What's your opinion on human nature?
"For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and the pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world." 1 John 2:16
"Every human being's essential nature is perfect and faultless, but after years of immersion in the world we easily forget our roots and take on a counterfeit nature." Lao Tsu
Should you listen to your instincts, or guard yourself against it? Some believe that human nature is ultimately good. Some believe that it is inherently corrupt and sinful. If it's good, why do religions put a lot of importance on safeguarding yourself against lust by avoiding things that are attractive such as the female body, money, vanity etc...?
@RamsayWick9780
Hi! You wrote: "I recently reverted to Islam this year. I grew up as a Christian and studied the Bible for 18 years. Then I diverted to studying other religions before joining Islam. I do quote from Bible passages that I know. Correct me if I misinterpret it." You like to philosofize/think about different issues/things/theme. I guess your age is 32 since you have studied Christianity for 18 years and afterwards studying other subjects, maybe for 4 years. Then you converted to Islam. Can I ask you what you found in Islam which is the reason you converted?
@Helgafy
Hi Helgafy,
Yes I love philosophizing. I'm a philosopher at heart.
The simple answer is that I married a Muslim woman. I found that it's a simple life and I was attracted to the way it constantly reminds a person about God in daily life. I suppose honestly it was mainly personal preference. I wouldn't force a religious way of life on someone.
It is neither good nor evil (those are value judgments, & thus subjective)...the truth is, human nature is one of the few constants in this universe. Most people are self-centered, shortsighted & tribalistic to varying degrees. It has always been so, & probably always will be.
@slowdecline48
Interesting viewpoint. Are these also value judgements?
- Light and Dark
- Positive and Negative
- Up and down
- Inside and Outside
- Empty space and solid matter
- Male and female
- Cell phone charger and wall socket
@RamsayWick9780 "positive & negative" is a value judgment for sure. The rest are descriptive...but even then, not all of them are as absolute as we may believe. "Up & down" only make sense when one is in contact with a mass of sufficient size such that it has gravity, like Earth....there is no "up" or "down"--or "forward" or "backward" in outer space. Solid matter is actually not so solid when you examine it on a subatomic scale. Did you know that if a nucleus of an oxygen atom was expanded to the size of a baseball, the electrons going around it wouldn't get any closer than, say, half the length of a football field?... Seriously.
@slowdecline48
That's a good point. I agree that it's neither good nor evil. I was just saying that you wouldn't know what good was unless evil existed and vice versa. I see it as a spectrum where good and evil are at the far ends. Your guy who is self-centered, shortsighted and tribalistic is right in the middle of that spectrum. Then you get the Hitlers and Darth Vaders on the one end and the Jesus and Buddhas on the other.
As you say, most people are on the morally neutral ground of indifference.
@RamsayWick9780
I think we are both good and bad, we are human, we make mistakes, we learn, we grow, we make choices. Evil is another level, that thankfully most of us don't reach. People can be cruel, manipulative, dishonest, rude, selfish, horrible, but also people can equally be loving, selfless, beautiful, caring. I don't think religion/faith makes you good or bad, it's instinct, it's a choice, it's your upbringing, your environment, the type of person you desire to be. I am a Catholic and I try to be a good person, my faith does also play a part in that but mostly what drives me is wanting a better world 💜🥰
@Amanda84
Thanks, well said. 🙂
@RamsayWick9780
A pleasure 🥰
I Don’t Know I believe everything comes from God however my belief is that some things man has accomplished but they could not have accomplished if God had not worked through mans hands to allow the things to be done. I have a daughter who at 4 months doctors asked her dad and I to make funeral plans for her. She was not expected to live. Several times we were asked did we make the arrangements but beither of us did. After weeks of her being hospitalized I return to the hospital. 7 doctors were standing around her bed. Suddenly the doctor who was standing facing her face he turned and looked over at his co-worker. What came out of his mouth made my mouth droup. He told his co-worker “This is an absolute miracle”. Surethey are doctors but God worked through their hands and mind to make this happen and 40 years later my daughte is still here.
@eternalHero77
Yes God is working behind the scenes. When a miracle happens then they are surprised because they don't know everything about life.