Are 'good' and 'evil' in balance?
- Thread starter Moog
- Start date
tsmall
Premium Member
Whenever I see this question, all I can think of is Piers Anthony's "Pale Horse" books. 
My own personal answer, with no logical basis whatsoever, is that they are always see-sawing back and forth. And, again with no logical basis whatsoever, is that answering this question is why we are "here" in the first place.
My own personal answer, with no logical basis whatsoever, is that they are always see-sawing back and forth. And, again with no logical basis whatsoever, is that answering this question is why we are "here" in the first place.
MaeMae
Banned
I believe good outweighs evil exponentially.
It's harder to resist doing good than it is to resist doing bad. For most humans.
I think the bigger question is did the big bang give humans the ability to discern? Is emotion "matter?"
If so, it is in the de-evolution process.
Most evil acts originate from fear.
Good acts originate from love.
Fear of nothingness.
Love in hope.
Each of us has more hope than fear, I believe.
Slowly but methodically, the gap fills.
Did the big bang plan it that way?
It's harder to resist doing good than it is to resist doing bad. For most humans.
I think the bigger question is did the big bang give humans the ability to discern? Is emotion "matter?"
If so, it is in the de-evolution process.
Most evil acts originate from fear.
Good acts originate from love.
Fear of nothingness.
Love in hope.
Each of us has more hope than fear, I believe.
Slowly but methodically, the gap fills.
Did the big bang plan it that way?
Mark
Well-known member
By natural law, there is no evil. Evil is found in human expressions. As I've pointed out elsewhere in the forum a number of times, all the Universe ticks away like a grand clockwork, perfectly orderly and predictable, except humans. Everything else achieves equilibrium naturally. We are the only element of the Universe that has the ability to get confused. So, we might have to say that evil is an human invention. This is often talked of in terms of sin or debt, but I think both of those analogies miss the point. We are gods. Therefore, we have the ability and responsibility to be our best selves. Whatever you can conceive of as being the best version of you, be that.
The fact that evil is found only in human expression means that evil is finite. Good, however, is Infinite. The natural good can be defined as the order of the Universe. Our interpretations of that order are what twists and flavours every individual perception. How we choose to interpret the world we perceive has very much to do with who and what we become. We find ourselves living within a natural system. Therefore, how well we can interact with ourselves, each other, and everything else depends directly on how well we can understand the natural order in which we live. Every thought, word, and action creates something within ourselves and within the Universe we perceive. The natural good is living in agreement with the Universe in all things at all times. How do we come to agree with the Universe? Look. Listen. Think. Work. Rest. Repeat for a very long time. Then, realise that it wasn't necessary in the first place. It's not about becoming anything at all. It's about realising what you always have been.
The fact that evil is found only in human expression means that evil is finite. Good, however, is Infinite. The natural good can be defined as the order of the Universe. Our interpretations of that order are what twists and flavours every individual perception. How we choose to interpret the world we perceive has very much to do with who and what we become. We find ourselves living within a natural system. Therefore, how well we can interact with ourselves, each other, and everything else depends directly on how well we can understand the natural order in which we live. Every thought, word, and action creates something within ourselves and within the Universe we perceive. The natural good is living in agreement with the Universe in all things at all times. How do we come to agree with the Universe? Look. Listen. Think. Work. Rest. Repeat for a very long time. Then, realise that it wasn't necessary in the first place. It's not about becoming anything at all. It's about realising what you always have been.
Last edited:
These terms are relative,not absolute.
"It's impossibe to be simply one or the other....Acknowledge that you are containing all the opposites,contradictions and paradoxes of the world within you....A particular situation cannot be good or bad.It depends entirely on where and when you're looking from,and who is looking.A situation is both good and bad.....Once you can see that you,another person,or a situation is neither good nor bad but both,your perspective is instantaneously raised to the transpersonal level which transcends opposites.When you transcend the opposites,you are dealing directly with the Tao."
Barefoot Doctor.
"It's impossibe to be simply one or the other....Acknowledge that you are containing all the opposites,contradictions and paradoxes of the world within you....A particular situation cannot be good or bad.It depends entirely on where and when you're looking from,and who is looking.A situation is both good and bad.....Once you can see that you,another person,or a situation is neither good nor bad but both,your perspective is instantaneously raised to the transpersonal level which transcends opposites.When you transcend the opposites,you are dealing directly with the Tao."
