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i think that the true human nature is evil, what makes us good is our ability to overcome it. I think it says something in the bible somewhere like that, im not sure im not an avid bible reader lol... oh crap i have to read genisis for the begining of school... i gotta start reading for next week lol... oh yeah but anyway what do you guys think?
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Wait... you have to read Genesis for school? Isn't that... I dunno, unconstitutional? Or is it a religious school? That I can understand
But I think that I would have to disagree with you. I'd say that humans are neutral, and the only reason we see so many 'bad people' is because of their influences making them darker shades of gray. People are predominantly stubborn and refuse to change their ways, so all the bad people around us aren't changing and are at the same time helping to mold the fine young people around them.
It really does take a strong heart to accept the errors of your ways and change for the people. Or... maybe that's just caused by laziness and stubbornness
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im not sure exactly what ur saying... are you saying that stubborness and laziness is what causes people to go bad?
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No. It keeps bad people from becoming good people.
Oh, and selfishness too. Yeah
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oh, ok. yeah selfishness too, and lust... hmmm what else... spinach maybe?
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Humans are animals.
Animals compete for the same resources(water, food, place to sleep, etc.) and as such become very territorial, selfishly claiming resources for their own lest they be beat out and die due to lack of resources. Base animal nature is selfish being as how self-preservation is the strongest animal instinct.
The culmination of all Biblical teaching is personified in the example of Jesus, who teaches that it is more blessed to give than receive, the exact opposite of animal nature.
It is not the ability to overcome our innately selfish nature that makes us good, but instead the exercising of this ability that changes the inner man from 'evil' or selfishness, to 'good' or selflessness. Then, through vigilant effort to overcome our innately selfish nature we become changed. 'Good' is not a station we arrive at, but manner of traveling and we are bettered by the journey. Hence a 'good' person may become 'evil' by retrogressing or journeying backward and away from selflessness. And an 'evil' person may become 'good' by progressing or journeying forward and away from selfishness and toward selflessness.
The above is why the parable of the laborers is so telling. We all of us may change the course of our lives at any time and choose which path we shall exert ourselves upon. Our lives turn on a dime and today is always the first day of the rest of our lives. God is said in this parable to reward all the same amount, regardless of whether they came to work at 5 am or 5 pm. Direction is what it's all about, not distance as so many assume.
The all important question is always: which direction am I heading? To selfishness or selflessness?
Anyway, that's my two cents on the matter. -
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Two cents is miniscule compared to this
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My pennies...
were burning a hole in me pocket. Forgive me for breaking the piggy bank.
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as a darwinian
i would say humans are products of nature, and nature doesnt follow the path of good or evil, it follows teh path of least resistance.
we lie cheat and steal because it saves time and effort, but we also innovate for the same reason.
we became farmers because its easier to find food if you know where you planted it. -
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It is a complacent thing to throw culture and psychological considerations to the wind when trying to understand human nature. Evolution can explain many things, but if the path of least resistance is to steal and lie (though it does happen), humans wouldn't have made it very far at all. Cooperation is the key to survival, at least for a social species.
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animals will happily steal food from a weaker member of their species, even from a weaker memeber of their own pack. Its not like humans have a monopoly on being a bastard.
as for being a social species, bees? yes. ants? yes, humans? i remain unconvinced we can ever adapt to living in hives. -
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Huh?
"i remain unconvinced we can ever adapt to living in hives."
Civilization is nothing if it is not one giant hive. Please give me your definition of 'hive' and how civilization is not exactly that.
The key difference between humans and animals is first, language, and second, the capacity to teach one another or, as Jimmy said, to cooperate. The key being that we can relay our own learning to one another and thus build successively from one generation to the next. The teaching of one another through language, especially the teaching of abstract concepts that cannot be relayed by simple mimicry, is precisely what enables technological and sociological advancement to the point of where we are in the world today.
