Entropy Gate

ARRRGGG! I can’t find the cable I use to down load the images from the camera to the computer…the knuckle of death will have to wait.

And now, for something completely different…

Evil vs Bad.

Is there really a difference?

In the past I have posted comments about the two. But I intend to delve a little bit deeper today.
Merriam Webster’s online dictionary states that Evil is…
1 a : morally reprehensible : SINFUL, WICKED

While Bad is
1 a : failing to reach an acceptable standard : POOR a bad repair job b : UNFAVORABLE make a bad impression c : not fresh : SPOILED bad fish d : not sound : DILAPIDATED the house was in bad condition

So…let me begin my rambling…

I think that in today’s social and political scene, the term evil is often misapplied. I think that everyone but the truly stupid would agree that Hitler, for example, was evil. So with that- oh, I’m sorry, you in the back with your hand up…

*NAZI-SKIN-HEAD-DOOFUS: Ah, yes, well, Hitler was a brilliant artist and he liked dogs.

And Satan was fond of legged serpants and fruit from forbidden fruit trees. What’s your point, moron?

NSHD: I don’t see the point in name calling.

Don’t you ‘name call’ Jews?

NSHD: Well, sure, but that’s different. They’re evil.

I see. And you’re just ignorant, stupid and a moron. Plus you’ve sidetracked me. (gun shot, sound of NSHD falling to ground) Don’t worry, folks, it’s just a tranquilizer. But anyway, Hitler, Bin Laden, Stalin…all evil. Yes, I think what they did (do) went beyond simple “badness” and was truly sinful and wicked. Therefore in my book…oh what now?

**ARROGANT ATHEIST: Sin and wickedness is a construct of man to keep hedonists from having fun.

Are you a hedonist?

AA: Yes.

Are you having fun?

AA: A little. I’d like to have more fun, but you Christians are-

And Jews.

AA: -yes, and Jews are keeping-

And Muslims…at least the ones not blowing things up and killing everyone.

AA: -Okay, yes, Muslims too. You’ve all created rules to stop the human race from becoming-

And environmentalists.

AA: What?!?

Environmentalists make rules too. I want to chop down a tree, build a fire and roast an owl, but they won’t let me.

AA: Now your being silly.

I’m proving my point. What’s yours?

AA: My point is that you make rules to keep everyone in line the way you want them to be and claim that a ‘god’ told you to do this.

Well, almost. We believe that God told us and that we have a conscience that enables us to know right from wrong.

AA: But a conscience is just your reaction to guilt.

And if Hitler-

AA: Oh enough with Hitler.

Alright if a radical Muslim-

AA: Give it a rest.

(sigh) Suppose George Bush...

AA: EVIL!

Chill. Suppose he said that all atheists had to be registered with the government-

AA: Why would he do that?

Let’s just say Dick Chaney told him to. Will that satisfy you?

AA: For now.

And suppose he had no guilty feelings about this act and you were visited each and every day by a rotating squadron of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, Catholics, Baptists, Evangelicals, Muslims, Hindus, Environmentalists and the entire cast of Saturday Night Live after they have converted to Scientology. And they would all try to save you.

AA: That would be wrong.

But he doesn’t feel guilty about it.

AA: Do the SNL guys do skits?

Yeah, but they all involve Tom Cruise.

AA: If that would happen, I’d be convinced even more that there is no god.

But you miss my point. You wouldn’t like that because it tramples on your rights and your comfort zone.

AA: What does this have to do with evil vs bad?

Okay, you seem nice enough despite going straight to hell.

AA: HEY!

Just teasing. No I’m not. Well, I am, but you are.

AA: I think you’re the arrogant one.

Yeah, sometimes. But let’s talk some more. What is evil?

AA: The absence of good.

And we define good…how?

AA: Is this a trap?

No. I genuinely want to know how someone who does not believe in God can define good and evil. I understand how an agnostic could, but gee whiz, if I didn’t believe in God, I would have said something else instead of gee whiz, and I’d be livin’ it up BIG TIME (cue Peter Gabriel’s ‘Big Time’). See, the problem here is that I believe without a doubt (though in the past there were times of doubt) that God exists and so therefore my entire debate is fueled and based on that...

Hello? Are you there…darn. I need a real atheist to talk to.


More later. Because I promise at some time to actually discuss bad vs evil.

Disclaimer
* no nazi skin-heads were injured during this post, though they should have been.
** not all atheists are arrogant…just some of them I know.