why are there so many evil people in the world?

[Allandavid]

It's that very relationship that portends the end, just as at the Tower of Babel. Unless God tears down the new 'tower' no flesh will survive.

I see. People are behaving better towards one another than at any time in the past, but this is somehow evidence of rising ‘evil’.

Got it...

 

[Allandavid]

And that's why I now have security screens on every door and window ... are you old enough to remember when we opened all the doors & windows at night in summer to let in the cooler air?

I still do...

 

[stevil]

I understand. As an atheist, it would be illogical to call anything evil or good. After all, you have no frame of reference for what evil is.

I don't think you have any frame of reference either.

Based on what do you judge an individual person as being evil?
What does evil mean to you?
What is your method of discovery?
How do you apply such a simple binary term to something as complex as a person and their life?

 

[Allandavid]

Sinc this is a Christian Forum you can expect posters to define evil according to Jesus' teaching which is disobedience to God's laws. Social approval of abortion, euthanasia, homosexuality, etc, along with the increasing animosity towards expression of Christian faith in the public place, are evil and help to produce the social climate in which many people are suffering. Quoting statistics about crime & poverty are poor indicators of the real suffering, especially psychological suffering, experienced by people in their everyday lives.

‘You’re evil if you don’t believe what I do’...

 

[Allandavid]

Can you cite hard evidence that things will remain so? A time of peace and prosperity is historically just the lull before the next storm. Also these storms will have different features than those of the past, but will be equally ruinous.

So, when the world is at war and in poverty, it’s a sign of evil. And when the world is at peace and relative prosperity, it’s also a sign of evil.

Sure...

 

[Allandavid]

I see no evidence to suggest that is the case. It may be the case but I would need to see some proof before I believed it.

Google is your friend...

 

[Allandavid]

I understand. As an atheist, it would be illogical to call anything evil or good. After all, you have no frame of reference for what evil is.

Oh, good grief...that one never gets old, does it...!?

 

[Strathos]

I agree. Humans tend to be driven by “narratives”, not facts.

But we need to reign in this impulse, and defer to what the world tells us, not what we tell ourselves.

The evidence is overwhelming - things are getting better on the whole.

It would be nice to believe that, but with the rise of global fascism, climate change, rollback of civil rights and environmental regulations, and everything else many contemporary governments are doing, it seems to be the opposite.

 

[renniks]

I don't think you have any frame of reference either.

Based on what do you judge an individual person as being evil?
What does evil mean to you?
What is your method of discovery?
How do you apply such a simple binary term to something as complex as a person and their life?

It's really not that complicated.
Read the 10 commandments. That's a good starting point.

 

[stevil]

It's really not that complicated.
Read the 10 commandments. That's a good starting point.

I don't see a link between the 10 commandments and evil people, please clarify.

 

[renniks]

I don't see a link between the 10 commandments and evil people, please clarify.

You asked how to tell if someone is evil. Seems self explanatory to me.

 

[Allandavid]

It's really not that complicated.
Read the 10 commandments. That's a good starting point.

Why?

The first few are about subservience, not evil.
The remainder are largely statements about certain behaviours that human beings eschewed long before Moses supposedly climbed that mountain. For example, do you really think that people didn’t know it was wrong to murder one another before that time...?

 

[stevil]

You asked how to tell if someone is evil. Seems self explanatory to me.

The 10 commandments doesn't even mention the word evil.

Seems like a non sequitur

By the way, most of the people in the world aren't Christians, what relevance does the 10 commandments have to most of the people in the world?

 

[Tinker Grey]

By the way, most of the people in the world aren't Christians, what relevance does the 10 commandments have to most of the people in the world?

It isn't even relevant to Christians except as a shibboleth.

 

[renniks]

The 10 commandments doesn't even mention the word evil.

Seems like a non sequitur

By the way, most of the people in the world aren't Christians, what relevance does the 10 commandments have to most of the people in the world?

As your buddy just pointed out, don't lie, don't steal, don't murder, don't cheat on your spouse, these are pretty much universally thought of as bad behavior. Even honoring your parents is held in high esteem in a lot of cultures, not just Christians.

 

[ananda]

Oh there are truly evil people. You can't blame everything on ignorance or delusion etc. Some people just want to see the world burn. and that may be a quote from a movie but it's still true.

IMO the people that "want to see the world burn" are still suffering from ignorance & delusion, as they likely obtain a short-term measure of pleasure from acting upon their delusion, and by not understanding or foreseeing its long-term effects.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

I see. People are behaving better towards one another than at any time in the past, but this is somehow evidence of rising ‘evil’.

Got it...

Mob rule is a form of 'general agreement'.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

The 10 commandments doesn't even mention the word evil.

Seems like a non sequitur

By the way, most of the people in the world aren't Christians, what relevance does the 10 commandments have to most of the people in the world?

Those commandment weren't anything new. The difference was/is that God said seriously folks.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Why?

The first few are about subservience, not evil.
The remainder are largely statements about certain behaviours that human beings eschewed long before Moses supposedly climbed that mountain. For example, do you really think that people didn’t know it was wrong to murder one another before that time...?

The first few are the terms of the marriage contract between Christ and the church, and yes the church will be subservient to the Lord.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

So, when the world is at war and in poverty, it’s a sign of evil. And when the world is at peace and relative prosperity, it’s also a sign of evil.

Sure...

Most people who are "well" are actually in the process of getting sick. Here's a summary of the nation's health.

Sick: Many people.
Not sick: Many people.
Healthy: Very few people.

As you can see true health has little to do with the condition of most people. Most people are either sick or soon to be sick.