Killing the Devil inside of me, with the help of Descartes?

[zippy2006]

What evils do you think mankind wouldn't do if the devil didn't exist?

A common teaching, particularly from Eastern Christianity, is that Satan is responsible for placing a great deal of evil thoughts in the minds of men. You could think of the parable of the weeds as a parable of evil thoughts being planted in the fields of the minds of men.

 

[Ana the Ist]

What does the "Bible" say about it, Moral? I mean, all of the atheists around here seem to 'know' and 'understand' the Bible better than I do. So, I'm just wondering: from whence does this question come?

And if the Bible just so happens to not provide an answer for the above vaunted question, why would it be expected that I'd have an answer? It wouldn't follow that I do or should. Besides, it's not as if every human question a person could possibly come up with will have "an answer." It always makes me chuckle when atheist (and some Christians) act as if there could be.................................

I get it...it's a tough question. I suppose if I had made this thread, I'd duck it too.

That said, I don't see much point in discussing this if you can't even explain what this evil is. Is it some evil? Is it allll evil? Are we just talking about murder and rape? Or does this include obscene things that some guys might draw on the face of a friend who passes out too early?

Talk about "power-creep"...................................

That's not what that means lol.

 

[Ana the Ist]

A common teaching, particularly from Eastern Christianity, is that Satan is responsible for placing a great deal of evil thoughts in the minds of men. You could think of the parable of the weeds as a parable of evil thoughts being planted in the fields of the minds of men.

He only does thoughts?

 

[2PhiloVoid]

I get it...it's a tough question. I suppose if I had made this thread, I'd duck it too.

I'm not ducking it. Seriously. If and when I THINK another person's question doesn't apply, I indeed don't think it does. In my frame of philosophical thought, not all questions which a human mind can possibly come up with are cogent or relevant, especially when they're hypothetical in nature and not directly germane in a way that I think are germane.

That said, I don't see much point in discussing this if you can't even explain what this evil is. Is it some evil? Is it allll evil? Are we just talking about murder and rape? Or does this include obscene things that some guys might draw on the face of a friend who passes out too early?

I'd think Romans chapter 1 is a good place to start, although it's not the place to finish with this kind of discussion either. Does this help? Besides, this thread has MORE to do with epistemology and ontology than with axiology, so if you want to talk more about the moral and ethical side of things, then you can hop back on over to my thread on "Human Depravity" and try there.

That's not what that means lol.

I'm not sure you understand what I meant because I was purposely using veiled language when I said what I said...... to Moral Orel.

The "power creep" I'm insidiously implying is a denial of the implication that we can somehow become more enabled to answer some of the questions that have been posed to me, such as the questions that you've been posing to me here, today.

 

[Ana the Ist]

I'm not ducking it. Seriously. If and when I THINK another person's question doesn't apply, I indeed don't think it does. In my frame of philosophical thought, not all questions which a human mind can possibly come up with are cogent or relevant, especially when they're hypothetical in nature and not directly germane in a way that I think are germane.

Well now you're just being silly...

From the OP...

On the Christian side of things, the tendency (rather the strong tendency) among the faithful is to think that there is a Devil behind much of the evils in the world that we have to contend with, not the least of which is his claimed and vaunted power for mass deception

There it is, right in the OP. Let's not pretend it's not relevant.

The "power creep" I'm insidiously implying is a denial of the implication that we can somehow become more enabled to answer some of the questions that have been posed to me, such as the questions that you've been posing to me here, today.

Like I said, that isn't what that means.

 

[zippy2006]

He only does thoughts?

That's not what I said, nor is it what you asked for.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

Well now you're just being silly...

I'm being silly? Tell me if I'm wrong, but I get the sense that you're a little bothered by the Christian views about the nature of evil in the world, even as it might also reflect the bit that @zippy2006 stated above in relation to the more specifically Christian Orthodox view of things.

How about this? Maybe you go and speak with Christians who work in your office and see what they have to say about it all and then come back and we'll compare notes.

From the OP...

There it is, right in the OP. Let's not pretend it's not relevant.

....

Alright, let's briefly revisit this since it appears that you aren't satisfied with my answer. You're question above was:

"What evils do you think mankind wouldn't do if the devil didn't exist?"
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And as I've implied above, that questions doesn't reflect the world that I think I actually live in and, in order for me to answer it without "role playing," I'd really need to instead believe that I live in an alternate reality from the one that I think I do live in--i.e. A world that is infested by the Devil.

Now, granted, you may be wondering, "Where does this leave the culpability of each and every human being when they misbehave?" Would this be an adequate insight on my part even in asking, OR do you have some other concern that you personally think your hypothetical question is supposed to serve?

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Like I said, that isn't what that means.

Did you by chance even see the previous brief discussion that @Moral Orel and I were having in relation to the topic of "power creep"? If not, you might want to take that into account.