Block, SkipCaptcha, Automoderated users, edit
1,253
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Line 52:
Line 52: + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
→Is evil inherently liberal?: new section
::Will do, but it may be a few days before I can get to it--Christmas is almost upon us! Merry Christmas to all, if I don't get the chance to say it nearer to the actual day. --[[User:Benp|Benp]] 16:02, 16 December 2010 (EST)
::Will do, but it may be a few days before I can get to it--Christmas is almost upon us! Merry Christmas to all, if I don't get the chance to say it nearer to the actual day. --[[User:Benp|Benp]] 16:02, 16 December 2010 (EST)
== Is evil inherently liberal? ==
A belated merry Christmas to all, and now it's time to get back to work.
As I considered how to tackle this article, I realized that one of the issues that needed to be examined is this: is evil inherently liberal?
I realize that the question will provoke howls of outrage and protest from some; that is inevitable. Such people will likely read no further ''than'' the title. However, the question is a serious one. Philosophers have sought to know the nature of goodness and evil for thousands of years. As such, I think that it's valid to ask whether evil holds certain inherent characteristics.
To begin, let's clarify what I mean by the question, "Is evil inherently liberal?" I am defining "liberal" here, not in terms of a specific political party at a specific time period, but in its broadest and most general sense: rejection of tradition and a desire to change the status quo. Specific policies generally considered liberal are an outgrowth of this desire.
Viewed in this fashion, I believe it is possible to make a strong case that evil is inherently liberal, given certain axiomatic assumptions.
If we accept that the universe is created by God, and that God is entirely good and just, then it follows that the order of the universe at the time of Creation would ALSO be entirely good. Thus, any rebellion against this order would ''not'' be good and just. Conversely, any elements in the universe which are not good and just must perforce represent a rebellion against God's intended order.
In other words: evil is inherently a rebellion against the status quo of God's Creation. Consequently, evil is inherently liberal. Indeed, one could consider Genesis to be the tale of the birth of liberalism, from Adam and Eve's rebellion against the one and only restriction placed upon them by God to the ultimate tale of Big Government overreach, the Tower of Babel. The history related by the Bible is one in which humans rebel against the traditions and laws set down by God, and suffer as a result.
Now, let's fend off the most predictable protest:
'''Most liberals are good people!''' Saying "Evil is inherently liberal" is not the same as saying "Liberalism is inherently evil." Nor is it the same as saying "Liberals are inherently evil." The world today is considerably altered from God's ideal order. There are many cases where the present status quo is unjust, or where wicked traditions exist. When liberals oppose such traditions, that is certainly a good thing. However, I would argue that even at their best, liberals are well-intentioned but misguided, seeking to throw the baby out with the bathwater. If the unjust status quo is that a company is cutting corners and creating unsafe working conditions for its employees, liberals may well oppose that, which is certainly not evil. However, they are likely to oppose it by creating a slew of far-reaching (and expensive) new regulations that punish the innocent and the malefactor alike.
Questions? Thoughts? Is this beyond the scope of the article?
--[[User:Benp|Benp]] 15:25, 29 December 2010 (EST)