Good vs Evil...

One of the longer definitions I've ever read in Webster's is for the little word "good". Summarily speaking, Webster's defines "good" as better than average, fertile, fresh, unspoiled, uncontaminated, valid, genuine, healthy, strong, vigorous, safe and sound, honorable, worthy, respectable, enjoyable, plesant, happy, dependable, reliable, right, thourough, complete, adequate, ample, sufficient, satisfying, morally sound, excellent, virtuous, honest, just, pious, devout, kind, benevolent, generous, well-behaved, proper, becoming, correct, loyal, valid, morally right, something desireable or desired... And even more, but you get the idea. The concept of good is culturally difficult to define, because the concept of good is so subjective to each and every one of us.

Likewise, the concept of evil can be subjective. Webster says evil means morally bad or wrong, depraved, wicked, resulting from conduct regarded as immoral, offensive or disgusting, anything that causes harm, pain misery, disaster, etc. Again, a definition that can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people.

The problem we find is that sometimes things we deem good turn out to be evil, and things we initially label evil can be revealed as good. It is because of the personal and cultural subjectivity of the concepts- as a society because we do not have a concrete definition of good and evil that definition can change over time, circumstance, and shifting of cultural tenets and mores. Personally, because we often label things before fully comprehending or understanding them. Then, with enlightenment, our views, our labels change. In essence, we set ourselves up to be judge over what is good and what is evil, and we are not qualified to judge. It is our desire for power, freedom, and control that often influences our perception of what is good and what is not...

I believe there is a simple, concrete definition for good and evil, one which I am learning (even at my advanced age I find occassionally I can still learn. Take that old dogs!) to embrace. Good is that which is from God, that which is of God, and evil an absence of God, or that which shuns God. Short, concise, concrete. (But we really don't like concrete- it's too binding to our "freedom"). Everything can be judged by this definition- only we don't have to be judge- that's God's job. Food for thought...