How to Deal with Evil
 

How do you deal with Evil in your life? Is there such a thing as Holy Anger and Enlightened Justice? Exactly how do you deal with people who are are bad/wicked/evil? And what is the ideal punishment for such actions deemed as bad or evil?

(I know Evil is a strong word. And you may not believe in it's existence. For the purpose of Philosophical Conversation I suggest you dismiss the label entirely and replace it with Bad or Wicked or etc.)

I think it is hard to say if some one is evil... I think maybe their actions can be evil... along with the good things they might have done... I think it is always shades of gray when you look at the life of another person... even when they have done great harm to the innocent... I think about this a lot... and it seems there are no easy answers...

Prayer, meditation, exhortation, law enforcement.


Enlightened justice, maybe. You would have to properly define it. I have a problem with the notion that broken human beings can have "holy" anger though. Holy indignation would seem to be reserved for celestial authorities.



Most cases actions that are simply "bad" should not be punished.. And then you would have to ask yourself what authority you have to administer whatever supposed punishment. I would assume like in the court system, any kind of punishment would be a case-by-case thing depending upon the severity of the actions.

But to negate my entire post, I believe in total and radical forgiveness. Any judicial way of thinking about evil and punishment puts me off.

I agree avenger... however I do feel we have a right to live without fear... if someone who commits acts of aggression is so broken that they will continue to hurt others... then they should not be allowed to be free to do so...

i deal with it as it comes and if it affects me, i recover through empathy and eventually forgiveness.
justice to me is you reap what you sow...eventaully will lead to enlightenment.
how do i deal with them? cautiously
ideal punishment is their own misery (conscious)

Giving 'Evil' Its Power
 

Move away from the entire polarized concept of good/evil. Bad or wicked is in the same polarized category.

Those who are low frequency negative energies have their own issues to deal w/. It isn’t necessary for us to take in their energy. We have more than sufficient ability to decline to share it.

If those who are negative cross over into behavior that is unlawful or violating your rights, call the cops. Don't put up w/ abusive behavior. If they are just negative energy sumps, work on establishing your own energetic sovereignty & ask why you’re inviting their energy into the sanctity of your energy field.

Looking at others as evil likely gives them MUCH more power than they deserve. Low frequency energies aren’t powerful at all. They are really pitifully weak. Our fear of them gives them the ability to scare us though. We give them this power. Organized religion (multiple ones) has worked long & hard for 1000s of years to convince us that we are powerless to evil. Disinformation. Those who are energetically savvy in these religions know that fear of anything is more than sufficient for us to remain at a low frequency. Job security for those who convinced us that they were our NECESSARY connection to the spiritual world. We now KNOW we can make this connection our self quite nicely.

There is a line between freedom of expression and abuse of another. I carry a Guardian energy that patrols the line and protects the sacred from being violated. When I find someone has crossed that line, I put them back on the other side of it, point out the line and say do not cross it again. Repeated violations get escalated energetic responses and the line gets placed further out for that person until they learn to honor and respect the sacred and to honor and respect the line. After that, the line can go back to where it was.

I don't like to use the term "evil" and i do not see people as evil. For the most part people are ignorant and inconsiderate. I am always willing to forgive and forget so long as the behavior/energy/intent doesn't get repeated. I will guard the space until I feel that the lesson is learned.

I don't really have to fight when it comes to these kinds of confrontation. I can simply stand in my power and in full awareness of the offending party. When they become aware of me being aware of them, they know what they're doing and that I know what they're doing. If that doesn't get them to back down, then I will ask them to leave until they can respect the space. They are welcome to return when they learn how to be respectful.

I can't add much to what's already been said. But generally, if a person is doing wrong things to you, you have a right to deal with it as you see fit, within reason of course. You shouldn't bow down and be passive but firm and severe. Do what you think will benefit them in the long run, whether its a berating or a reprimanding or whatever. Don't let their negative vibes dominate your life. Resolve the issue and move on.

Useful Points
 

Good point about standing up for one’s rights. Being peaceful doesn’t mean letting others run all over us or abuse us. Being a pacifist isn’t the same as being passive although these 2 seem to be often used as synonyms.

Also useful guidance about being in charge & not letting others’ ‘negative vibes dominate your life.’

i don't deal with "evil". i see no point in it. i live simply in the woods and seldom leave my land. i try not to allow "evil" to leak in from the outside so i hardly ever watch TV. i vet my friends thoroughly. and when some "evil" thought arises from somewhere in my unruly subconscious i follow it's trail back to it's origins and vanquish it there.

