Evil, Wickedness, and Sin

 Depravity, Malefaction, Corruption, Turpitude, Villainy, Vice, and Crime

I like to think about and understand evil.   Like an FBI forensic psychologist.  Plus, crime is interesting, although I don't want to be a cop, or immersed in that world 24-7.   

Philosophically, what is Evil?   Intentionally inflicting pain (unwanted, of course; I'm not talking about pleasing a masochist).  Torture, in other words.   Causing harm, as well (don't take that literally.  Sadism and Arson and Bullying / Torment and the like are not what a healthy, "well" person does, in my view). 

I want to Understand evil, not BE it.   It can be tempting, granted.   Illegal actions may not be evil (always).    But freedom is the far greater good.   I've never been in prison, but my understanding is it is rife with terror, gangs, hatred and rivalries, fighting, and boredom.  If not rape, and the possibility of getting AIDS, which could be a type of death sentence, actually (just because you're gay?  or the random misfortune of being incarcerated with an infected rapist? or because the cops look the other way?).  Justice can be unjust, and going to jail for a holdup, say, could result in lethal infection from a painful anal rape (!!).  They say life isn't fair, and it's a mad mad world, if you catch my drift.

Still, you have freedom, and you can choose your morality, and live with the consequences.  

You can fight or acquiesce to consensus reality / morality.

Enlightenment understands the dark.    You understand Darth Buddha?

Circumstances and fate (and the Devil?) can make anyone do anything, almost.   The Pope could go on a killing spree.   I mean it.   Conditioning and reward/punishment and things like drugs or movies or mind control turn sinners to saints and vice versa.  You start with philosophy.   The principles of Just War Theory applied to daily life.   Or the moral necessity of Rebellion.   You get the picture.    The road to hell is paved with good intentions.   The genesis of evil is often goodness, virtue, Love.  

Good people can be "neutralized" based on mistrust, misunderstanding, or just plain evil.   People kill for greed, the devil possesses just to show he can, and one person's good is another's evil, the basis of culture war, legal battles, and really good chess games.  

I think suffering is evil.   Causing suffering for those who made others suffer is also evil.   Making someone you hate suffer for ALL ETERNITY is the supreme evil.   If God created this, then God merits the same fate Himself.   Wait, am I condemning God to hell, and thus meriting hell myself?  Madness.   You see what I'm saying.   My point is this:  Get everyone out of hell, put no one in, and Be Happy having made the world a better place, with less suffering, and more joy.    Everyone may not deserve heaven, but no one deserves hell.   We're all getting Oblivion, anyway, if you ask me.   Ideally, Everyone gets to go to Heaven!  God is good?   Everybody gets their own perfect bespoke Heaven!