Is mankind basically good ?

[ClimateSanity]

I was reading an article that was trying to pin down the very essence of liberalism. All I know is that I recognize it in people after talking with them about news or politics either in person or online.

One person of whom all TOL conservatives recognize as liberal gets quite testy when you call him that, so I tried to see what was out there than can accurately define liberalism.

This article made an attempt from a religious point of view but I'm not sure he has the very essence down yet:

https://www.djameskennedy.org/article-detail/the-essence-of-liberalism

Most liberals tend to be very intelligent and educated. These qualities will puff up a man's pride in the extreme. So, my personal theory is that a liberal will take a position that his intelligent cohorts favor so as to maintain his position in society as the smartest among us.

But back to the main point. What do you say of man's basic nature? Is it basically good and is sometimes corrupted by outside influences or is he basically corrupt and tends toward evil especially when he stands to gain from it?

I take the latter position and thereby qualify as a conservative.

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[ok doser]

What do you say of man's basic nature?

Man is basically selfish

all of his other attributes spring from that

 

[Nick M]

There is no such thing as a collective such as "man" or "society", as it is made up of individuals. God says in his Bible the wicked are estranged from the womb. So, some people are rotten in their heart, and others are not. So we can't say man is good or bad. It's both.

 

[ClimateSanity]

There is no such thing as a collective such as "man" or "society", as it is made up of individuals. God says in his Bible the wicked are estranged from the womb. So, some people are rotten in their heart, and others are not. So we can't say man is good or bad. It's both.

The people who are under the law are rotten according to Paul:

10As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

11There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

12They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

13Their throat*is*an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps*is*under their lips:

14Whose mouth*is*full of cursing and bitterness:

15Their feet*are*swift to shed blood:

16Destruction and misery*are*in their ways:

17And the way of peace have they not known:

18There is no fear of God before their eyes.



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[patrick jane]

Man is basically selfish

all of his other attributes spring from that

That's exactly what I was going to say - SELFISH

 

[quip]

But back to the main point. What do you say of man's basic nature? Is it basically good and is sometimes corrupted by outside influences or is he basically corrupt and tends toward evil especially when he stands to gain from it?

I take the latter position and thereby qualify as a conservative.

The good/bad dichotomy is typical of a conservative.

I would say we're all born neutral - as far as morality is concerned, while maintaining a natural, survival instinct for ourselves thus, we must learn what society expects of us and our role within it.

That can take us each in a variety of different ways.

 

[ClimateSanity]

The good/bad dichotomy is typical of a conservative.

I would say we're all born neutral - as far as morality is concerned, while maintaining a natural, survival instinct for ourselves thus, we must learn what society expects of us and our role within it.

That can take us each in a variety of different ways.

Since you don't think we are born with a natural bent toward evil, that makes you a liberal which I already knew anyway.

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[ClimateSanity]

Doing what society expects of us doesn't always lead to a good end either. Our society today is very wicked.

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[ok doser]

That's exactly what I was going to say - SELFISH

mankind is selfish


dinner, on the other hand, is shellfish :chew:

 

[Arthur Brain]

I was reading an article that was trying to pin down the very essence of liberalism. All I know is that I recognize it in people after talking with them about news or politics either in person or online.

One person of whom all TOL conservatives recognize as liberal gets quite testy when you call him that, so I tried to see what was out there than can accurately define liberalism.

This article made an attempt from a religious point of view but I'm not sure he has the very essence down yet:

https://www.djameskennedy.org/article-detail/the-essence-of-liberalism

Most liberals tend to be very intelligent and educated. These qualities will puff up a man's pride in the extreme. So, my personal theory is that a liberal will take a position that his intelligent cohorts favor so as to maintain his position in society as the smartest among us.

But back to the main point. What do you say of man's basic nature? Is it basically good and is sometimes corrupted by outside influences or is he basically corrupt and tends toward evil especially when he stands to gain from it?

I take the latter position and thereby qualify as a conservative.

Sent from my XT1254 using TheologyOnline mobile app

Why be vague about this person you're referring to CS? Be specific. With some on the way far right then those who don't veer to that end of the scale are often bracketed as 'liberal' despite not being on an objective level. Chances are this person isn't a 'liberal' as you like to label them as.

Oh, and how come you speak for all 'TOL conservatives'?

:think:

 

[ClimateSanity]

Why be vague about this person you're referring to CS? Be specific. With some on the way far right then those who don't veer to that end of the scale are often bracketed as 'liberal' despite not being on an objective level. Chances are this person isn't a 'liberal' as you like to label them as.

Oh, and how come you speak for all 'TOL conservatives'?

:think:

What do you say? Is man born good or is his tendency to bend toward the evil from behind birth?

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[ClimateSanity]

As for speaking for anyone... you are either liberal or conservative if you are an adult. You can deny what you are but it doesn't change facts.

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[ok doser]

What do you say? Is man born good or is his tendency to bend toward the evil from behind birth?

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i reported him for attempting to derail the thread

 

[Arthur Brain]

What do you say? Is man born good or is his tendency to bend toward the evil from behind birth?

I don't think man is born either per se. I think we have a propensity for both selfishness and altruism for the most part but it seems the more 'religious' would disregard any positive to focus on the negative aspects.

As for speaking for anyone... you are either liberal or conservative if you are an adult. You can deny what you are but it doesn't change facts.

I'll deny baloney written by anyone who can only see people in such blinkered and redundant terms. Especially when they can't even specify a particular poster they've attacked for being the very thing they don't claim to be.

 

[ok doser]

awww



climatesanity "attacked" your girlfriend?

:baby:

 

[Arthur Brain]

i reported him for attempting to derail the thread

By quoting the OP itself? It was a legitimate question in light of that but you knock yourself out dude.

 

[Arthur Brain]

awww



climatesanity "attacked" your girlfriend?

:baby:

Um, you had a few too many cold ones or something dude?

:AMR:

 

[ClimateSanity]

I don't think man is born either per se. I think we have a propensity for both selfishness and altruism for the most part but it seems the more 'religious' would disregard any positive to focus on the negative aspects.



I'll deny baloney written by anyone who can only see people in such blinkered and redundant terms. Especially when they can't even specify a particular poster they've attacked for being the very thing they don't claim to be.

You deny that man is born with an evil bent. Therefore, you're a liberal. But I already knew that.

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[quip]

You deny that man is born with an evil bent. Therefore, you're a liberal. But I already knew that.

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Explain to me how an infant is born with a "bent" toward evil.

Is it so bent at conception?

 

[ok doser]

Explain to me how an infant is born with a "bent" toward evil.

Is it so bent at conception?

you've never had a child, have you?

trust me, they're born selfish