"evil" could perhaps find me if the human world went totally awry but thus far human idiocy remains beyond my gate. my mate and i have the means to protect ourselves and the sign on our gate reads "no trespassing".

"evil" as we think of it, is just a creation of our minds. Evil is a human invention, that is only done by humans. There is no thing as "evil" and "good" in nature. Nature jsut strives to survive. We may interpret things as good or bad, but thtas just so we can understand it in our way.

Now, there are somethings that are harmful, or out of the norm. Humans sterilizing land for the sake of just ourselves, rather then nature as a whole is harmful, and most people would say its "wrong". If there IS anything actualy wrong in the whole picture (not jsut in our terms), is that most of our activities upset the balance of nature, and we CHOOSE to cause harm, when there is another alternative.

Good and evil is just a concept so we can better understand out capabilities as a species, not really something in nature ( im aware we are part of nature). So does it really exsist? ID have to say generaly no.

When I thought "bad" actions, I was thinking more like not flushing the toilet or not holding the door open for grandma. While inconsiderate, these actions don't really warrant immediate punishment IMO.

Most acts of aggression go beyond the mundane word 'bad', so they probably require action. What kind of action just depends on the situation.

I was also hinting that it is presumptuous to suggest that ordinary citizens could lawfully and morally carry out any kind of punishment whatsoever. Those who we have appointed to do that should be called upon to do their jobs.

I'm only describing is's and not ought's. Truthfully, I'm okay with personal revenge outside of maiming and killing.

I have been witness to an act that can't be described in any other way but evil... it has changed the way I see everything... forever.... I can never really trust people I don't know again... not in the way I once did... evil is ignorance... evil is stupidity... evil is when you can no longer feel empathy or sympathy... evil is when a person is so broken that life has no meaning anymore... they can take the life of another because it is convenient... because they think it will make their life easier... and you can't turn off that knowledge once you have been witness to it with your own eyes... I am as much a victim of this crime as the people they killed... because they took away from me the last bit of innocence I was holding onto...

But I don't want vengeance... I do want to feel forgiveness... more for my sake then for theirs... it is the only way to let go of it...

hmmmmm... I said more than I intended...

As for me, this quote sums up my position:

"Evil prevails when Good Men and Women do nothing."

Evil is a bunch of negative energies. They are funny, trying to play tricks on you, They think that they can break you, they will shoot everything in your way, from been you. You have to recognize them because the are sneaky, once you see them, you laugh at them and tell them "Nice try, but no cigar"

Evil will leave you alone, when your weakness turns into your strength.

Great questions and awesome responses! I don't believe that there can be such a thing as "holy anger". It seems that the two words alone would void each other out... they can't exist together. We live in this world of duality and have to figure out how to protect ourselves from that which could void us out. With regards to the "ideal punishment", not sure, maybe let the victim be the judge of that.

I think the greatest danger when dealing with evil is to be corrupted by one's reaction to it. In the moment of one's own justified anger or fear and appropriate reaction to the evil of another, there is the risk of being dragged down into the muck oneself. And I think "evil" loves that accomplishment most of all. It's important to remain clear and true to who you are, to what your principles are and connected to your own higher source in choosing how you react and what choices you make.

very good!

Strong words and words of great power be Good and Evil. Words put forth to bring at times home a point. Does pure and true Evil exist that comes down to what one would maybe define as such. Having worked with some very dark energies and Spirits I would say that a deep level of bad exists yes, but too they go forth to the Light in a crossing. I have yet to see the fires that some say burn for some. So in that I would say the darkest place of Evil be in the brains of man that can concieve that place. There to me can not be Light without the Dark what we seek or should seek more is the balance in both.

Lynn

I try not to let it get to me and realize what goes around comes around if that person is doing harm that I believe is hurtful to someone I know I do something about it .

Rivendoah, I'm sorry you've experienced that. I hav'nt personally met anyone who is evil or even bad. I do believe that what goes around comes around, that evil deeds don't go unpunished.

I think that losing without anger is better than winning with it. If the good must die out, and the evil succeed, then their punishment is living in a world of evil. Like the british in india, the evil are looking for result, they are looking for a sign of your suffering to indicate that they are successful.