Barefoot Doctor.
MaeMae
Banned
Is that the alarm I hear....time to wake up....
::turn over clock::
read, 'Made in China'
JUPITERASC
Well-known member
Exactly
Ion
Well-known member
According to Plato (Allegory of The Cave) , EVERYTHING emanates from 'The Form of The All Good' . . . . .
'Evil' is 'in service' to the 'all good' because evil sends us away from itself and back towards the good . (Pleasure-Pain Principle) .
According to Genesis (interpreted) we are advised to 'know only (be aware of) the "good" ' . . . . . so . . . . Genesis implies that 'evil' exists and exists within the 'shadow of God' . . . . we must first introduce concepts of 'evil' into consciousness before we see (in theory) 'evil' in our 3D 'reality' . . . so ? ... the moral is to 'keep to the all good' .
Ion
JUPITERASC
Well-known member
As well as agreeing with the Barefoot Doctor quote by Jerry RR, additionally, IMO Moog, any 'opposite' implies the existence of the other and as a result both are inextricably linked.
Imagine a black and white Yin/Yang symbol for instance.
The black portion of the symbol encapsulates the seed of white.
The white portion of the symbol encapsulates the seed of black.
'Black' and 'White' morph endlessly in what the Chinese refer to as The Cycle of Change - Ironically, Change is the one reliable constant
We can apply the idea to many areas - nature for example. A leaf falls from a tree, disintegrates to earth, then combines with rain and is drawn in by the roots of the tree which endlessly re-creates itself
A dead leaf is neither 'bad' nor 'good' but simply a part of the Cycle of Change
"plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose". i.e. "The more it changes, the more it is the same thing"
Every Saint has a Past and Every Sinner has a Future
Imagine a black and white Yin/Yang symbol for instance.
The black portion of the symbol encapsulates the seed of white.
The white portion of the symbol encapsulates the seed of black.
'Black' and 'White' morph endlessly in what the Chinese refer to as The Cycle of Change - Ironically, Change is the one reliable constant
We can apply the idea to many areas - nature for example. A leaf falls from a tree, disintegrates to earth, then combines with rain and is drawn in by the roots of the tree which endlessly re-creates itself
A dead leaf is neither 'bad' nor 'good' but simply a part of the Cycle of Change
"plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose". i.e. "The more it changes, the more it is the same thing"
Every Saint has a Past and Every Sinner has a Future
Zonark
Well-known member
This is an interesting question, so interesting because of the varying answers it's received over the course of human history. In very early religions of humankind I think the scales tipped toward 'evil' being the dominant force. Sacrifices made to appease hungry, wrathful Gods were commonplace and goodness was portrayed as hard wrought, if apparent at all. The Gods of many old world religions, though not entirely evil, were a far cry from good and showed more traits of malice than of benevolence. This began to change in the Mid eastern region with the advent of Zoroastrianism which proposed a balance between Good and Evil. In the East we have the way of the Tao teaching a similar balance arising at a close time in history.
Buddhism taught that good actions would lead to release from maya, illusion that had a basically evil nature.
Christianity teaches evil actions as being corruptible to one's soul but teaches that good works will not release one from sin. Catholicism does not so much teach as enshrine the reverse of the latter. Gnosticism, especially the dualistic schools of thought, define the whole universe as evil and seem to be markedly in favor of evil being dominant with Lucifer the lightbringer struggling to get through to the spirit of humanity while the Demiurge bound souls in chains of matter.
Islam teaches a clear and righteous victory of good over evil, Allah's will being infinitely greater than that of men, angels and djinn alike with a clear emphasis on Allah's goodness.
Zen teaches the irrelevancy of the dichotomy.
The Enlightenment clearly favored knowledge as a force of goodness, it being a natural quality of the accretion of understanding.
Western psychoanalysis taught of good and evil as internalized unresolved ego conflicts. It favored exploration of these conflicts and was tentatively optimistic.
Science seeks to answer this question on its own terms.
I only think it matters which of these two things you would like to see more of in the world.
Buddhism taught that good actions would lead to release from maya, illusion that had a basically evil nature.
