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[color=yellowgreen]Another poll. Just for curiosity. Anonymous again - however you can choose multiple items. For example if you were raised one religion but converted to another you can choose both if you desire. Or if you identify with one religion, but are actually an atheist, you can choose one or both. Up to you.[/color]
While Im actually agnostic, there is a very powerful religion out there that has some good messages. Zoroastrianism (no, nothing to do with Zodiac and whatnot). It is a monotheistic religion which has a good, forgiving god, not a wrathful, vengeful one. It had a huge influence on Christianity and Judaism and Islam, as it was the dominant world religion at about the time Jesus came around (practiced in ancient Persia).
Anyway, check it out. Im not saying convert to it, because I dont quite know what to make of it myself, but its interesting nonetheless.
[color=yellowgreen]I included Buddhism only because I thought someone would complain if I didn't. Ran out of spaces - would have liked to include more. Probably should have tossed in Agnosticism with Atheism, but then maybe not. Wish I had more spaces...[/color]
While Im actually agnostic, there is a very powerful religion out there that has some good messages. Zoroastrianism (no, nothing to do with Zodiac and whatnot). It is a monotheistic religion which has a good, forgiving god, not a wrathful, vengeful one. It had a huge influence on Christianity and Judaism and Islam, as it was the dominant world religion at about the time Jesus came around (practiced in ancient Persia).
Anyway, check it out. Im not saying convert to it, because I dont quite know what to make of it myself, but its interesting nonetheless.
As much as I hate slamming the positions of my guild members..
Zoroastarianism is (sorry) foolish. It's fundamental tenet is expressly the struggle between good and evil. However, in this case, the two concepts are presented as equal active, opposing powers. This is inherently a myth-based belief system (as opposed to one underpinned by reason), as if two principle powers of existence were in direct opposition, they would cancel each other out, and thus, nothing would be. The correct understanding of good and evil is that evil is a "lack", or privation of good, which is the underlying principle inherent in all things.
As much as I hate slamming the positions of my guild members..
Zoroastarianism is (sorry) foolish. It's fundamental tenet is expressly the struggle between good and evil. However, in this case, the two concepts are presented as equal active, opposing powers. This is inherently a myth-based belief system (as opposed to one underpinned by reason), as if two principle powers of existence were in direct opposition, they would cancel each other out, and thus, nothing would be. The correct understanding of good and evil is that evil is a "lack", or privation of good, which is the underlying principle inherent in all things.
[color=yellowgreen]This post definitely does not qualify as playing nice. It appears that the core concepts of Zoroastrianism (the ancient religion of the Persians) are not quite understood as shown in this excerpt from this source:[/color] http://www.pyracantha.com/Z/zorofaq.html
The "dualism" of Zoroastrianism is known in the "West," but is mostly misunderstood. In the Gathas Spenta Mainyu, the "Holy Creative Spirit," is opposed to Angra Mainyu, the Hostile Spirit. This conflict takes place in the human heart and mind, not in the material Universe. It is the constant struggle between good and evil in human beings. This is ethical dualism, the dualism of Good and Evil. In later traditions this changed into a dualism that took in the material world, dividing the Universe into two camps, each ruled by the Good God or the Evil Spirit. This is called "cosmic" dualism.
[color=yellowgreen]Cosmic dualism sounds a bit like God and Satan to me...[/color]
[color=yellowgreen]The "correct" understanding of what good and evil is? There isn't any universal understanding of good and evil. I'd argue that people understand good and evil differently and that many will see the continuum you describe differently. Where you propose a continuum, composed solely of "good" say on a scale of 0-100, others may see that same continuum with total evil at one end (0) and total good at the other (100) with a midpoint of 50 dividing good from evil. Just a slight difference in perception, but it's the same continuum. For example if an action scores a 25 on the scale it's "somewhat evil" or "not very good", depending on how you want to look at it.[/color]
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[color=yellowgreen]Personally, I don't believe that good and evil, in and of themselves exist (as nouns). I believe that humans have free will and can choose actions that can be characterized as good or evil (adjective). So while the cosmic dualism thing doesn't make much sense to me, ethical dualism makes a whole lot of sense.[/color]
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[color=#9acd32]Here's a short essay which agrees with your concept of evil as a lack of goodness. http://www.ganhalev.org/articles/the...t_of_evil.html Kind of interesting it talks a little about the impact of the Zoroastrian concept of good and evil on Judaism and Christianity and about the concept of evil. Short easy read. It ends up being a little hollow for me though as it seems more of a treatise on why we shouldn't think of ourselves as being evil because it's counter-productive to think that way. [/color]
[color=yellowgreen]Oops! I was cutting and pasting to get things in alpha order. Screwed up I guess. Sorry about that. Hope I didn't offend you....:surprise: [/color]
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