1. Is evil inherent in human nature? That is, are some people just “born
evil,” or is evil caused by circumstance or environment?
The fact that “human nature” and
“evil” were put in the same interrogative sentence answers the question
instantly, because the term “human nature,” is known to be traits or
characteristics shared by all human
beings, and obviously, not everyone is born naturally evil. Because it is impossible to avoid committing sins, I
believe that it is the severity of the sin that makes one truly evil. For
example, at some point, everyone has told a white lie, which doesn’t exactly
make you “evil.” The term evil itself can be changed within cultures; in other
words, no one has the same definition of evil. And it is because of this that circumstance
or environment must shape an individual to become an image of evil to someone
else.
- Are
our lives determined by fate, or by the acts of our free will?
Life consists of
paths and choices, and because we do consider our paths and imagine our futures
before making choices, I believe that we have free will. This question directly
relates to faith because if everyone did have their own fates, there should be
someone, or something, that shapes them. My faith leads me to believe that
although there is someone who ultimately controls all things around me, I have
choices that will shape what I will become in the future.
- Is
redemption truly possible? That is, is it possible to commit an act of
genuine evil and truly recover from it?
It is, if the act
of evil was for the greater good, meaning that even though someone has
committed a sin, if the result benefits more than it damages, that sin should
be forgivable. However it isn’t easy to fully recover, especially if it
involves a relationship; even though one is forgiven, the person/people
affected will still have a twinge of doubt of whether or not they should fully
trust that person.
- Is
it possible to admire or respect a person whom you know has committed acts
of genuine evil?
This
could relate to the “forgive-and-forget” rule, because although you’ve forgiven
a person, you will never forget what they’ve done, no matter how hard you try.
Although a person has done something evil, it is possible to respect them if
they earn that respect and trust back; it just might be a bit difficult because
of the act of evil they committed.
- Do
“the ends justify the means”? That is, if one uses morally evil methods to
acquire a goal, is that goal forever tainted or polluted by the actions
one has taken to achieve it?
I believe that it
is. Achieving a goal is important, but how
that goal was achieved is just as important. If something evil must be
committed to achieve a goal, the goal itself must be imperative to the
situation, meaning that basically, if an act of evil is necessary to achieve a
goal, that goal has to be vitally important to a situation.
