Gender: female Member Since: October 02, 2007 Last Signed In: January 06, 2009 Profile Views: 818 Blog Views: 677 Vacation to EWTN and Mother Angelica's Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament (Part 1) Is Evil Relative? Can we know objective truth about evil? Last Abortion Clinic in So. Dakota Closes after New Law Requires Recognition of the Humanity of the Child The Crusades: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly The Problem and Nature of Evil: What is evil, and why does evil happen? To the question of why bad things happen to good people, Socrates replied that they never do! Historical Christianity disagrees. Tolerance of facts: Can Obama supporters deal with his record? Militant Islam and Atheistic Communism- What do they have in common? One embraces faith without reason, and the other, reason without faith. Viva el Papa! The John Paul II Generation Welcomes Pope Benedict XVI to America New Generation of Pro-life Activists on College Campuses Recently Published Study: the Link Between Abortion and Breast Cancer November 07 December 07 January 08 February 08 March 08 April 08 May 08 June 08 July 08 August 08 September 08 October 08 November 08 December 08 January 09 
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Is Evil Relative? Can we know objective truth about evil?
Man can know objective truth in science, in mathematics, and even history. If we can find objective truth with evidence in these fields, can mankind know the objective truth about evil? This blog came about as a discussion between me and some other posters on the nature of evil. I believe that evil can be known, that evil exists in some actions and intents, and that any supposed relatively concerning evil is denying nature's laws. To me, what makes something evil is when something takes away life unaturally, or at times when something is used against its purpose: for instance, medicine is used to heal, but when medicine is used to take away life, it no longer serves its purpose and becomes an evil action. These aren't the only points, but the major ones. Others offer that no actions or set of beliefs are evil- it's all an opinion of the individual or the society. For instance, one poster proposes that rape is not evil, because some cultures viewed it as the status quo. Rape, along with its physical, mental, and emotional violations is not evil if one's opinion says so. According to this line of thinking, there are no intrinsically (by nature) evil actions. I see this as moral relativity run amock. This system of thinking makes jibberish of the legal system, as one's opinion of evil could differ from one lawyer, judge, and criminal to the next. What would nature and nature's laws give us to think about this? Nature is at its best when it is alive, and healthy. Rape takes away from one's mental and emotional health, I say, even if your culture tries to say it's okay. Who are we trying to fool here? Ask a little girl if she liked being raped, even if her culture allows it. Ask girls in Africa if they liked having their genitals mutilated even when there culture says it's the thing to do. What about a dose of common sense and reality? Rape can kill the one being raped (and the raper as well). Transmission of HIV can occur, or violent sex can kill, not to mention irate mothers, fathers, and siblings outraged at the "neutral" action. Can societies evolve, so that what they once thought was okay- rape, slavery, they arrive at a heightened sense of morality or consciousness and change their laws to reflect their new conclusions? I think it's certainly true that societies regress, as the U.S. now okays abortion up to the moment of birth. This wasn't legal before 1972. Did human nature change? IMO, just because something is a law, it doesn't mean it's a just law. I do want to say that these are my thoughts on the subject, and I have in no way studied this definitively, but I am about exploring ideas.
7 comments from 4 users
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posted by
maryann
on Jul 30, 2008 at 06:10 PM
Yeah, to me I remember how fiesty McCain was when he went against Bush in 2000. Freethinker, I think I need to start praying NOW about those debates...... posted by
freethinker
on Jul 30, 2008 at 04:27 PM
It will be interesting to see him debate Obama.
posted by
ragman
on Jul 30, 2008 at 02:14 PM
I wish the younger McCain were running. He seems to have slowed down a bit. He is not the "maverick" he once was and is creating little excitement. And, sometimes we need excitement.
