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How to deal with evil?

juvenissun

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Why would you say that I am a humanist? What are you basing that evaluation on? What do you mean by the word "humanist"?


eudaimonia,

Mark

To me, a humanist is a type of atheist.
This type of atheist thinks that human is god.
 
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juvenissun

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I know nothing about Islam. But based on what you said, I am surprised to see that Islam is similar to Buddhism on this issue.

Let me ask you one question: Do you take evil thought in a person as a problem, which is as serious as evil act? In other words, Is it OK for an honorable Imam to have evil thought in his mind even his behavior is blameless?
 
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Tornero

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I know nothing about Islam. But based on what you said, I am surprised to see that Islam is similar to Buddhism on this issue.

Islam is extremely broad and beautiful, but for some reason all we hear about is what extremists do. Tasawwuf is what first attracted me to Islam actually.

However there are a few "more conservative" sects, (like Qubtists, and some Wahabi/Salafees) that reject any sort of tasawwuf.

Let me ask you one question: Do you take evil thought in a person as a problem, which is as serious as evil act? In other words, Is it OK for an honorable Imam to have evil thought in his mind even his behavior is blameless?

"It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) observed: He who intended to do good, but did not do it, one good was recorded for him, and he who intended to do good and also did it, ten to seven hundred good deeds were recorded for him. And he who intended evil, but did not commit it, no entry was made against his name, but if he committed that, it was recorded." - Book of Faith (Kitab Al-Iman) 236

If someone has an evil thought, and then does not commit the act. If he realized this thought is evil and doesn't execute the act, then he is forgiven. As for a Imam having a bad thought; we would never know what their thoughts are. As preaching a thought that is immoral or unlawful is committing the bad act. For instance if I where to think "I distrust Jews" if I were to then tell someone to distrust Jews then this would be a bad deed, but if I realize this thought is wrong and ask for forgiveness then it is netralised.
So an evil thought is not as serious an evil act, unless you carry out this act - Evil acts hurt other people, but evil thoughts only hurt yourself.
However this does not mean that you can think poorly of other people, as corrupt thoughts turn you into a corrupt person.

But... It is not always the act that is unlawful, but the intention of the act however.

Everyone has evil thoughts from time to time, no human is perfect - not even Muhammed (pbuh).

I hope I answered your question correctly
Peace
 
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juvenissun

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Thanks.

Since you like Islam, then I will ask this question: How does Islam define evil?
 
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Eudaimonist

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To me, a humanist is a type of atheist.
This type of atheist thinks that human is god.



What is that supposed to mean? I think that human beings are human beings, and no more.


eudaimonia,

Mark
 
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Eudaimonist

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Yes, that is what I meant.

I'm completely confused now. Are you now taking back your claim that humanists think that "human is god"?


eudaimonia,

Mark
 
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juvenissun

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I'm completely confused now. Are you now taking back your claim that humanists think that "human is god"?


eudaimonia,

Mark

Humanist has no God. So, human is god can not be understood literally.
Human is the highest form of life. There is no less, and there is no more.
 
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Noxot

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evil is the shadow of a reflection of good. evil exist because Gods children allows it to exist. if no one believed evil existed and only decided to love God and everyone else then evil would go back to where it came from, which is our freedom that God gave us.

so evil comes from our irrational freedom. our irrational freedom is infinite potentiality that God decided to give each of His children.
 
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ToddNotTodd

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Humanist has no God. So, human is god can not be understood literally.

Wrong. Humanism has no gods. It as simple as that.

Human is the highest form of life. There is no less, and there is no more.

Wrong. There is no "highest form of life." There's more or less successful species.
 
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juvenissun

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Wrong. Humanism has no gods. It as simple as that.



Wrong. There is no "highest form of life." There's more or less successful species.

So the more (most) successful one on at the present time IS the highest form. This is my definition in this argument. There is no need to fuzz about it.
 
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juvenissun

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Thanks. The purpose of this thread is to understand how do atheists deal with evil.
 
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Eudaimonist

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Human is the highest form of life.

I don't see humanists insisting that human beings are the "highest" form of life, though they may insist that all life (and existence) is natural rather than supernatural. This whole higher/lower business sounds to me like a religious interpretation, possibly motivated by the Garden of Eden story in which there is a heirarchy of things.

I'm reminded of the following diagram, where "ego" refers to the religious view, and "eco" refers to the naturalistic view.



In any case, this is not really how humanism is defined. It refers more to placing human well-being, rather than a God or gods, as the central concern of ethics, while also emphasizing the use of reason.

Wikipedia: Humanism is a group of philosophies and ethical perspectives which emphasize the value and agency of human beings, individually and collectively, and generally prefers individual thought and evidence (rationalism, empiricism), over established doctrine or faith (fideism).

Secular humanism falls under the umbrella of humanism, and is distinguished from other humanisms by its strong emphasis on atheism and naturalism.


eudaimonia,

Mark
 
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