Community > General Discussion

Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 Next

Topic: Our Baser Nature...good or evil?
1Cynderella Joined Mon 02/18/13 Posts: 2398	Tue 05/14/13 02:19 PM
Do you believe we are basically good and some of us fall to poor behaviors, or that we are inherently bad and some conquer their baser nature to rise to goodness? What are your thoughts?

Dodo_David Joined Fri 08/13/10 Posts: 48947	Tue 05/14/13 02:27 PM
Do you believe we are basically good and some of us fall to poor behaviors, or that we are inherently bad and some conquer their baser nature to rise to goodness? What are your thoughts? I'm thinking that this could turn into a big argument.

jacktrades Joined Tue 09/11/12 Posts: 4395	Tue 05/14/13 02:30 PM
Great question,I feel most people are good but fall victim to the choices they have made. Its how you deal with mistakes and struggles. If you can accept that your human and dropped the ball and learn you can move around most roadblocks in life. If your the type that's blames other people or Situations you have been in the road will be uphill for you for sure.

TBRich Joined Fri 11/07/08 Posts: 8232	Tue 05/14/13 02:35 PM
Having worked in forensic counseling for years, I have to side with the famous Park Dietz, who when asked this question simply smiled. I also don't wish to offend anybody or argue.

soufiehere Joined Sat 10/24/09 Posts: 45395	Tue 05/14/13 02:41 PM
Mmmm I am thinking good, simply because bad seems to be environmental, reactionary or choice.

1Cynderella Joined Mon 02/18/13 Posts: 2398	Tue 05/14/13 02:50 PM
Okay everyone...where do children with evil streaks fit into that? Some have wonderful, loving parents and still either have an innate or developed tendency toward bad thoughts.

1Cynderella Joined Mon 02/18/13 Posts: 2398	Tue 05/14/13 02:53 PM
Do you believe we are basically good and some of us fall to poor behaviors, or that we are inherently bad and some conquer their baser nature to rise to goodness? What are your thoughts? I'm thinking that this could turn into a big argument. No way Dodo....we're all adults here.

1Cynderella Joined Mon 02/18/13 Posts: 2398	Tue 05/14/13 02:56 PM
Having worked in forensic counseling for years, I have to side with the famous Park Dietz, who when asked this question simply smiled. I also don't wish to offend anybody or argue. So...you're not volunteering to referee this one?

Dodo_David Joined Fri 08/13/10 Posts: 48947	Tue 05/14/13 03:15 PM
Do you believe we are basically good and some of us fall to poor behaviors, or that we are inherently bad and some conquer their baser nature to rise to goodness? What are your thoughts? I'm thinking that this could turn into a big argument. No way Dodo....we're all adults here. We shall see about that. In Mark 10:18 Jesus says that nobody is good except God.

1Cynderella Joined Mon 02/18/13 Posts: 2398	Tue 05/14/13 03:20 PM
Do you believe we are basically good and some of us fall to poor behaviors, or that we are inherently bad and some conquer their baser nature to rise to goodness? What are your thoughts? I'm thinking that this could turn into a big argument. No way Dodo....we're all adults here. We shall see about that. In Mark 10:18 Jesus says that nobody is good except God. If you're bringing God into this, you will provoke arguments.

motowndowntown Joined Wed 11/19/08 Posts: 21803	Tue 05/14/13 03:23 PM
People are born neither good nor bad. But we all are wired just a little bit differently, and thus react differently to different stimuli.

Toodygirl5 Joined Fri 10/26/12 Posts: 14937	Tue 05/14/13 03:28 PM Edited by Toodygirl5 on Tue 05/14/13 03:40 PM
We are all born with a sinful nature and anything can come from a sinful nature, meaning any characteristics. So, no one is good. We may have good characteristics and live a good life, according to what "society" says is a good life. But No one is good. Criminals are bad because of their "acts" committed. Once again, no one is good, only ONE God.

1Cynderella Joined Mon 02/18/13 Posts: 2398	Tue 05/14/13 03:28 PM
People are born neither good nor bad. But we all are wired just a little bit differently, and thus react differently to different stimuli. That's my personal opinion as well, but I have a little trouble seeing how children can pick up bad behavior when they are exposed to mostly positive stimuli.

