Evil
3 years 9 months ago #684
by Setanaoko
I'm going to modify the question from one I saw earlier this week, because I'd love to know how each of you approach the topic:
Why does evil exist?
Christianity typically refers to "evil" as "sin", but in the Bible it states that God does not sin, but can (and will) visit evil upon man (Job 2:10 affirms that God can and will visit evil upon man). It's of note that the (Hebrew) word used by Job in the verse is the very same used in contrast of "good" when describing the "Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil", signifying that the Jewish tradition held the word as meaning the same thing when they taught it to the people.
Of course, the other thing to note, is that by teaching that there was a Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, it means it existed before man was created.
Now, I'm using Christianity as a lens, only because it's the most recognizable. But there's another one I'd like to use
- Igbo.
The Igbo believe that "Evil" is anything which brings harm to someone. In their cosmology, however, it is believed that when you enter into this world you are assigned a "Chi"(not the same as the Chinese concept, it's closer to the Greek "Daemon") which guides you through life. Evil is inflicted upon you if you don't follow it, but you can be assigned a "Chi" which is inherently evil as well. That's how you get people like Stalin, Mao or Hitler, serial killers, etc. It's linked to their "Chi". The purpose behind one's "chi" to be good or evil may be linked directly to the purposes which Chi-Ukwu (the chief deity) has determined. Given that Chi-Ukwu is all-knowing, (no-pronoun assigned) role in Igbo cosmology does seem to carry with it similarities to the Abrahamic YHWH.
Anyways, these are just a beginning point, things which some people in the world have used to explain evil. Although Christianity explains away that evil exists because Satan exists, this kind of ignores the fact that there was a tree in the garden in the first place. The Igbo, on the other hand, have linked it directly to how Chi-Ukwu moves the world forward for whatever purpose this deity deems necessary.
So what about you? Why do you believe that evil exists?
Why does evil exist?
Christianity typically refers to "evil" as "sin", but in the Bible it states that God does not sin, but can (and will) visit evil upon man (Job 2:10 affirms that God can and will visit evil upon man). It's of note that the (Hebrew) word used by Job in the verse is the very same used in contrast of "good" when describing the "Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil", signifying that the Jewish tradition held the word as meaning the same thing when they taught it to the people.
Of course, the other thing to note, is that by teaching that there was a Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, it means it existed before man was created.
Now, I'm using Christianity as a lens, only because it's the most recognizable. But there's another one I'd like to use
- Igbo.The Igbo believe that "Evil" is anything which brings harm to someone. In their cosmology, however, it is believed that when you enter into this world you are assigned a "Chi"(not the same as the Chinese concept, it's closer to the Greek "Daemon") which guides you through life. Evil is inflicted upon you if you don't follow it, but you can be assigned a "Chi" which is inherently evil as well. That's how you get people like Stalin, Mao or Hitler, serial killers, etc. It's linked to their "Chi". The purpose behind one's "chi" to be good or evil may be linked directly to the purposes which Chi-Ukwu (the chief deity) has determined. Given that Chi-Ukwu is all-knowing, (no-pronoun assigned) role in Igbo cosmology does seem to carry with it similarities to the Abrahamic YHWH.
Anyways, these are just a beginning point, things which some people in the world have used to explain evil. Although Christianity explains away that evil exists because Satan exists, this kind of ignores the fact that there was a tree in the garden in the first place. The Igbo, on the other hand, have linked it directly to how Chi-Ukwu moves the world forward for whatever purpose this deity deems necessary.
So what about you? Why do you believe that evil exists?
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