Dahmer: An Observation of Good and Evil

[PrezLeefun]

Dahmer: An Observation of Good and Evil

In my psychology class we are observing the idea that there is both good and evil in every human being. So how does one become completly evil, or completly good? Is there such a thing as being completely one moral standard? Does it soley count on the chioces we make?

So take Dahmer: Is he evil or did he just simply make evil decisions.

http://www.scaryhorrormovies.com/jeffrey_dahmer.jpg

[Wolfcounsel]

"So take Dahmer: Is he evil or did he just simply make evil decisions." --PrezLeefun


Yes. Most definitely.

[Peachdiane]

Only God knows Dahmer's heart. Only He can judge him. But his actions were indeed evil with his murders and what he did with the corpses. I believe people have the capability to make choices. One can choose the path of bad or good.

Throughout daily life one is confronted with making choices. Even if Dahmer's environment taught him 'wrong' he still had the choice to choose the right path.

[Wyatt_Junker]

This entire conversation is nonsensical without an in-depth, a priori discussion of Christ; who He is, what He did and and why He did it.

Without that twinkling gem, this discussion not only suffers, it rots from the head down.

Christ is the defintion of such terms. You will not find good and evil in anything other than Judaeo-Christianity. Psychology holds no sway here, in a tradition that far surpasses Freud, Jung and Maslow combined, a tradition that goes back nearly 5 millenia. The start and stop points of human evil are ingrained in something beyond an idea called evil since 'evil' is a by-product of sin. And it is this sin or separation from God, that also necessitates His earthly visitation, encompassing it and bringing forth redemption.

There is no good. There is only Christ.

[Curtman]

This entire conversation is nonsensical without an in-depth, a priori discussion of Christ; who He is, what He did and and why He did it.

Without that twinkling gem, this discussion not only suffers, it rots from the head down.

Christ is the defintion of such terms. You will not find good and evil in anything other than Judaeo-Christianity. Psychology holds no sway here, in a tradition that far surpasses Freud, Jung and Maslow combined, a tradition that goes back nearly 5 millenia. The start and stop points of human evil are ingrained in something beyond an idea called evil since 'evil' is a by-product of sin. And it is this sin or separation from God, that also necessitates His earthly visitation, encompassing it and bringing forth redemption.

There is no good. There is only Christ.

Wyatt, first let me just say Christ is real. I do not doubt your position but only say so to re-confirm mine.
With that said, if there were no Christ, no God in Heaven, would there be no good and or evil?

[HomeschoolrsRUs]

I think Wyatt is right -- good and evil and the differences in between all lie in the reality of Christ. What I mean by that is this, and this is REALLY hard for some people to hear, accept, and acknowledge, some people are born into this life, on this earth, for the sole purposes of effecting another (or several others) lives, and to die and go to you-know-where. Each person has purpose, a function -- sometimes we know what it is, sometimes we don't, doesn't change the fact that we have one even if we can't see it or don't ever see it.


When sin entered the earth through Satan's temptation and man's fall, the dynamic on earth changed. The concept of "free-will" was introduced. So among us walk evil and good, in us the potential for either, pre-determined lies the reality of which, and from that we are only left with hindsight (which is always 20/20, as we know it, LOL).

Of course, that's just my two cents worth.

[DesertFox]

"Good" or "evil" can be considered in terms of life itself: Good is whatever promotes life, and evil is its opposite. So good = life, evil = antilife. With this definition you can discuss the subject in both greater and lesser senses than just the physical.

[Wyatt_Junker]

Wyatt, first let me just say Christ is real. I do not doubt your position but only say so to re-confirm mine.
With that said, if there were no Christ, no God in Heaven, would there be no good and or evil?

Yes.

If Christ did not exist, then I would be dammned. And as such, there would be absolutely no hope nor moral compass for which to base 'hope' upon. And thereby, as someone lost, having no reference points to navigate by, I would enter the blur of life without any ticks on the dial of right and wrong.

Christ is the reason, the only reason I withold myself from the devices of this world, abstaining from surfing porn, abstaining from hunting down and murdering people who cut me off in traffic, abstain from that which does not promote life in general.

He is the Great Restrainer who lives in me. And He wages war within me, against my lesser man. And I listen to Him. Otherwise I would be nothing, for I am nothing without Him. In Him I remain ignorant of such things as 'good' and 'evil', living by the Spirit. Outside of Him, I guess at such ethical dilemmas(that's why prayer is so important). What purpose is there to do so, to strive, to be patient, to have faith etc. without Him? Ethics have no meaning without a purpose. And He is that purpose which enlivens my decisions to choose the good and reject the evil. And I only know this because of my ignorance.

It is when I know, that I am lost. The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil is not to be known. It is a curse. We should have layed an axe to it when we first saw it sprout. The moment you eat of it and begin this "knowing" is the same moment that you begin, not only to die, but to commit atrocities small and large. And it is the small ones that I fear the most due to their unthreatening nature. You don't do anything horrible, you don't go to jail, you don't Pol Pot anyone and yet, inside, you are the most despicable creatures alive.

Good. Evil.

These are human concerns. The Spirit shall set you free of them. And, when He does, you will wake up one morning not knowing why and you will have an urge to pick up the phone and call someone whom you haven't talked to in years. It is not a good deed. That's not even on your radar. You're not a Hollywood lib, 'paying it forward' or 'doing an act of kindness'. You are just a man and the Lord has put something He wants you to do in your heart and ... you just do it without telegraphing it through the devious channels of your brain. You just feel and do. And this thing called 'good' is organic at that point. You are living in the Spirit. And you have been delivered from the academy/prison of the mind and the weight of 'good and evil'.

[Wyatt_Junker]

"Good" or "evil" can be considered in terms of life itself: Good is whatever promotes life, and evil is its opposite. So good = life, evil = antilife. With this definition you can discuss the subject in both greater and lesser senses than just the physical.

Nice clarity, Jack. Attaching 'good' to something narrow does help advance the discussion. 'Good' is too unwieldy and large. But 'life' helps solidify what we're talking about.