Is there an infinite amount of good and evil?

[Villages PL]

I read something about this in The Wall Street Journal many years ago. A physicist (I don't remember his name) said he had a theory that there is an infinite amount of good and evil. I take it to mean that the two are always in balance. So, if you defeat some evil, there's still an infinite amount of it. Likewise, if evil gets the upper hand at some point, there's still an infinite amount of good.

What do you think? Is his theory correct?

Just from my observations of what goes on in the world, having been around for 71 years, I tend to think his theory is correct. Remember when we faught "the war to end all wars"? How many wars have we faught since then?

[lightworker888]

Everything is in balance as far as I believe, so I see it more as eternal rather than infinite but that is probably just a case of semantics. But then again that is in our world of duality and hopefully we are moving out of that into a more enlightened world that doesn't need the contrast to envision and experience the wanted. If we could get to that place, then maybe we would have balance among many aspects of "goodness" which would be interesting and multidimensional. I'm sure there are many who can live from that world view now, but as one trainer said, "there is no daily media for that" so we don't get to see or hear about it as much, if at all.

Another way of seeing that is to say that "evil" is only the absence of "good" so there is no reason why, with the introduction of more "light" we couldn't get to a place of less "darkness" and still have balance, assuming it is all one.

If you believe you create your own reality, and I do, then it really becomes a matter of where you place your attention, as you will always sort for what you want and expect to see. We have to keep remembering that we are the meaning makers of our experiences and then look to find the best, most resourceful meaning we can, so that we can experience events and situations as joyfully as possible, or not, as you choose. That's just my take on it for what it's worth. Lots of authors have written lots of books on this view and over the years it has been my experience that there is much truth in these writings.



LW888

[rubicon]

The spirituality in human beings leans most toward viewing the world as more mystical then it is. Spirituality demands meaning of life and of death. Life can't just be an on /off button. And so we all go through life trying to figure out why some of us experience this and others that. And finally spirituality creates a belief for most of us that our existence is eternal in some matter or form.

For the rest of us life is just an on/off button....I am because I think or because I can no longer think, I am not.

[perrjojo]

I like this thread...gotta think about it but my short answer is that good and evil are like beauty....it is in the eye of the beholder.

[lightworker888]

Perrijoe good answer and nicely concise.


LW888

[rubicon]

It would seem to me that while beauty is in the eye of the beholder good and evil is not.

Popular magazines often cite a certain celebrity as the most beautiful person in the world. and in response you will get a variety of responses and referencing to someone else who is the most beautiful.

However good and evil are retty well defined. I mean I don't believe anyone would define Ted bundy as being good unless your someone like charles Manson. Conversely it would not be likely that anyone would define Mother Theresa as evil. Now granted the division isn't aleays as clear as these examples but most people have a sense for fairness, etc and an evil act even so mildly would be rejected by otherwise good people.

the fact is that life and living is complex and that is what makes it interesting

[ijusluvit]

I think the Creator not only put this amazing world together, but designed a constant good/evil balance to test our mettle and challenge our use of our free will. Life is truly a test. Every time we make human progress, there seems to be an equal regression.

What I can't figure out is why some folks are so more mightily challenged than I. It was mere chance that I was grew up in a healthy, secure environment, and had some real opportunities to become even more comfortable and secure. Why wasn't I born in a war-torn African village, forced to be a child soldier and then to run away just to survive? Or worse?

[Pturner]

I read something about this in The Wall Street Journal many years ago. A physicist (I don't remember his name) said he had a theory that there is an infinite amount of good and evil. I take it to mean that the two are always in balance. So, if you defeat some evil, there's still an infinite amount of it. Likewise, if evil gets the upper hand at some point, there's still an infinite amount of good.

What do you think? Is his theory correct?

Just from my observations of what goes on in the world, having been around for 71 years, I tend to think his theory is correct. Remember when we faught "the war to end all wars"? How many wars have we faught since then?

Perhaps this is a parallel to Newton's Law: For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

[Taltarzac725]

Evil and good seem to be manmade ideas. I do not really see these terms applying to the natural world. A gator eats a duck. Doubt if the duck thinks about evil while its being eaten. The gator is just thinking about dinner.

In the eyes of a person, evil and good could be infinite.

Cannot really see God viewing the natural world as good or evil either. Man's actions yes. But each man can only do so much of good or evil, so it would seem this would be very limited.

Also think about Voltaire's Candide when I think about good and evil and the best of all possible worlds.

There are some good quotes about evil here-- http://www.notable-quotes.com/e/evil_quotes.html

[rubicon]

Evil and good seem to be manmade ideas. I do not really see these terms applying to the natural world. A gator eats a duck. Doubt if the duck thinks about evil while its being eaten. The gator is just thinking about dinner.

In the eyes of a person, evil and good could be infinite.

Cannot really see God viewing the natural world as good or evil either. Man's actions yes. But each man can only do so much of good or evil, so it would seem this would be very limited.

Also think about Voltaire's Candide when I think about good and evil and the best of all possible worlds.

