Late Night Philosophy

On Good and Evil

It’s funny how quick we are to label someone or a group of people we don’t know “good” or “evil” as if there is a definite distinction. Granted, as a species, we do have at our disposal books, wise-men , our own common sense, and out inner sense of morality. Personally, I would go by a combination of common sense and knowledge.

The largest example I can give is the holy war. Many of the largest wars in history are fought by religious differences. Not all of them mind you, but the largest ones. The Nazis during World War 2 believed they were cleansing the world of impurity. Then and today, we see them as wrong, evil, and absolutely immoral. But those Nazis believed that the genocide they were committing was correct, noble, and above all else “good”. If the Nazis had won the war, that humankind would also believe that racism and genocide was acceptable and good. History is written by the victors, after all. Of course, totalitarianism has yet to be a proven form of government, but that’s not the point.

The Allies won the war, so they must be morally “good”. The Nazis and Communists lost, so they must have been morally “evil”. The point is, each side thought they were absolutely right and they convinced their children that their morals were right. And not just absolutely right, but “divinely” correct; that this course of action is the Will of God. When both sides in a war think that they are divinely correct, what reason is there for the other to stop the crusade? Each side knows that their God will not abandon them and that the other side’s God doesn’t exist. So in the end, whose God was the real, right, and just God? The winner’s, of course. The majority.

Please keep in mind that I’m not a Nazi and I would not have wanted to see the Axis win, I’m simply making the point that “good” and “evil” are subjective.

Also, in the current war on terrorism, the same problem occurs. Again, the Allies believe that God will protect them and help deliver them from evil. But those committing terrorist acts also believe that their God will protect them and deliver them from evil. The inner morality of all humankind tells people that detonating one’s self in order to murder others in the name of God is terribly wrong. However, those blowing themselves up believe that they are martyrs. But on the other side, the Jews might see those victims of the explosion as martyrs for their cause. Well, they can’t both be martyrs, can they? Someone has to be right or they both have to be wrong. And so now, the US comes in and helps Israel in stopping the bombings, which is a noble thing to do. But, of course, those doing the bombings see the US as evil; the aid of Satan, if you will. But if the US had aided Palestine, then the Jewish Israelis might see the US in the same light. If the US helps neither side and remains neutral, then both Israel and Palestine might see the US as evil for not picking one side or the other.

The point is, the war will probably never end unless the US wishes to commit evil acts of genocide because I don’t see the war ending through diplomatic talks. How can two peoples talk when one believes the other to be the puppet of Satan? Both sides are willing to die for what they believe in, so why would they give in?

As long as there is any debate about which God is the real one, fanatics will kill each other trying to prove it. And they will fight tooth and nail for the Glory of God because their faith tells them it is the RIGHT thing to do. But if these people would simply stop labeling each other good and evil, one might find out where the other is coming from and find a common ground. As if that would ever happen.


"I can't imagine a God who would care."
"Every moment we are alive is a moment that we have cheated Death."
Myself
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