It makes a man wonder - what if we're wrong?
Perhaps it's the fact that I saw Watchmen on Saturday (which I liked despite its flaws), but I have been pondering on the nature of good and evil of late. Most of the world's religions believe that those who are "good" will go to "heaven", or its equivalent. Conversely, those who are "evil" will be condemned to the fiery pits of "hell". And so I ask this question - how many good men are damned?
There are basic rules that tend to bind human societies together. Don't commit murder. Do not take things that are not yours. Respect those in authority, even if your society supports those who disagree peacefully. These rules are generally mirrored by religion, with the added caveat of "obey
However, we must also understand that various rule systems are sometimes at odds with one another. And what happens when these rule systems collide? Conflict, often in the sense of war for human societies. And it strikes me as odd that, in these times of war, the very rules that a society is built upon are cast aside in an utter paradox of morality. Soldiers, no matter who they represent or what conflict they participate in, are REQUIRED to murder and steal. They go out with the express intent of killing the enemy and taking things that did not originally belong to them (i.e. territory, resources, government), all in the name of a civilization that denounces killing and stealing.
And yet, when these individuals return home, are they denounced as criminals and degenerates? Are they berated and cast aside as evil? No. They are hailed as heroes. They are vindicated as good men and women by pauper and pope alike.
So, then, it appears that laws always have asterisks.
What also strikes me is the utter conviction of nearly all individuals that their cause is just. I would be willing to bet good money on the fact that the "evils" of history were all done with the "good" of humanity in mind. The road to hell, as they say, is paved with good intentions.
In our modern, western world, Islamic extremism is generally seen to be the primary force of evil. And yet, has anyone who denounces Islamic extremism tried to see things from the point of the extremists? I guarantee that they see themselves as the paragons of virtue, and that we are an evil and depraved society that must be eradicated for the good of mankind.
And can we, as so-called moral men, say that they are wrong? They may commit atrocities, but can they not say the same thing about us?
Who, then, is good? Who is evil?
When this is all over, and all the works of man are but dust and undifferentiated particles, will we stand before our cosmic judge and argue that we were, in fact, right?
Will the Dalai Lama go to hell?
Will Mullah Mohammed Omar be exulted on high in heaven?
Perhaps it is we, as humans, who are pants on head retarded for our adherence to the belief that all is black and white.
I'm curious as to your ideas on this subject.
