The Balance Between Good and Evil

[Ancient Goddess]

Had this convo with one of my online buddies that loves to debate....since I had spam targeted at me, most likely a result of me posting my aim handle online (Caused me to change my name again altogether....worst thing, it was posted on Adultfriendfinder.com. -_-), I'm taking out both the names.

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Him: *Grins* Just projects. People are intresting.
Him: Not to mention I'm going to circumvent his efforts to be more like me.
Me: lol...what did he copy from you today?
Him: Nothing today per se. Just in general.
Him: :-)
Me: haha...hey, it's a compliment that others wish to be like you
Him: Perhaps.... I do however fail to see why.
Him: There are far better people out there to emulate.
Me: well, everyone has good points in them....he just chose to shadow yours =P
Him: *Laughs* Good points? I doubt it.
Me: I believe that there is something good in everyone...kinda like a balace between evil and righteousness...every one has good points as well as bad points...one of the things in being human
Him: But with different perceptions of what is good and evil how can you tell?
Him: I mean for example. Stealing is by all moral and law based standard evil or wrong. but plenty of people see it as a way of living .
Me: well, everyone has a sense of right and wrong within them
Him: :-D
Him: Perhaps.
Me: and if we do have different perceptions of what's wrong and right, then there has to be a bit of both inside someone...I don't believe that anyone on this earth is entirely pure.
Him: *Chuckles* I know I'm not.
Me: lol...nobody is. If everyone was perfect, there would be no use of the belief in God.
Him: Hrmmm
Him: The "G" word...
Me: well, that's just if you believe in Him...I do, so I used it...I suppose I mean that all religions would be invalid or irrelevant.
Him: Or moral standards.
Him: Because religion (Christian or otherwise) usually boils down to what you can and canot do morally.
Him: Personally, I like my belief system.
Me: well, I'm not 'entirely' Christian...
Me: and I don't really belief in a system of what you can't and can do morally-wise...I disagree with a lot of stuff the church attempts to teach their followers.
Him: But you believe in a higher being , god in your case.
Me: true...but I believe there are many gods around...Jehova being the highest. But I don't believe the process the church tells us to live our lives, because frankly, some of the methods are impossible.
Him: So you are a jew then?
Me: lol...no, but I don't think there is another word for God in my religion, so I used that name. But jewdism and christianity are very similar, save a couple of things.
Him: Interesting.
Him: So, what do you gain exactly from your beliefs?
Him: Does it give you something or someone to worship? guidence?
Me: I gain support. I don't exactly believe that everyone should worship something, per se...but it makes you feel good--the idea that someone better than you is watching over you. May not be true, but if it makes you feel better, it can't hurt, right?
Him: Hrmmm
Him: So if a human were to support you, look after you and make you feel good, whould that equivilate the feelings you get from your belief?
Me: well, to make the human be equivalent, I'd have to believe that ultimately they are better than me, makes no mistakes, and is correct in everything they do. If they can achieve all of the above, then....yeah I suppose I would have no need in God. But I don't believe there is someone out there that can do all of those things. Therefore, until that person comes along, I'll continue believing that there is a god out there for me.
Him: Well then, why not apply those standard to yourself? I mean for example: As you grow, you'll progress, thus betterting yourself as you live. The older you get, the better you get. In essence you better yourself as you learn. You could also see yourself as being correct in everything you do because most people don't willingly make mistakes. So in essence, you could be your own God with simple belief in yourself.
Me: well, it's not really an issue of bettering myself..I don't think that even when I get older I'd be better at living my life. I would still make mistakes, even if they are not intentional, and I still would not achieve the greatness I believe that God has. I believe that He Himself is pure, and that no human, even if they are following His word to the 'T' could ever compete with Him at all, especially not myself. Even if someone were to live their life making little mistakes, they would not be any closer to God as the next person, I think.
Me: that is why I believe it's necessary to believe in God, at least for me.
Him: Hrmm
Me: but I also don't believe that any religions are wrong...even athiests, agnostic beliefs and whatnot...All religions are right, and they're ultimately there to shape people and their behaviors in life...but eh, I'm talking too much. I apologize, but the issue of religion is fascinating to me.
Him: Same here.
Me: yes, it is an interesting subject, and it's very easy to get in depth in it...mainly because there are so many different beliefs out there...lol
Him: My beliefs are simple, but yet slightly complex all in one.
Him: Depends on how you look at it.
Me: how so? Judging by your context, I think I'm safe to say you do not believe in God.
Him: I'm a Satanist.
Me: ah
Him: Though that does not mean the worship Devils.
Me: lol...I know. I had a good friend that was also a satanist
Him: Basically I follow my own rules, construct my own morlas and worship myself.
Me: well, it is important to establish your own morals and rules, even if you believe in a god...that is also one of the things I disagree with the church.
Me: I do not belief there is a set of rules you are to follow to get into heaven...otherwise, we'd all be doomed in the eyes of a true Christian.
Him: Indeed.

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So, what is your take on morals? About the balance between good and bad? Do you believe that there are limits and such between the lines? What about in the religous factor?

