I think you are on to something there, Francis. Evil in general may be simple opposition to what we consider good - and most of us have a need to see ourselves as good. One way to do that (not a good one) is to find evil or wrong etc., in others. This kind of polarity is reflected in so many layers of life, physical, emotional, rational, material...
I have also been openly called evil, although I knew that the term simply meant that I did not agree with the speaker, and they were so attached to their own agenda that my disagreement was truly felt as evil by them. Once it blew over, it was obvious that they held that solitary perception of me, although in the moment, my fear was that the opinion would be shared. I have learned over they years to rely on my own moral compass which has been pretty good to me. Slip, your idea about evil energy is an interesting one, although energy without individual intent might not fall into that realm. Karma would, but I am not sure that everyone holds the same view on that. I don't believe that anyone else's negative thoughts about me can be harmful, although their actions can become malicious or dangerous. I do think that my own negative thoughts and feelings can have a profound effect on my experience, and that might be part of Neil's taking responsibility. On Mar 16, 1:36 pm, frantheman <[email protected]> wrote: > Well, Gabby, I experience this post as more honest, or maybe I can > partly understand the questions better. > > I have been in situations where others may well have regarded me as > being evil. In the years I spent managing old-peoples' homes I > remember a number of interviews with employees which started with, > "Nobody wants to hurt you ..." and finished with the said person being > fired, or, more usually, being put in positions where they had very > little option other than to quit. At the time I could rationalise the > situation by arguing that it was my job, or that I had a wider > responsibility to the residents, the co-workers, or the church > organisation which owned the home. It was even true. But such > experiences were also part of my decision to stop doing that sort of > work. > > I asked the question about evil because I don't know the answer. In my > life I have experienced stupidity, weakness, illness, thoughtlessness, > mistakes, hurt and hurting. In myself and in others. I visited > Auschwitz many years ago - I experienced it as a very silent place and > found myself crying when I stood in front of a huge glass box full of > childrens' shoes. I do not doubt that what I saw there - and what > occurred there - was evil. But were the thousands involved (and the > many other at least hundreds of thousands who knew or suspected what > was going on) all evil? I do not know. > > The world-view of purgatory and hell, a vengeful judging God, mortal > sins and damned souls I experienced as a young Catholic child was > certainly warped, damaged and disturbing. But I also experienced an > open, courageous, engaged, forgiving, post-Vatican II vision of > Catholicism, which I found many inspiring for many years, and many > wonderful people energized by this vision and working to spread it. > Many of them are still there. My conclusions 1) that I nonetheIess > couldn't assent to the fundamental premises of the Church and 2) that > under the Wojtila papacy the Catholic Church was consistently moving > to reject the open vision which had inspired me developed > contemporaneously and led me to sever my formal connections with the > Catholic Church over twenty years ago. > > Intelligent design, dumb design, malevolent design - I don't find much > sense in any of them. I'm happy enough experiencing and revelling in > the wonderful depth of Is-ness. One thing I do suspect, it's an easy > and cheap answer to those whom we don't agree with to label them as > being evil. > > Francis > > On 16 Mrz., 16:51, gabbydott <[email protected]> wrote: > > > What subject, Francis? Where did you describe how you come across as > > evil to others and why? Reading how a grown man who said he left his > > Irish-Catholic home some time ago seriously ponders over the existence > > of evil makes me sick and tired. Escapism into the world of dumb > > design is the perfectly logic consequence. > > > On 16 Mrz., 12:41, frantheman <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > Being honest in reply, Gabby, I would be more interested in possible > > > thoughts from you concerning the subject than in snide comments. > > > As to how my ex-partner feels, you'd have to ask her. I have no > > > contact with her. The few comments I've heard from mutual friends > > > suggest that she is not in very good shape. > > > > On 16 Mrz., 11:11, gabbydott <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > May I be honest, Francis? It doesn’t surprise me that you think of > > > > Molly in your hour of need for an answer. Does your ex-partner feel > > > > better by now? I hope she does. > > > > > On 15 Mrz., 14:51, frantheman <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > Reading the discussion here on Tim K.'s amok slaughter in Southern > > > > > Germany this week, the question occurred to me; does evil exist? To be > > > > > sure, we encounter examples of evil all the time, but we generally > > > > > tend to seek explanations for "evil" actions, or "evil" courses of > > > > > events. But what of deeds or people who are classed as being simply > > > > > evil as such? What is evil? Is it - as is often claimed - simply an > > > > > absence of good, or is there more? And what of people like Josef > > > > > Fritzl, who goes on trial in Austra > > > > > tomorrow?http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/oct/31/joseffritzl-austria > > > > > As Molly is wont do ask, what do YOU think? > > > > > > Francis --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups ""Minds Eye"" group. 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