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It was the fourth-century saint, Augustine who really introduced the idea that man is inherently evil to the Western Church. The Orthodox Churches never accepted this Augustine doctrine and do not hold that man is inherently evil.
So it is a Christian view, held in parts of the Western Church, that man is inherently evil. The rest of us see good in man and only regard a person as evil if he demonstrates himself to be so.
Wiki User
∙ 8y ago
Wiki User
∙ 9y agoActually neither. Good and evil aee subjective terms, dependent upon the perceiver. Human behavior is naturally inquisitive and egocentric. How that is viewed by others is judged good or evil. There are many philosophers on both sides of this question - suggest reading the Lockean v Hobbsian Consensus.
Another answer:
Human nature is "selfish and rebellious to authority." Therefore, it's naturally drawn to "evil and sin." It's easily deceived... either by the god of this world, or even self-deception.
"...the carnal mind [the natural mind of man] is enmity [hostile] to God: for it is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be." (Rom.8:7 KJV)
So, the answer is: human nature is inherently EVIL... but likes to THINK its good.
Additional Answer:
From the biblical account of creation the first human beings originally displayed no evil thoughts or actions. Adam & Eve lived in harmony with their Creator and with each other. As God saw, all was 'good.'
We are also told in The Bible that human beings were made in the image and likeness of God. This is why we have the ability to love, to reason and to feel and express complex emotions.
Along with reasoning, God gave each of us the capacity to look at facts and come to conclusions - hence the power to choose. We make hundreds of reasoned choices each day from what to wear and decide what we'll have for lunch. We determine what in our lives gets priority. We also choose which thoughts we'll consider and which ones we'll discard - how we'll deal with our emotions and what actions we'll take in treating others.
It is in this way that we human beings have the capacity to choose between good and evil. We can choose to control our anger or we can choose to burn down our neighbor's house in revenge. The issue of choice is a complex human activity, but freedom of choice explains why human beings can be both good and evil.
Although unpopular today, the being Satan (who rejected God and became the opposite of Him) enters the Garden and tempts Eve with the forbidden fruit (see Gensis 3:6). She did eat and then offered it to Adam who deliberately disobeyed God by also eatingof it and they both,immediately started to experience the world on Satan's level (opposite of God: hate, angry, selfish, cruel, inwardly pleasing, etc). So it began...
Their human nature became a mixture of good and evil. The evil in them, and in all of us, is a reflection of the devil's evil nature and is the opposite of what God intended for us.
Wiki User
∙ 8y agoThe Scripture is very clear that mankind has the knowledge of both good and evil and has the free will to choose between them. Philosophers like Locke and Hobbes take the two different approaches to this question as with the natural law approach of Saint Thomas Aquinas.
In God's creation, everything was good. By deception Eve ate of the forbidden fruit God had warned them not to eat from. She gave it to her husband Adam who ate of it too. Thus the first sin. From then on humankind had choices to make - follow the way of God which is good or of the way of the 'god' of this world - ha Satan, which is evil.
2 Corinthians 4:3-4New King James Version (NKJV)3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
Wiki User
∙ 8y agoAnother answer from our community:
Human nature is inherently evil and self-deceiving... and likes to THINK it's good.
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If somebody who is honorable does something that is evil do you view that person as still good or now evil?
well, everyone does evil in their lifetime--it's in our nature. A person can be a good person because you trust them, they are virtuous, haven't gone to jail, you know, just a good dude. But that good dude can mess up, he can get really angry, and do something he'll regret later. A big difference between good and evil people is that good people have a conscience, and regret the bad things they did. Evil people do bad things to others because they enjoy it, and don't regret it later.
What approach to personality assumes that human nature is basically good?
The humanistic movement in psychology is oriented toward the positive nature of human beings. This includes Client centered, Gestalt and Existential theory. Individual Theory, part of the psychodynamic movement in psychology, also centers around the positive nature of human beings.
Who saidGood men do good and evil men do evil but for a good man to do evil takes religion?
an athiest
How did evil get into the world?