posted by
maryann
on Jul 30, 2008 at 08:01 AM
Hello Ragman, d*** Cheney is evil?? Hadn't thought much about that one! I agree with you that the topic of evil is a no-win situation, as we're always going to have evil with us. You might agree that even though we will always have evil, that we should stil fight the d*** Cheneys of the world and not just lie down and take it. I chose this topic because, like a kid with fire, I'm always fascinated by something that can destroy. I want to see what makes it run, or tick. With el aborto, some might see it as a no-win argument, but so many lives have been saved by appealing to human compassion. I really think the tide is turning. You talk about the Republican platform, and you know, I have thought the same myself. They don't want to really end abortion, as the base would get passive. But then I look at how McCain is so blase, so asleep at the wheel, when it comes to this topic and his conservative base. He's losing a huge opportunity to whip some excitement into the electorate by not getting activley behind life issues. IMO, he could not care about life issues so much, and he won't go against his convictions and fake it- or he's too politically inept to realize he could gather votes. If the crazy Republicans lose this election, it's their own stupid fault, as I believe it is theirs to lose. You are so right about reaping what we sow! We just might reap it this next election. posted by
ragman
on Jul 29, 2008 at 10:23 PM
There is a lot of evil in the world. I think bombing civilians into submission is evil. However, many don't. A large majority of these folks are the same ones who think abortion is evil. I am not sure if abortion is evil, but I will say it is wrong. It is a private decision though. It is also legal; as is drinking, and gambling. Abortion will never be outlawed because, what would the right-wing run on for a platform. They would have no issue. BUT that's another story. We all reap what we sow. I respect your opinion and your point of view on this, but I think it is one of those no win arguments. Like say the death penalty. Which is also wrong, IMO. Now discuss, I think d*** Cheney is evil. Can that be? posted by
maryann
on Jul 29, 2008 at 08:06 PM
Thanks for your opinion, Pilot. For a piece that "beats around the bush" you certainly were able to find enough in the bush to comment on. I agree that rape is never good under any circumstance. Glad you could draw the line. Abortion is the taking of an innocent life, if it's at 6 weeks or 8.5 months. Partial-birth abortion was deemed by the Supreme Court to NEVER be necessary for the life of a mother. It makes no sense to half deliver a baby, jab scissors into the base of its skull and suck its brains out, when you could just as easily deliver it live. I also say that killling any viable fetus is especially grotesque, when other babies who are "wanted" sit in the incubators as their parents fight for their lives. Those in the trash can are forgotten, at least by some. If a mother's life is truly in danger, then no one has proffered that the woman die to save the infant. Where'd you get that from? Ya know, you keep making these ignorant comments about my beliefs or the beliefs of Christians in general. To be ignorant is not bad always, but you keep putting out these misconceptions of what you think is someone's belief, and it just ain't so. If you're going to comment on something and you don't know for sure about the situation, say so. An operation designed to save the life of the woman that does injure the child is not killing the child intentionally. Someone who is 3 months pregnant with an ectopic pregnancy can die from the situation. Removing cyst, the infection, to save the mom is not an intentional killing of the child. This is an ethical option. Other women would choose to not have other operations, and heroically save the child and maybe themselves. We're not all called to that. As far as branding everyone who has had an abortion as evil, those are your words. I said the act is evil. Pilot, why did you bring up Catholics and Catholicville, dude? Didn't you notice that my post mentions NOTHING about religion, but only discusses nature and nature's laws? I do not always use "God" arguments, as often people like yourself fail to respect God in those conversations. So I leave Him out, usually until one of the disrespecters brings him up. BTW, one doesn't have to be "religous" to support human life.
posted by
pilot
on Jul 29, 2008 at 07:09 PM
I see a beat around the bush piece of text, that attempted to weave a tale and make a point, that took until the next to the last sentence for you to get to your obsession. Rape is NEVER good under any circumstances. Abortion is a taking of life, and under most circumstances, at least questionable, under some circumstances, just wrong I would surmise, but under some others, advisable to either save an already living person from imminent death or a life of disability. I am not talking about partial birth abortions, nor do I intend even one time to further debate this with you or anyone else. I have no plan on hopping into the ring with militant anti-abortion Catholics in Catholicville Texas, but to brand everyone who chooses abortion as "evil" is just wrong.
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