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Can someone prove to me that good and evil exist?

To me, good and evil aren't real. They exist because the concept of good and evil exist, therefore we attribute them to what we see fit. You say God is Good, and Satan is Evil, yet there are many things I've read in the Bible that God has done, and I would consider extremely evil.

You can't define a person as good or evil, because good and evil aren't tangible measurements of their actions, just our perspective and personal opinion on what they've done.

9/11 in America was "Evil", yet in many other countries they called it a miracle.

Perception? Or are they real?

Update:

...Gee, thanks? Haha.

I meant more of an argument than that.

Update 2:

In our biased perspective, Hitler was an evil man. But to many whom agreed with him I'm sure they consider him a good man.

Who's right? Who's to say?

17 Answers

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  • 1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    I believe good and bad are measured by the individual, regardless of what inspired that person to measure as they did. As you mentioned, what is pleasing to one person can be horrible to another. Which leaves the question: Who is right? For anyone to be undeniably right, there must be an undeniable version of good and evil - and there isn't. All we have is our own personal emotional response and "the norm" (and that is entirely dependent on our society).

    On a side note, it seems to me that all too often our "good" actions are instantly attributed to a divine power, while our "evil" actions are (rightly) assumed to be our own fault.

  • 1 decade ago

    I'll start by asking a question. Can you show me a culture or society of people where rape, torture, stealing, or the murder is accepted by the general consensus of the people. Nowhere. Why? Because of a transcendent moral law. It's like saying there is no right or wrong. What you have is a postmodern view that is out of touch with reality. Those who rejoiced over 9/11 were those who are motivated by an hatred of the United States. What Hitler did is considered evil not by a biased group of people, but by an inward moral law that is found resident in humanity, but can be overridden by the dark descent into decadence. That's why words like madman, wicked, infidel, demon, tyrant, etc. exist because they are words that are in touch with a real world, just as words like truth, justice, mercy, heroism, integrity, righteous, etc. convey to us that which exist in a real world also. Let me add by saying that right and wrong exist; everyone cannot be right and that all philosophies and worldviews cannot be true, because truth by definition is exclusive.

  • 1 decade ago

    Its funny that people still ask that question. It just goes to show that we don't listen to ourselves or our instincts.You mean to tell me you don't know the difference of doing good or something bad. Even if those words didn't exist you still have feelings that come with actions. Whether it is laws given by God or society we all follow a certain code of conduct. You wouldn't go out murdering because you feel like it. And the ones that said 9/11 was a miracle are perceived to be evil. What is real is what you can feel and if you can't feel the difference of doing good or doing bad i feel sorry for you.

    Source(s): Yahoo group:the united shepherds of israel.
  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    They exist, but they are not things, but rather concepts. Just like the concept of beauty. You COULD define beauty as something that elicits certain responses in the brain, but in the end they are things that we understand without necessarily knowing the mechanisms behind them. Good and evil are subjective - dependent on the opinion of the observer.

  • 1 decade ago

    Look into the face of a newborn child and you will see goodness.

    Look into the mind of the one who wants to hurt that child and you will see evil.

    No, no one is completely good and no one is completely evil, but even in your question you point out the difference between the two.

  • ?
    Lv 6
    1 decade ago

    I will explain to you, once and for all the definition of good and evil, and how one can determine OF HIMSELF, independant of the Bible or any religion, what is good, and what is evil. And it all has to do with the word Restoration.

    When you die, everything you have done gets returned back to you. You literally get paid for your actions, from yourself. You ARE your own employer. This gives actual meaning to the phrase "do unto others as you would have them do unto you".

    What this means, is everyone gets rewarded with EXACTLY what they sought out in this life. If you sought for the happiness of others, you will be rewarded with the happiness of others. If you have sought their misery, then you will be rewarded with their misery.

    So in essence we all get to create our own heaven or hell as we go through this life and make decisions. If we dont want God in our lives, then when the end comes, we wont be forced to live with God. If we seek happiness through pleasure, then when the end comes, we will get it. You get to decide for yourself if that is what you want for all eternity.

    So good and evil are therefore defined in the realm of what your own desires and choices are.

    Satan himself wants others to be miserable like himself. You could very well ask the question "is Satan happy?" Well, figure it out yourself. He truly enjoys making others miserable like himself. God enjoys making others happy like himself. You tell me who has it better.

    There really are only 2 choices. You can either seek out your own misery or happiness. Thats it. Then when the end comes, youll get exactly what you sought out.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    Fall on the ice and break a leg. Is that a good or a bad thing? You would say it was a bad thing and I think everybody would agree with you.

  • STAX
    Lv 5
    1 decade ago

    Are you blind?

    A child molester may say he is good too and has reason for what he does. But any normal thinking person would know he is bad and evil.

    If you would study history, you would know that the people who carried out Hitlers acts or orders, knew he was wrong and bad but they carried out his orders and were afraid.

    Source(s): Common Sense.
  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    Originally all things were good. Evil entered at the fall. It cannot excist forever because it goes againt the natural order.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    many people do bad things..even the worst,...but deep inside their heart ...actually, they just wanna be a good person...but sometimes they cant resist to do something bad.. most of them say

    ' i dunno y i did it'

    ' it's like i heard some voice whispering me something "

    and that's the evil jobs...

    when you fell so grateful and so blessful it's because God exist..( how can u fell so grateful and blessful if u dont know where it's come from)

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