1Cynderella Joined Mon 02/18/13 Posts: 2398	Tue 05/14/13 03:39 PM
We are all born with a sinful nature and anything can come from a sinful nature, meaning any characteristics. So, no one is good. We may have good characteristics and live a good life, according to what "society" says is a good life. But No one is good. Crimminals are bad because of their "acts" committed. Once again, no one is good only ONE Jesus. That would make altruism a myth? How do we explain unbelievers who exhibit altruistic behavior? They are not faking it for heavenly salvation or to dodge eternal damnation. Those things mean not to them.

motowndowntown Joined Wed 11/19/08 Posts: 21803	Tue 05/14/13 03:42 PM
People are born neither good nor bad. But we all are wired just a little bit differently, and thus react differently to different stimuli. That's my personal opinion as well, but I have a little trouble seeing how children can pick up bad behavior when they are exposed to mostly positive stimuli. Children are basically taught bad behavior. Being all different what may be positive stimuli for one may not be for another. The same goes for what most folks would deem negative stimuli. If the positive outweighs the negative, odds are the behavior will be repeated. Think of a bear going into a honey bee hive. The positive of getting the honey outweighs the negative of getting stung.

Toodygirl5 Joined Fri 10/26/12 Posts: 14937	Tue 05/14/13 03:44 PM Edited by Toodygirl5 on Tue 05/14/13 03:50 PM
We are all born with a sinful nature and anything can come from a sinful nature, meaning any characteristics. So, no one is good. We may have good characteristics and live a good life, according to what "society" says is a good life. But No one is good. Crimminals are bad because of their "acts" committed. Once again, no one is good only ONE Jesus. That would make altruism a myth? How do we explain unbelievers who exhibit altruistic behavior? They are not faking it for heavenly salvation or to dodge eternal damnation. Those things mean not to them. What I said is everyone is born with a sinful nature. Whether we all believe that are Not it is truth. Yes,there are people who have Unselfish concern for the welfare of others; and selflessness. I didn't say you had to be a Christian to have that.

1Cynderella Joined Mon 02/18/13 Posts: 2398	Tue 05/14/13 04:06 PM
We are all born with a sinful nature and anything can come from a sinful matured, meaning any characteristics. So, no one is good. We may have good characteristics and live a good life, according to what "society" says is a good life. But No one is good. Crimminals are bad because of their "acts" committed. Once again, no one is good only ONE Jesus. That would make altruism a myth? How do we explain unbelievers who exhibit altruistic behavior? They are not faking it for heavenly salvation or to dodge eternal damnation. Those things mean not to them. What I said is everyone is born with a sinful nature. Whether we all believe that are Not it is truth. Yes,there are people who have Unselfish concern for the welfare of others; and selflessness. I didn't say you had to be a Christian to have that. We're cool Toody. Just getting a grip on your beliefs here. So, do you think we can overcome our nature and achieve goodness? Or are we never actually GOOD, but just learn to exibit good behaviors? Don't think I'm picking on your beliefs. I'm not at all. I'm just probing your mind a bit, because....well, you seem to have one.

1Cynderella Joined Mon 02/18/13 Posts: 2398	Tue 05/14/13 04:13 PM
People are born neither good nor bad. But we all are wired just a little bit differently, and thus react differently to different stimuli. That's my personal opinion as well, but I have a little trouble seeing how children can pick up bad behavior when they are exposed to mostly positive stimuli. Children are basically taught bad behavior. Being all different what may be positive stimuli for one may not be for another. The same goes for what most folks would deem negative stimuli. If the positive outweighs the negative, odds are the behavior will be repeated. Think of a bear going into a honey bee hive. The positive of getting the honey outweighs the negative of getting stung. This makes sense to me. I remember bad stimuli as a child that probably made me a better person for having seen it. I knew it was not for me.

Leigh2154 Joined Sun 10/02/11 Posts: 16479	Tue 05/14/13 04:15 PM
Excluding certain illnesses, I believe everyone is born good with the capacity to be or become bad depending on how they respond to their environment (at any given time) ...Because human nature is diverse and flexible, I also believe most people fluctuate between the two throughout the course of their life...

Toodygirl5 Joined Fri 10/26/12 Posts: 14937	Tue 05/14/13 04:20 PM Edited by Toodygirl5 on Tue 05/14/13 04:21 PM
We are all born with a sinful nature and anything can come from a sinful matured, meaning any characteristics. So, no one is good. We may have good characteristics and live a good life, according to what "society" says is a good life. But No one is good. Crimminals are bad because of their "acts" committed. Once again, no one is good only ONE Jesus. That would make altruism a myth? How do we explain unbelievers who exhibit altruistic behavior? They are not faking it for heavenly salvation or to dodge eternal damnation. Those things mean not to them. What I said is everyone is born with a sinful nature. Whether we all believe that are Not it is truth. Yes,there are people who have Unselfish concern for the welfare of others; and selflessness. I didn't say you had to be a Christian to have that. We're cool Toody. Just getting a grip on your beliefs here. So, do you think we can overcome our nature and achieve goodness? Or are we never actually GOOD, but just learn to exibit good behaviors? Don't think I'm picking on your beliefs. I'm not at all. I'm just probing your mind a bit, because....well, you seem to have one. Sure.. It is God's Word not mine. We all are born with a sinful nature. But as you said, there would be an arguement, if One brings God into it. I will leave it alone.