Christianity teaches evil actions as being corruptible to one's soul but teaches that good works will not release one from sin. Catholicism does not so much teach as enshrine the reverse of the latter. Gnosticism, especially the dualistic schools of thought, define the whole universe as evil and seem to be markedly in favor of evil being dominant with Lucifer the lightbringer struggling to get through to the spirit of humanity while the Demiurge bound souls in chains of matter.
Islam teaches a clear and righteous victory of good over evil, Allah's will being infinitely greater than that of men, angels and djinn alike with a clear emphasis on Allah's goodness.
Zen teaches the irrelevancy of the dichotomy.
The Enlightenment clearly favored knowledge as a force of goodness, it being a natural quality of the accretion of understanding.
Western psychoanalysis taught of good and evil as internalized unresolved ego conflicts. It favored exploration of these conflicts and was tentatively optimistic.
Science seeks to answer this question on its own terms.
I only think it matters which of these two things you would like to see more of in the world.
Neptune Rising
Well-known member
I don't see things in terms of 'good' and 'evil'. I just see things are just the way they are. Life has a series of lessons, some easy and some challenging, either way, it is our choice how we learn from them. Good and evil reminds me of a retribution kind of perspective, reward and punishment, which in itself is not balanced, and the retribution outlook, imo, reminds me of my religious lessons from school and early years (9th house Pluto - I tend to form my own philosophy, perhaps from exploring various religious and philosophical perspectives).
When we see things as evil, why do we see them this way? If something is evil, we probably don't like the feelings that it arouses in us, so we label it as evil. This, I feel, brings out a victim mentality in us and a sense of seperation as well as disempowerment. Just like if something is good, then we want more and more of it, because it makes us feel nice. Life has ups and downs, all of which are experiences for us to learn from, and hopefully, to empower us with.
When we see things as evil, why do we see them this way? If something is evil, we probably don't like the feelings that it arouses in us, so we label it as evil. This, I feel, brings out a victim mentality in us and a sense of seperation as well as disempowerment. Just like if something is good, then we want more and more of it, because it makes us feel nice. Life has ups and downs, all of which are experiences for us to learn from, and hopefully, to empower us with.
JUPITERASC
Well-known member
The 'Retribution perspective' you mention reminds me of 'evil serial killers' and murderers being themselves murdered by the state has been discussed on this thread http://www.astrologyweekly.com/forum/showthread.php?t=40720
The retribution perspective also brings sobering reminders from History, such as the first use of weapons of mass destruction - first on Hiroshima where 70,000 human beings died instantly and another 70,000 human beings were injured: next on Nagasaki where another 40,000 died instantly - an act of retribution against the Japanese for their attacking America's Pearl Harbour. The following links to a series of fifteen minute documentary videos entitled "24 hours after Hiroshima" beginning with Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jY9VwCE_Dsg&feature=related
The question "is war good or evil?" is certainly an important one to ponder
In a sense the good is the balance..
The bible teaches to trust in the Lord, meaning you're sincere and focused. Growing up you're taught how seperate you're than everyone.. and that you're an individual and its so true..but they make you focus on it so much to a point it corrupts you unknowingly..no matter what people judge you, its such a habit you size people up everytime you see them, but the more you get to know somebody you start to judge them less..In the bible it talks about satan and how he judged people which caused his fall. HE thought he was better than everybody, or just simply couldn't agree to being equal. When you trust in the lord, you do not judge..the truth is when you're where you need to be, this wont be of question..but none of this can happen unless the heart is as free as the mind.
The bible teaches to trust in the Lord, meaning you're sincere and focused. Growing up you're taught how seperate you're than everyone.. and that you're an individual and its so true..but they make you focus on it so much to a point it corrupts you unknowingly..no matter what people judge you, its such a habit you size people up everytime you see them, but the more you get to know somebody you start to judge them less..In the bible it talks about satan and how he judged people which caused his fall. HE thought he was better than everybody, or just simply couldn't agree to being equal. When you trust in the lord, you do not judge..the truth is when you're where you need to be, this wont be of question..but none of this can happen unless the heart is as free as the mind.
JUPITERASC
Well-known member
Moog, I'm interested regarding your thoughts/opinions on the question you have asked