What makes a person bad?

[Losty]

Do you think there's a difference between a bad person and just a person who does bad things?
I know "bad" can vary from culture to culture and even person to person so let's stick with the ones that seem universal. Murder, rape, harming children, stealing. I think those are pretty much universally accepted as bad. Can you be a murderer, but not a bad person?
Does being a sociopath make you a bad person?
If a person is not a sociopath and every time they rape someone they feel immense regret and guilt but they keep doing it does that make them more or less of a bad person?
What if a person hurts their children because they believe it's what's best for them, is that less awful than a person who beats their child just because they enjoy it?
Do you think there's a such thing as a bad person?
Are people just products of their chemical make up and their environment?
Do you think that all people deserve compassion and love or are there some people who are so bad that they don't deserve either?
I think maybe my opinion is kind of warped on all of this. I don't think there's a such thing as a bad person. I don't think there's anything a person could do that would make me think they didn't deserve to be cared for or valued.
Some people may think it's disrespectful to the victims, but I find my heart breaking for those who've been labeled "bad" people. I can't imagine being worthless in the eyes of everyone, being completely alone and unloved no matter how "deserved" it may be.
I have a hard time connecting a person's actions with how I should treat them. I think who I am should be the deciding factor in how I treat people, not what they've done.
Anyways, I was just wondering what you guys think.

[rexbeccarox]

I have a hard time characterizing people as "bad", but there are exceptions. There are two exceptions on this very board who I think might actually be "bad" people. Anyone who can use the smiley when talking about people going to hell, for example. If these people really, truly believe in hell, taking joy out of anyone going there is inherently bad.

[The Valkyrie]

I tend to narrow it down to people who deliberately harm others, especially if they do so repeatedly

I should probably clarify that a little more.

[Losty]

Feeling joy when you believe a person will live in eternal torment is pretty disgusting, but...I don't know. I don't think it necessarily makes a person bad. For one, it's the internet so we don't really know how they truly feel or if they're just trolling professionally.
Then, more importantly, if they've been raised in this environment and taught that this is right from birth what more can we expect from them. I mean, imagine that you believe that god is this wonderful amazing deity who deserves to be showered in worship. Imagine you honestly believe that tormenting people who ridicule this god will please the god immensely. No worldly things should please you more than pleasing this god.
I guess I think that taking pleasure in the thought of sinners going to a real biblical hell is more a sign of a bad upbringing and a weak mind than a bad person.

[Mystic]

Some people are more attracted to God's Mighty Majesty characteristics and others are more to his beauty Characteristics. Although in all Mighty Majesty is all Beauty in it's inward, in the descent they differ.

In my opinion you are more attached to the beauty of God characteristics, so you have forbearance forgiveness mercy compassion and value them despite their evil.

But this is your particular veil. The exact balance between justice and his wrath, and forbearance, forgiveness. mercy and compassion is not known.

Some people are more attracted and oriented towards justice and wrath towards evil.

At the end, you maybe closer to the objective view of how these people should be viewed. Or you might not be.

There maybe a harsh objective judgement to these people. Or there might be a forbearing accepting one. Or somewhere in between.

[Losty]

MK...I don't know what to say to that. I can't imagine the existence of a god that creates people a certain way, and then punishes them for being that way. There's no reason to create people he doesn't like and then punish them for being who he created them to be unless he just wants to punish them...which would make him evil in my eyes. An all powerful, all knowing deity is the only thing that can be truly evil in my eyes, because it's the only thing that could have complete control over its own surroundings and personality.

[Mystic]

I was in the view at one point that God will forgive everyone and show compassion to everyone and guide everyone eventually to a good path. I thought the disgrace of their deeds was enough. I thought we were suppose to love one another and have this compassion, that we put ourselves in the shoes of the most evilest person, if we were that, how would we want to be treated.

But I realized this might be an extreme. It might not be, I'm not sure.

But the balanced view of love towards good people, forgiveness and forbearance to people that aren't that bad, and wrath and hate towards the evil people seemed more in line with my nature.

I'm not sure at the end what is the view you are suppose to have.

All I know is we are all under veils, and people tend to to think the veils others are without merit or they see no good in it.

Which one is the virtuous is a decision we all have to make. Perhaps both have their virtue, but one is better then the other.

[vorlon13]

What makes people bad:


Going to the wrong church

Believing in the wrong God

Praying incorrectly

Cherry picking scriptures, edicts, dogma, rules, commandments, and decrees that you will obey

Ecumenism

Worshipping god(s) incorrectly, too little, insincerely or non exclusively

Failing to follow teachings on supporting the faith ($$$$$$$$)

Failing to maintain the purity of your faith

Tolerating apostates, blasphemers and heretics


you get the idea, there are thousands of items that could be listed

[Losty]

I'm of the belief that god is a fairytale and I wish to discuss human morality. God is irrelevant.

[vorlon13]

(I like the occasional glance through the prism our christer friends have to look through all the time, I think it helps me maintain focus on how effed up the christer world is)