nature did not come to existence, then our world would not be polluted with the daily evils we see on a daily basis. These robotic devils which are the personification of evil wearing human skin contaminating us with their inhumanity, causing us so called good people to drown in their evil cesspool. Individuals like Ed Gein or now the deceased Charles Manson, they they the problem of the world. But is this view correct?

My observation and study of biblical scripture, some of human history and human nature leads me to the conclusion that this is simply not true. I don't have the view that anyone is born a Stewie, ready from birth to kill as many as possible nor this theory that only a select few have the capability of committing evil. I believe it is more complex than we could ever understand, including the fact that we don't wrestle with flesh and blood but behind it all there is a supernatural battle for our souls.

Many people hold the false belief that we all are inherently good but flawed with mistakes. But I don't agree, we all are sinners and commit sin whether in thought or deed. People look at people like Ed Gein or Charles Manson and spout their belief that they are not like those two mistakes of nature, that their hand would never do such a horrible things like these two individuals had done. The truth is, no one is exempt from committing atrocious acts of evil, and evil comes in many sizes and shapes that we all wear. We are all capable falling into the jaws of evil.


I beleive that the stain of evil lies within us all and it takes a certain situation or circumstance for the evil in us to materialize. If we were so good, then let us do away with laws and the governments of the world. What kind of world would sprout from such anarchy?

If people are willing to stomp on one another or in some instances kill their fellow man for a material object on black Friday, than who's to say how we would act with true and utter anarchy in the world?
If we could save ourselves with our common humanity than why did Jesus have to come die on the cross then? We could just get into heaven for being decent human beings and our good deeds could open the doors to heaven.

It's only by the grace of God we don't act out on our darkest desires and fantasies, Ed Gein is not an anomaly. We look down on people who are worse than us, put a label on something and make ourselves more comfortable to downsize the possibility that we could have had gone down the same road as Ed Gein, but we are only looking at a reflection of oursleves. The same evil that lied within that man's heart, is the same evil that is present within every beating heart.

I would suggest looking into the book called ordinary men, because this book exposes what lengths of depravity that normal good decent people who had families had fallen into. We are not better than the murderers, pedophiles, rapists, dictators, adulterers, etc etc. For we are all are fallen human beings who are guilty of breaking God's laws every day. We all have skeletons hiding deep within our closets, away from view but God can see how wicked our hearts truly are. For even if we have hatred for anyone, the bible tells us that we are a murderer.( I'm guilty of this)For if we look at a woman with lust, we have commited adultery within our own hearts. What's stopping you from acting out these desires? God's grace and the fact that there are consequences that we would have to face, but if we were to take those consequences away would we still keep walking on the non crooked path?

Also I wanted to add that I don't think that saved people are going to fall into such an extreme, but the unsaved have a higher potential of committing acts of depravity. I'm not saying each and every unbeliever will be the worse they can be, but it's only by the common grace of God that holds individuals back. But I also think that if we don't take our sins seriously, we just keep on playing with them and keep offending God then what arises within that rebellious unrepentant individual is what the bible calls a reprobate mind, a seared conscience that fills the person up with envy, murder, etc etc.

That's what I think had happened to people like Ed Gein for example. Sin is a very dangerous thing to play with, because over time it will take control of your life and thus take you places where you haven't thought of.


Is my way of thought wrong or stupid? Or is it biblically accurate?
 
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Christie insb

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I think the Fall impacts us with a blindness which does not even let us see the extent of our sin. Now we see as through a mirror darkly, but then face to face. I think sin is what separates us from God, and look at us. I feel like this is "deep mystery" stuff though and concentrating on our sin just distracts us from doing the good works that God saved us for. New International Version
For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Eph. 2:10
 
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~Anastasia~

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I don't believe people are born totally evil. I've seen far too much goodness in the hearts of children to believe that. And Scripturally we understand the man was initially created very good, in the image and likeness of God. However, with the fall, sin entered the world, and has continued to spread and influence all like an infection or a cancer. As a result, the image of God within us is tarnished, marred, sometimes entirely hidden. We are all born with a bent to self, away from God. As a result, we all do sin.

We might not initially be inclined to become a mass murderer, but situations in our lives can shape us. And without the grace of God, there is nothing within us that limits how far we might fall.

But God's grace is much more active in the world than I think many realize.
 
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eleos1954

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***

Romans 3

12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
no one does good,not even one.”


John 3:16-17

16“For God so loved the world,i that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.


2nd Corinthians 5

14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.


16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.b The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us.

Amen!
 
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RC1970

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"We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away." ~ Isaiah 64:6

"as it is written:
None is righteous, no, not one;
no one understands;
no one seeks for God.
All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
no one does good,
not even one.
Their throat is an open grave;
they use their tongues to deceive.
The venom of asps is under their lips.
Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.
Their feet are swift to shed blood;
in their paths are ruin and misery,
and the way of peace they have not known.”
There is no fear of God before their eyes.” ~ Romans 3:10-18
 
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Shempster

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I realize we all live in the modern age here, but you would be wise not to discount the reality of demonic beings.
I am not sure exactly what they are but I know for a fact that they exist and are behind most evil in this world.

This is where the modern church has "dropped the ball" IMO.
 
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