Wednesday 2 Nov, 2011 - Enquiry Topic

The Existence of Evil...?

I added the question mark at the end. It doesn't show up on the Schedule. I think it needs to be more of a question than a statement though. Don't you agree?

So, what do YOU think...?

...When we or anyone else does bad stuff are we simply enacting, manifesting if you like something that exists in the world, exists in the ether, in its own right, outside of us? Or are we simply doing evil? In other words am I the agent/cy that brings about evil in the world or am I just a victim, taken over by something (some thing separate from me, that is) for which I cannot be held responsible, not directly at least?

It's been said hasn't it, that people often say they can feel evil? Here, they seem to be describing a thing that is, well, palpable: it exists around them, separate from them, it's a thing to be feared, avoided, even exorcised!

The topic of course errs towards religion and I'm sure we will explore it at least partly in those terms but I do believe we can approach the subject without, necessarily, resorting to an entirely spiritual language. I pride myself on at least trying to be open to all possibilities. In the interests of open dialogue can we, even temporarily, suspend belief? Perhaps approach this topic by presenting beliefs (and there are many variations available to us) as merely potential explanations, carrying no more or less weight or being no more or less valid than their non-spiritual counterparts.

The topic itself of course brings up issues of personal responsibility, culpability, blame... awareness even. We may talk of a world that harbours evil: evil things, evil doers, evil intents. A world, past and present, that is awash with the evidences of evil. But what are we really dealing with here... is it evil as a thing or evil as an action, borne of a thought and enacted by yours truly i.e. ourselves?

I look forward to a good dialogue...

Ray