The Fear Of God

Originally posted by FMF
I am not "evil" ~ not by any definition I know and accept. I hardly ever lie and can't remember telling anything more than social-lubricant 'white lies' for many years. I act ~ and endeavour to act ~ in a morally sound way day after day after day. My life is not "filled with evil" as you contend. I see plenty of "evil" in the world. I think I even do my tiny lit ...[text shortened]... ist Christians on this message board to call me "evil" in the course of discussions on morality.

Did I call you evil?

I'm trying to understand your definition of it.

Now do you suppose someone like Hitler thought himself to be evil?

After all, as you say, they did not "feel" anything in the gas chambers.

Originally posted by FMF
I believe that the ideology that underpins this belief of yours is the most depraved set of notions that the human imagination has ever conjured up.

Before becoming humbled and understanding that I was just as guilty of sin as the worst of sinners, I would have said the same thing.

Now I know that my self righteousness before coming to the Lord, while patting myself on the back for not being what I considered to be "evil", was as filthy as rags.

Originally posted by whodey
Did I call you evil?

You are responding to my reply to KellyJay in which he was explaining to me that my life was full of "evil".

Originally posted by whodey
Now do you suppose someone like Hitler thought himself to be evil?

Hitler was "evil", clearly so.

Originally posted by whodey
After all, as you say, they did not "feel" anything in the gas chambers.

Where did I say any such thing?

Originally posted by whodey
Before becoming humbled and understanding that I was just as guilty of sin as the worst of sinners, I would have said the same thing.

Now I know that my self righteousness before coming to the Lord, while patting myself on the back for not being what I considered to be "evil", was as filthy as rags.

None of this affects my view that your "eternal torture" ideology is human philosophizing at its darkest.

Originally posted by FMF
Hitler was "evil", clearly so.

But what if Hitler was right? What if the Jews were the vermin of society? What if destroying the Jews would bring world utopia? Would he still be considered evil?

I realize you think Hitler was evil. My point is that Hitler did not consider himself to be evil. No one really thinks that of themselves.

Originally posted by whodey
I'm trying to understand your definition of ['evil"].

Actually, I don't think you are.

Originally posted by FMF
Where did I say any such thing?

This is your quote.

"Hitler's gas chamber victims died almost instantaneously. They did not suffer "eternal torture". At least one Christian has admitted here on this forum that the "Lake of Fire" punishment is way, way worse than anything Hitler did."

I hear this argument regarding abortion all the time. They don't suffer, so what the hell? You can kill'em in good conscience.

The Nazi's probably thought they were being humanitarians.

Originally posted by whodey
But what if Hitler was right? What if the Jews were the vermin of society? What if destroying the Jews would bring world utopia? Would he still be considered evil?

Yes. Are you just pretending not to understand the definition of "evil" I offered and the three simple rules of morally sound interaction?

Originally posted by whodey
This is your quote.

"Hitler's gas chamber victims died almost instantaneously. They did not suffer "eternal torture". At least one Christian has admitted here on this forum that the "Lake of Fire" punishment is way, way worse than anything Hitler did."

I hear this argument regarding abortion all the time. They don't suffer, so what the hell? You can kill'em in good conscience.

The Nazi's probably thought they were being humanitarians.

So which bit of it justifies you claiming: "After all, as you say, they did not "feel" anything in the gas chambers."

Originally posted by whodey
The Nazi's probably thought they were being humanitarians.

What does this have to do with the definition of "evil" you asked for and which I offered?

Originally posted by whodey
My point is that Hitler did not consider himself to be evil. No one really thinks that of themselves.

What does this have to do with defining "evil"?

Originally posted by FMF
Yes. Are you just pretending not to understand the definition of "evil" I offered and the three simple rules of morally sound interaction?

My bad, so you said, "Evil is an egregiously immoral and sociopathic action that is gravely detrimental to others, and which stems from an abject lack or even absence of empathy and compassion."

So I am to take it you feel as though you have never been gravely detrimental to others. I am also to take it that you always feel guilty for doing something you consider immoral.

Originally posted by FMF
So which bit of it justifies you claiming: "After all, as you say, they did not "feel" anything in the gas chambers."

You were rationalizing. You were trying to down play the horrific suffering these people endured by saying that they hardly felt anything.