Good and Evil (Sept 24 Class)

During class, we had a really interesting discussion about what counts as something good, and what counts as something evil that went along with the reading that day from the GHS Reader.  We also briefly referenced the Friends episode in which Phoebe and Joey try to find a selfless good deed, only to find that there is none. We also talked about if people are inherently good or evil and why.

I do not know what I think about this, because I can see it going many different ways depending on the way I think about it. From a Judeo-Christian standpoint, I think that everyone is born evil. In the book of Genesis, when Adam and Eve were created, they were both made inherently neutral, which can be seen as good. I like to think that if Eve had not eaten the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. By doing so, she and Adam became aware of the difference between good and evil. This story is also the reason why everyone is now born with sin, which technically is evil. Therefore, everyone is born evil, but it does not necessarily mean they do evil things, it is just based on the fact that everyone is born a sinner.

There are things to do to become good. Continuing on with the religion example, one can pray and ask for forgiveness from their sins. They can do good things in the name of the Lord. For religions other than Christianity or Judaism, there are likely things that one can do to become good if they so desire.

Leave a comment