Once sentience is achieved human kind has always sought after more than their meager existence allowed, greed for material wealth and by extension power. Evil is in this world because some men forsake their humanity and become monsters, all for the sake of wealth and power. There are also lesser evils, like murderers and thieves, these people often have mental illnesses, were abused as a child or had some sort of traumatic experience, either that or they were simply born in an environment that promotes evil. Evil births evil, as does good births good.
The seven traits of human beings?
1) Humans are created in the image and likeness of God Of all visible creatures, only humans can know and love the creator. Only we are called to share, by knowledge and live, in God's own life. 2) Humans are called to happiness and holiness God has placed the desire for happiness in the human in order to draw all people in one, who alone can fulfilled this desire. True happiness, which we can find only in God, is the goal of existence. God calls us to be holy, so that our desire for happiness may be fulfilled. 3) Human's are rational and free By reason, we can understand the order of things established by the Creator, By free will, we can direct ourselves to our true God. 4) Humans are moral beings Freedom is what makes us different from animals. Human's can act with freedom; animals cannot. Because we intended to do certain thing's, our actions are moral they are either good or evil. 5) Humans have passions or feelings Feeling's or passion's include us to act or not to act. They are a part of human nature. They are a sort of passage way between our senses- touch, sight, hearing and feeling-and our mind. In themselves, feelings are neither morally good nor morally evil. 6) Humans are blessed with a conscience Moral conscience is present at the heart of every person. It is like a voice that tells us, at the appropriate moment, to do good and to avoid evil. 7)Humans are able to sin As intelligent and free creatures , we can choose good or evil. . When we fail to love God and neighbour. 　 　
Is good and evil a part of human nature?
Sometimes. It depends on what your nature is-evil or good or both
Is animal by nature good or evil?
Good and evil are human concepts. Animals simply are.
How do revolutionaries view man as inherently good or evil?
Revolutionaries may view man as inherently good, believing that people have the capacity for compassion, creativity, and cooperation to bring about positive change. However, some revolutionaries may also see man as inherently flawed or capable of evil, which can drive the need for radical upheaval and change in society. Ultimately, perspectives on human nature can vary among revolutionaries based on their ideological beliefs and experiences.
Was the mist evil in Mistborn?
The mists in Mistborn are not inherently evil; instead, they are described as mysterious and powerful. They play a significant role in the story, but their nature is more complex than simply being good or evil.
Did john Locke believe people were good or evil?
He believed that individuals had a human nature of goodness
Do puritans view man as good or evil or somewhere in between?
do puritans view man as inherently good evil or somewhere in between ?
Why would a person not antecedently convinced of the existence of a supreme being not infer the goodness of such a creature upon examining the facts about nature?
because that person would be looking for proof of a god that they inherently believe to be good in a world full of misery, hate and evil. specifically in nature there are typhoons, hurricanes, disease all of which occur in nature and kill creatures without regard to whether they are "good or evil" in respect to what their supreme good being considers to be "good or evil".
Are only humans evil or is nature evil?
It is a common Christian lore that humans are inherently evil, which then leads to claims that we can only be protected from our evil natures by being Christian. However, humans are not inherently evil, and those individuals who do evil things are just as likely to be Christian as not.Nature is neutral between good and evil. However, animals other than humans can be evil. For example, a savage dog can attack and kill, not for food or protection but simply because that dog wants to do so.
Did Rousseau believe people were bad or good?
Rousseau believed that humans are inherently good and that civilization was evil.
Transcendentalism view man as good or evil?
Transcendentalism generally views man as inherently good, believing in the inherent goodness of the individual and the importance of self-reliance and intuition. It emphasizes the potential for personal growth and enlightenment through connecting with nature and one's inner self.
Do the puritan view man as inherently good evil or somewhere in between?
Maybe sometimes
What does the story of the fall teach us about human nature?
The fall of humanity reveals that their is evil among humans. The human morality changes over time as evil seeps into individuals. As good versus evil plays out, the fall of humanity reveals evil has won.