There are some good quotes about evil here-- Evil Quotes (http://www.notable-quotes.com/e/evil_quotes.html)

spot on Tal

[RichieLion]

"Evil" is in the eye of the beholder?

Hitler, Idi Amin, Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, Henry Lee Lucas, etc, etc, etc....................

I think evil exists, and laughs at attempts to rationalize it.

[perrjojo]

Yes, good and evil are in the eye of the beholder. Certainly most would agree that Hitler and Ted Bundy were evil and Mother Theresa was good. My dear Grandmother thought Catholics sipping wine with communion were evil as well as dancing and playing cards. Personally I think a nice glass of wine, dancing at the square and playing Canasta are good things. I agree that good and evil are man made ideas and it varies depending on ones individual experiences. A Christian would think stoning a young rape victim evil while Sharia law says it is good. Good and Evil are abstract ideas based on ones life experiences. That does not mean I do not have my own concept of good and evil; but means that all do not share the same ideas and it is only for me to live by my values and know that some might not agree.

[ijusluvit]

"Evil" is in the eye of the beholder?

Hitler, Idi Amin, Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, Henry Lee Lucas, etc, etc, etc....................

I think evil exists, and laughs at attempts to rationalize it.


This fella is right.

People can do things which are flat out evil, no matter what culture is judging. Yes, there are lots of grey areas, but that does not diminish the existence of clearly evil acts.

[sunglow]

I don't believe in evil. Just ignorance.

[lightworker888]

Sunglow, Well said. More "light" = less "darkness". And there is sooo much light if we sort for it. We can only consciously process 7-9 bits of info at a time so they might as well be related to light. We acknowledge all that is going on, but we can choose what we give our attention to. And the more light I look for, the more I see. And the more I see, the more I can appreciate. And every day I meet or hear about more like-minded people, especially young people, so I am very optimistic about the future of our planet and our species and that feels good!

LW888

[rubicon]

I don't believe in evil. Just ignorance.

It seems to me that people like John Gacy, Ted Bundy, Charles Manson, Hitler, etc were very intelligent individuals No, I believe it is a thinking process that forms opinions based on physical and emotional experiences. I suspect while these people had high intelligent quotients they were low in emotional quotient, a result of problems during childhood development

Further these individuals understood their acts to be evil but rationalized why they were necessary

Those grilled in practices such as Sharia Law can be viewed as being reared in ignorance but one has to be careful with that also. Christians can also be viewed as being reared in ignorance

The problem with this entire thread is that if people are on different philosophical planes not only won't they reach agreement they won't even attain understanding, ergo reactionsto Sharia Law

[CMANN]

It seems to me that people like John Gacy, Ted Bundy, Charles Manson, Hitler, etc were very intelligent individuals No, I believe it is a thinking process that forms opinions based on physical and emotional experiences. I suspect while these people had high intelligent quotients they were low in emotional quotient, a result of problems during childhood development

Further these individuals understood their acts to be evil but rationalized why they were necessary

Those grilled in practices such as Sharia Law can be viewed as being reared in ignorance but one has to be careful with that also. Christians can also be viewed as being reared in ignorance

The problem with this entire thread is that if people are on different philosophical planes not only won't they reach agreement they won't even attain understanding, ergo reactionsto Sharia Law


are you saying that sharia law is evil?

[perrjojo]

I did not intend to suggest Shari's is evil....my point is that different people look at things from different perspectives. I also don't believe that people must agree...I do think it is good if we can have open dialogue and perhaps have an understanding of why people believe as they do and learn more about what their belief system is...not just what we think it might be.

Of course the orginal point of this thread was whether or not there is an infinite amount of good and evil; not to define it.l

[rubicon]

are you saying that sharia law is evil?

CMANN No I am saying that people having different philosophical views can't understand each other let alone agree. I don't know that much about sharia Law but I do know enough that it doesn suit my beliefs nor does Scientology.

The mores at the turn of the century celebrated women and had shown them great respect. For instance a man when leaving a room would never turn his back on a woman but exit backward. In that same vein virginity was worn with a badge of honor. Today virgins are laughed at. Let me qualifiy by stating that I do not deal in absoultes what I am referring here is the general view held at that time

The concept of good and evil as being discussed here is too absolute for a serious discussion with the exception of the Saddam, Hitlers bundy's of the world.

Another aspect to this discussion revolves around superstitions. I refute exorcism, voodoo, etc. as this type of behavior can be explained scientifically. Again i refer back to my first post wherein I speak of the need for the human race to view certain aspect of life as mysterious, mystical etc.

You can't explain why man was born so they make it up
You can explain or do not want to believe that life ends at death then make something up. Whatever age the "boogie man theory" effectively works

For me I have resolved those philosophical questions with "It is what it is" because no matter how learned a man is he is only giving you his opinion of what he has learned as of that date (speculation). Tommorow, the whole of his theory could change with new information. Clearly we have made some progress but.........

[perrjojo]

[QUOTErubicon

For me I have resolved those philosophical questions with "It is what it is" because no matter how learned a man is he is only giving you his opinion of what he has learned as of that date (speculation). Tommorow, the whole of his theory could change with new information. Clearly we have made some progress but.........[/QUOTE]

Well said.