[Pimpmaster McSlap-Bitch]

First off... Jewdism lol ;D

I don`t believe anybody is good or evil or both. People just do what they do when they see reason to do it and people judge whether it was righteous or not based on how they feel about it. And feelings aren`t a very reliable measuring tool. But you guys basicly said that.

As for God, I dunno if I believe hes perfect... I mean, how can imperfection come from perfection? 2 + 2 = 4, no remainder, pure and simple. Part of me believe that we can/could be 'perfectly imperfect', but part of me thinks that`s just an excuse to justify my displeasure with some of the annoying imperfections in people including myself, and also coincidentally (I hadn`t considered it before) to make sense of this perfection begetting imperfection thing going on.

Me: but I also don't believe that any religions are wrong...even athiests, agnostic beliefs and whatnot...All religions are right, and they're ultimately there to shape people and their behaviors in life...but eh, I'm talking too much. I apologize, but the issue of religion is fascinating to me.

All religions are right? Doesn`t add up in my book Surely the world started in only one way.

[Athildur]

I have to agree with the people that say there will never be any person without 'good' and 'evil' in him or her (or even it...if that's possible ). It is true that every person has a different perspective on the morals of right and wrong, but I can safely say that the majority of society has a set of things that are right and wrong. Now, these are by no means definite, because there will always be exceptions (killing in self defense would not be considered wrong by many people, even though it means taking another's life).
Although you cannot positively prove there is nobody without both sides of the ancient good/evil coin inside them, it does make incredible sense. In theory it is possible for such a person to exist, but modern day society isn't as withgoing as theory can be.

Perfect, perfect. I severely dislike the word perfect. Before you can assess whether something is perfect, would you not need to know it's entire history, information which is exact to the letter about all aspects? I am absolutely sure that noboy can ever know anything like that, and can therefor not truly state that something is in fact perfect. Nothing is perfect in my eyes. nothing ever can be. Something can get close, but never as close as to being absolutely perfect. This might be picking on the details but then again, it's what I do to get a discussion with people .

First of all: I do not believe in any particular god. I believe there is something, but whether that is a god I cannot say. I will say this:
All religions have a base of which I believe are all right. That's right, a base. That base is a set of moral code meant to guide people in live. It tries to teach them not to wrong others, but to help them (well, in general...not all religions, because I dont know them all...). That, in my eyes, is a very noble and good thing. However, I am more than sure of the fact that through time, and more importantly, human leaders and high ranked people, religions have been distorted, malformed and adapted to fit whatever needs they had back then. It is perhaps not so anymore today (with Christianity. The Islam for example, still struggles with the rights of women, who get severely beat up and mistreated by men whom claim it is righteous by the Koran. this is not true, as the koran does not incite people to do any such thing, but certain people will find a way and say that it is merely a cause of perspective, and when seen from this side, it is perfectly okay to beat the crap out of any woman). With christianity the most of this would be the dark ages/middle ages.

Somehow, over time, religion has changed from a way of living to some sort of army. I don't mean that in the offensive way, but it's like they are always recruiting and recruiting, trying to get people to view it their way. That, in my eyes, is not entirely right. It is perfectly fine to explain to a person what the religion is all about, what they stand for, what rules there are, what can be gained, but that should be it. If people want to join, they will. If they don't want to, they shouldn't have to. period. Free will is important especially with religion, but it seems that more and more one religion is trying to grab hold over the other ones by exerting power, be it through politics or through the people (because everyone knows that people will follow whomever leads...we're lick pack animals...sad, really, but nothing can be doen about it).

That is probably also one of the reasons I do not have a religion. I do not believe it right to bind people to whatever views their 'god(s)' have and make them stick with it. What is the point in having a religion if it basically means stripping away your freedom. We're not sheep, we're people. We need freedom. All strict religion does nowadays is make people feel miserable about themselves because they excersized their right of freedom where the church restricted it.

I could probably go on...but I don't feel like it at the moment . I'm sure I'll have more perspective for you later ^_^.

[Ancient Goddess]

All religions are right? Doesn`t add up in my book Surely the world started in only one way.

I meant all religions are correct in the sense that they help people live their lives, and not necessarily that the actual beliefs are right.

Athi....I agree with your post almost 90% of it....especially this:

All religions have a base of which I believe are all right. That's right, a base. That base is a set of moral code meant to guide people in live. It tries to teach them not to wrong others, but to help them (well, in general...not all religions, because I dont know them all...). That, in my eyes, is a very noble and good thing.

Most religions have a set of morals, and within them lies the boundary between the two sides (good and evil) and their followers are expected to believe people to stay on one side or the other. Now I don't really believe in having a fixed set of morals (that are told to me by someone else) to get to the goal in the end (Heaven, if you believe in that)....because I believe that morals should be set by individuals and not a group....like you said, we'd be like sheep following a movement. My personal morals have been set from experiences I've had in my life and also conclusions I've made in the past.....as I said, I'm not a 'true' Christian, but....that's what I believe in.

Perfect, I suppose, is really what you think it is, what it could be. Everyone probably has different perspectives about it. What is defined as perfect to one person, could be imperfect to the next...It's all what you make of it, I guess.

Anyway, good stuff.

[Athildur]

Heh, I'm always up for a good (and interesting) discussion ^_^.