Please, explain the concept of truth and justice to an ant, a dog, a monkey. It was thinkers, such as the philosophers of Greece(there are many before and after) who day in and day out pondered and discussed the abstract concepts necessary to the facilitation of a successful human 'hive' and instituted them to provide the rest of the world with the basis of much of what fuels successful civilization today. And really, throughout time the wisdom of successful interpersonal relations has been in play under the banner of deity and the need to love and care for one another. Because really, to care for only one's self leaves you lonely. When every one cares for everyone else you have a giant support system to look out for you and the possibilities are endless.
Jimmy is exactly right, cooperation is where it's at. We live in hives, my friend. Just because we don't have wings and make honey(but we do buzz alot) doesn't mean we haven't mastered the concept. Lack of hive living is what is known as anarchy. I don't think that anyone want's that. Law and order is what keeps anarchy at bay and keeps people in order, making them think twice about 'stealing from weaker members. Law and order is the cogs and sociological courtesy is the grease in the wheels of our hive. For some reason the golden rule comes to mind: "do unto others as you would have them do unto you".
That sounds like cooperation to me.
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So, babies are evil? Is that what I'm hearing, Scriptor?
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Yes, babies are very evil.
They're also fat, bald, toothless, have absolutely no sense of decorum when it comes to the execution of bodily functions AND they always want their way no matter what.
Yes, Taylor...babies are incredibly evil...and wonderful.
There is a chrysalis period and no thinking being may be judged in ignorance. Once the baby is AWARE of how it is behaving, then it may be deemed selfish, or evil. One cannot be held accountable for sinning in ignorance. Knowledge is requisite to judgment. Since sin is the willful disregard of law, otherwise known as transgression(trans-against, gressus-to walk); one has to know the path, or walk, in order to go against it. It is impossible to sin in ignorance and babies are about as ignorant as they come. Plus...their heads are way too big for their bodies. -
lol, i have no idea where you get evil babies from.
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I think it's because...
if you care to condense the good/evil thing down to selfishness/ unselfishness, the argument is quite flawed when applied to babies. Babies are the most selfish beings known to man. They're always bitching about something, if they don't get what they want they're always yelling and screaming until they do. They expect everyone to do everything for them and they exercise absolutely no control over their desires and emotions. They wan't what they want and they want it right now, dammit! Plus, they wanna suck on their momma's boobies all the time. Shameful, just plain shameful!
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Plumeister, I guess I now do see that one glaring from the photo just so. Also, I have no idea of the path in my ignorance, but I know enough to do good and would expect myself to be held accountable otherwise. Too far?
Well anyway...I, too, enjoy babies. Even if they do spit up evil all over me. -
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Not too far at all, Taylor.
"Also, I have no idea of the path in my ignorance, but I know enough to do good and would expect myself to be held accountable otherwise. Too far?"
We all of us can only be held accountable for what we know to be good and true. It is only when we knowingly cross that knowledge for no other reason than selfishness that we may be held fully accountable for our errors. So many inappropriately attach such a "bad,bad boy" stigma to the struggle between good and evil . The word 'repentance' comes from a greek word that means basically to correct one's aim and strive again to hit the target that has been placed before us by education. Progression is about hallowing ideals and then striving for those ideals. Sin is simply failure to accomplish those ideals.
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Hello fellow wordsmiths. I'm new to the forum and just getting aquainted. But I found this question too irresistible to resist!
Everyhting in the universe has polarity. "Evil" is of the physical, "Good" is of the spiritual. When the spiritual enters into the physical the struggle with good and evil becomes an inner conflict, unique with every individual. The end result of the battle will depend on whether the person knows who he truly is, or believes who he thinks he is. -
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im not sure what you mean by "the end result of the battle will depend on whether the person knows who he truly is, or believes who he thinks he is" It just doesnt make since to me. Care to elaborate?
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Sure. We all have our demons to battle. Sometimes they get the best of us, but this is only because we either fear them or we can't recognize the power within ourselves to overcome them. If you can face and overcome your fears and demons with courage, then you discover and know who you truly are. If you give in to your demons, you allow them to "tell" you who you are and out of fear, you believe them.
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seems close to what i said.
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It's good to know we are on the same page.
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scriptor
Jul 29 2:50 PM
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