Do you believe "Evil" exists as an outside force?

[cheri1122]

There is a substantial school of thought which holds that a benevolent moral code is the first line of defense against evil. A society's broad moral code being usually derived from an underlying religious attachment.

True, but I don't see that any underlying religious attachment is required - it is rooted in religion's attempts to provide answers to the unknown, long ago, and peoples' willingness to accept those answers, because no one else was stepping up. A lot has changed in the centuries since, but religion hasn't. Except to splinter off into numerous factions, whenever this group disagrees with that group, ie: Lutherans, Calvinists, Methodists, Baptists - and that's just the Christians.
I'm thinking our best hope against the evil that men do is to study the human brain, until someone can figure out why sociopaths and pedophiles exist. I believe that's where the answer lies, and it hasn't been found yet, like so much else about the brain.

 

[runrunner]

I don't think anyone is born evil,but some are born at greater risk of becoming evil. Just as some are born with a higher risk for cancer or some other illness. So no, I don't think evil is an outside force,but an uncontrolled inner emotion or lack of certain emotions that prevent people from doing evil.

 

[Dreamer]

Thank you everyone for your well thought out, and respectful responses.

I guess I've seen so much in my lifetime, I know.. without a doubt, the existence of Evil. Yes, I capitalize it on purpose. I have seen stuff that I just can't come to grips with, that is outside the bounds of anything that is good, no matter what your background.

As far as my cousin... we may finally have closure, but it's even more confusing now. Back in 1975 , there was a witness. This person, and a couple family members "found" my cousin, and witnessed the supposed killer running off. Now these family members, (the witness' sister, and niece) have come forward to say HE was the rapist/killer. He came home, told them what he had done, and made them go with him to "find" her... and then he spent 2 years in court indentifying his FRIEND and drinking buddy as the man who killed her.

They've known this for 29 years, but were scared to come forward because they were scared of him... his niece said he was one of the most loving men she ever knew, yet one of the most evil, and they didn't dare tell. It was a family secret... so we get justice, right? Nope.. he died a year and a half ago.... and they didn't want to come forward and stir up old wounds, plus I"m sure they knew they could be held as accomplices after the fact.

Now that it has hit the news, the niece came forward first, and then the sister verified to our local news, that yes, she did know. It's in the hands of the police and courts where it goes from here.


So here we have it again. I know evil can come out of anyone, but I have trouble imagining not only the man who could do this stuff, accuse his friend in court for 2 years, plus keep his family quiet for 29 years.


Dale

 

[layoutshooter]

Oh Dale, I wish there was something I could do for you. What a terrible thing to have to deal with. May God show you the way to some peace.

 

[Dreamer]

Thanks Joe.. a couple here know my feelings about "give me an honest enemy...over a dishonest friend"... can you imagine.. a 'friend' identifying you falsely for TWO YEARS .. in court... as a deviant, rapist, and murderer.... wow.. ( that man was acquitted by the way, thank God...) we were sure at the time.. the evidence was staggering...imagine that.. his 'friend' was the prosecution's key eyewitness!) We couldn't imagine why the court let him go!

Within hours after the event, he had provided to my cousin's dad, a perfect drawing of the accused... those memories I have, of her dad, white checked shirt unbuttoned, hair a mess.. with an ink drawing PERFECTLY matching the accused.... yeah.. this guy provided that!

Incredible.






Dale

 

[layoutshooter]

I find it almost impossible to even imagine. I don't think I want too.

 

[cheri1122]

Dale's experience brings up another question that's [so far] unanswerable: how can people whose thought processes are so stratospherically off the charts abnormal, look just like everyone else?
How can they fool some very smart people, as they do? [I'm reminded of the police officer who volunteered on a Suicide Hotline, and became very fond of the guy she often worked next to: Ted Bundy.]
That's their scariest power: they never look like what we are sure evil must look like.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

You could use the same description as some did about gays in another thread....that Evil is a choice because God does not make a mistake....people are not wired wrong...people being born with no remorse, no apathy. psychopaths....a true mental condition.
the result....Evil....the work of the devil not science plain and simple.