by REBORNAGAIN 19 Replies latest jw friends
Man in his natural state sees what he needs or wants and takes it, irrespective of the means.
Society imposes norms that we have come to call morals that define and limit what is acceptable and what is not. These morals shift with time and culture. The state of man, I beleive, does not.
Nicely said zack.
As I've said before, I believe our personality is with us at birth. We are all inclined to certain things and have ceratain traits. What we are taught and exposed to in life enhances or tempers these traits.
changeling
As humans, we all have the ability to overcome badness in ourselves. We do this by having faith in God. I don't really think people are born with badness or mental issues. I believe that satan and other bad spirits run this world and, if we aren't completely relying on God, us too.
I do think mental drugs can numb us to the evils that come our way. We rely on the drugs, and not on God, and we fall prey. Of course, not that all drugs do this. Alcohol could too. And our past, if we were abused maybe, that makes us feel like a victim, which again enslaves us. If we rely on God, we can have strength against evil ans sickness. And not be trapped by our past, drugs, alcohol, abuse or anything else.
I studied a little psychology once and there has been varous studies into this subject. It seems to be a combination of genetic makeup, environment, role models. One experiment that was carried out not long after WW2 was to try and see how many people would inflict pain on others because they were told to by someone they thought was in authority. The result showed that most people did inflict the pain which they believed to be potentially fatal. Of course they weren't really inflicting pain, but they thought they were!
I don't believe that anyone is born evil, some are born with a disposition can can result in them becoming evil - if they are in the right situation, at the right place and at the right time. Of course some people become evil because of the atrocities they commit and their total disregard for life. There are also psychopaths which seem to be without the ability to have any compassion for life too and are always dangerous.
These are just the studies that I touched on and I'm sure there is much more to it all.
Maddie
Some people have demons, legends, in them they choice to kill or steal. Some people are on drugs which are acts of demons! I am not blaming everything on Satan. I think people have choices and if they choose to go that way then they are not choosing God but taken over by legends living within. I have noticed that some people want to become healed so for a short time they might be okay, but legend knows when to come back and bring their little friends. Other people have mental illness that cause them to do crazy things like lie, steal, con, manipulate, murder, and etc,. They enjoy the rush of getting over on others and that is emotional abuse. They are beyond any human help and are emtionally dangerous to others. NO matter what the desire of the brain is still part of the consience area of the brain were some seem to think that is where we connect with God what is right and what is wrong. I believe people can have legends in them and there is only certain way to expel these legends when Jesus heals them. WE need to do our best to protect ourselves and children.
Sorry this is long but I have had plenty of time to think about it! We all make bad choices but we know how to pray and change. Certain people make bad choices and can straighten up for a short time then they go back to the choices that got them in trouble to begin with although they claim to want God's approval their desire is too strong to do what is bad in God's eyes. Some do worse acts; steal, murder, and con others. They are beyond our help, I believe they have legends! Hope I spelled that right! LOL
Good post!
sarah smiles - I've never heard demons called 'legends' before, by Witnesses or anyone else. Are you thinking about the scriptures where Jesus drove out a demon(s) that called himself 'Legion'?
Sorry that was off-topic but I'm curious!
I think we're born, for the most part, with an incredible amount of potential. Multitudes of variables dictate a portion of the outcome, but from a certain point on, what we're inspired to do with it is as individual as we all are. It would explain why someone with severe disabilities can be a fully-functioning & beneficial part of society, while someone born with every social advantage can be nothing but a failure & drain on society --- & vise-versa. There must be a scadzillion factors & choices that form the potential outcome in each case. Mind boggling.
~only the best~
watkins
Personally I think that people are generally good, but the potential to do "evil" is within everyone. By acknowledging that I am capable of doing bad things, or *cough* being manipulated, and conditioned makes me more... cautious for lack of a better word.
Sorry, It was late when I posted my thoughts! Yes legions. maybe thats another one of the JDUB teachings! I need to look up the scriptures and read it again to see why I think that way.
Hmm, I do remember reading something about God knowing at birth when someone was evil.
