PURE EVIL makes us ask IS IT A MAGIC, SUPERNATURAL, PARANORMAL OR NATURAL FORCE OR A COMBINATION?

FOREWORD

If evil is a force then it is a natural property or if the supernatural is real then it is a supernatural property. Or some evils may be natural and others supernatural. If it is dangerous to think evil is real if it is not then as we don’t know anything about the supernatural we have no right to rule out evil being a real but supernatural force.  We might not believe it is but we have to treat it as a possible supernatural force for the sake of caution.

FIRST

Pure evil is the notion that evil is a power or energy. It is the claim that evil is a noun and is as real as electricity. It says it is not just something falling short of its good potential - a lack of good or absence. It is a power in its own right just like good is.

RELIGION

Religion says that as there would be nothing without God. And that God is all good so he did not make evil. For it evil is real as in a problem but is not real as in a thing. It is a lack.

DEEP DOWN

It is suspected though that religion deep down does believe in pure evil and for many spiritual believers pure evil would be supernatural or paranormal. It acts like it believes as do many non-religious people.

In other words, some power bigger than the material universe or that is not subject to its rules made evil. Or perhaps evil always existed.

ATHEISM

Can an atheist believe in pure evil? If you say that evil disproves God then you are tacitly saying that pure evil is real. They are saying that evil is real and is natural.

The atheist is also saying that the doctrine of God is pure evil. If pure evil is a disproof of God then God is an evil doctrine for it demands that you deny pure evil. It is bad in principle for evil does not deserve to be watered down and evil will catch people off guard. If it is hard to handle it will be impossible to handle when you cannot diagnose it right. No diagnosis no proper treatment.

We have proven that atheists who reject God over the problem of evil do not understand their argument or betray it by giving money or their children to religion. It is a matter for grave disagreement and tolerance of a high degree is necessary. There can be no compromise. The atheist conscience cannot be asked to further or promote religion or permit it.

THE OPTIONS

What is evil if it is real?

Is it a natural force?

Is it a paranormal force?

Is it a divine force?

Is it a supernatural force?

Is it some combination of these things?

Is it a person or artificial intelligence? An energy? Does that matter? Why?

Nobody denies that it does act like an intelligence and a deceiver. For some pure evil is a real power and Satan is also real so between the two of them it is a force we cannot really handle and which is a step ahead every time.

Observation supports artificial intelligence for you don't need to go beyond that. You assume the workings of your calculator are artificial intelligence for that is all you need to suppose. Same here.

NATURAL EVIL

Is pure evil a natural force - something that just happens without anybody doing it?

Is it a natural force that exists in persons as well? Do you have to become evil incarnate to make evil?

Is natural stuff like the plague evil in and of itself? Or should real evil only apply to human actions? Or should it apply to God, gods, demons or spirits assuming that person-hood is not always a human thing?

One thing for sure, if it is natural that is not how we feel about it. It has a supernatural air even if that air is only imagined. We will still see evil as a sort of magical bogie man. That makes it too easy for people to slip into supernatural ideas that are not even needed. It may help pave the way for faith in God. Faith is not a good thing if that is what it depends on!

CRITICISM OF PURE EVIL

It is argued, "Belief in pure evil is nonsense. It is evil dangerous nonsense and fanatical. Such a belief is only possible if you believe in magic or the supernatural. You may call it natural but do you really think it is natural? What about deep down? Maybe you just just assume point-blank that evil is real but is just a supernatural or paranormal force?"

If you agree with that, then if evil is just there and is part of nature then that is bad enough. But to start suggesting there is supernatural or paranormal evil makes it worse. Now instead of one evil belief in evil power in nature, we have more. And they are even by definition worse than natural evil for they have hidden or magical power and are superior to nature and can control it or aspects of it.

They are worse than blind natural evil for they act like they are persons and are possibly paranormal or supernatural personal intelligences.

People say that there is evil in you if you want to believe that evil is a real force. They say it is malicious wishful thinking. They are right for its something somebody should only come to agree with against their will.  I mean you look and you see and that is not your fault but looking for it to be there is not the same thing.  You look for what you want to see.

If evil is not a force then if you misrepresent it as one you are telling people not to fight it for the power will just do what it will do and nobody can do anything about it. If you deal with evil you cannot be sure if it was going to stop anyway or if it was you. So you cannot take the credit.

If evil is a power then people can be part of that power and should be hated. You cannot help hating evil if it is a force!

The main point is that if belief that something is evil in and of itself then that belief is made worse by bringing in miracles and magic and paranormal and God and supernatural and so on.

SUGGESTING RATHER THAN BELIEVING

Believing in evil as a real power is then definitely dangerous. But even suggesting that it exists is bad too when it so serious. It is as evil as suggesting that the world be nuked.

If belief in pure natural evil is evil dangerous nonsense and fanatical then if you believe in the divine, the supernatural and the paranormal or any combination of these then that is worse for it is adding to the danger .

But you are suggesting that it is possible that pure evil is real.

If belief in pure evil is an error and it makes you evil then even suggesting the possibility is heinous. There is no logical or empirical test to show that supernatural pure evil does not exist. So once you say you believe there is more than just nature out there you are saying it is possible. It does not matter how small the possibility is. If you have to admit natural pure evil may exist opening the door to supernatural being real is worse!

If natural evil is scary paranormal or supernatural evil is scarier for it is stronger and above nature!

BLIND "INTELLIGENCE"?

You may say that natural evil as in real force is presupposing magical supernatural evil. The logic is that evil in nature working like an intelligence sounds remarkably like a demon or ghost or something. That is debatable. Blind forces can act like they are directed. That happens in nature all the time. Nobody designs a snowflake.

EVIL IN RELIGION DOES NOT MEAN THE SAME AS EVIL IN PSYCHOLOGY

Religion is the only force that sees evil as something more than harm, lawbreaking and immorality.

In psychology, wrongdoing has little to do with being bad but your thinking and your environment and your upbringing - in effect your past and current circumstances - make you what you are.  They make you a thief more than you do.  But surely you are consenting and letting them?  You are but that does not mean consent is everything.  It makes it part of the mix but not the whole of it.

Clearly religion connects evil to something very dark and exaggerates human evil and the potential for evil.  Its outlook does not fit something that really thinks that evil is merely falling short of a standard.  It is more than just putting a lower standard out there rather than the high standard that should be there.

Psychology should start attacking the religious view of evil more directly.  It won't do that for there is money to be gotten out of counselling and treating the people religion asks it to help.

FINALLY

To sum up, atheism assumes pure evil exists but as a natural thing. One reason it is hard to avoid feeling and thinking this is like a supernatural thing is how superstitious and religious thinking influences everybody unconsciously. It is successful social propaganda. If belief in pure evil is bad and corrupts then suggesting other forms of pure evil such as it being a supernatural being or force is worse. Evil being a power means it will always be around or may be temporary but in either case we can do nothing about it. If evil is a noun not a verb then those who say it is a verb are helping it by obscuring recognition of its true nature.