To approach evil behaviour with non-violent non-cooperation. They can beat you, slash you, burn you - but you don't lift a fist to them. Let them win, let them create a world of torment, let them build hell around themselves. Evil always creates the illusion that the doer is the force behind it, every person who is evil feels like a center of power - when they meet another evil being they may realize there is no escape from subordinate feeling in anger and evil - which is what most evil individuals are trying to escape from.

Always remember that evil is stupidity, and so is anger, and so is rage, and so is punishment. but when you see injustice it is just your job to say 'Look! I can see injustice' and call it out to everyone you can find.

humility, modesty, compassion, understanding. evil is not a type of person, it is a quality people can have - so when you are face to face with evil, talk to the person, ignore the evil like a stupid child.

I believe that Good & Evil are just modes through which we express ourselves. First of all, we are Human after all. I mean to say that we are not perfect and we all have our vices. Though I believe that actions that can be considered "Evil" can be used by all around "Good" People. What I mean really is that, for example, in a "Good" or Virtuous Society, Murderers should not be tolerated. And I believe that locking them up and keeping them alive is a problem, because I believe that they continue to, (while alive), have an impact on the Collective (Un)Consciousness of Humanity. So I believe Evil must at times be fought with what might be considered an Evil as well: The Death Sentence.

That's just one example. And in itself it's an argument for Capital Punishment. But what I'm saying is beyond that debate. I'm simply making the case for a balance, a balance for Good & Evil. You really can't have one without the other.

I see the balance like this: Holding one of your hands in a fist and the other hand grasping that fist. Sometimes you've got to use that fist, ("Evil"). And the other times you've got to use that palm, ("Good"). The two hands together make a balance.

I'm making the case for that you can use Evil for the Greater Good, if you know how to properly apply the Balance of both Good & Evil.

Another example would be killing animals for food. I think that killing any being is an act of Evil. But for the Greater Good that animal becomes our food and nourishes us.

Greetings..

Rather than create a 'good/evil' structure, i evaluate the consequences of a situation and add sufficient energy to re-balance the consequences.. this process can be gentle or harsh, but i am only interested in neutral.. not in revenge or punishment, though neutral might include isolating harmful behaviors from those that could be harmed..

Be well..

For this conversation, I'm going to say that "evil" is a person/energy that is overly and overtly negative. I'm going to break this down into three categories.

First, everyday interaction (office/family/friend).

While we can try to avoid having friends that are negative, sometimes we cannot avoid it with family, and we sure cannot avoid it at work. What I try to do with these situations is to understand the person.

I strongly believe that people/souls simply want to be understood. When they are not, they act out in frustration, so I try to place myself in their position to have an understanding of what they may be feeling and doing.

This usually helps me relate to them and what may be causing them to act out.

Second, casual interaction (out in public)

Again, I try to see myself with them and the need to be understood; however, we are at a disadvantage because we do not know what else is going on in this persons life. We may be the target of some aggression because they reached their limit after their son did something, or they may have suffered a break from reality - we don't know.

So, try to understand what they are doing and why based on observation and respect them as much as possible, plus I use my gut to guide me as well. This is what will tell me "we need to be careful here"


Third, physical aggression/danger

In the rare situation where I am in physical danger I remove myself from the situation (and those I care for). When physical harm is in the mix, there is no time for understanding as it is for self preservation.

After the danger has subsided then I will recap the situation to determine if there was something I missed or could have done differently.

In the end, I try to operate from a position of respect and understanding. That usually eliminates any major issues with evil or negativity for me.

As for punishment, that is a topic "above my pay-grade" as it were. ;-)

With Love,
Spirit Monk

Why does punishment incur some form of 'rightness' to someone who has committed, say, a murder. Was the murder not enough of a punishment for that person, must they be continually extracted to the point where they have no reason to live? To live with the past in such a way is surely punishment enough for such an action.

I see Good/Evil in a similar perspective as hot/cold. It's just a function of the universe, and applies solely on your perception. For one, something that a person does may be considered good, such as killing an animal for food. For another, this may be considered evil, and that person may even seek to punish the action of the other, for they are stuck in right and wrong, another perception in duality.

Is it not that in winter you turn on the heater because it is cold, and in summer, to turn on that same heater would be craziness.

It's all perception. It's not a fundamental of the universe, it's mind-stuff. And because we live in the duality of the physical, it will always be there, albeit within the perceptions of those around us. It also depends on where you are coming from, are you coming from duality consciousness, or are you expressing something more unified?

I also noticed that some of the posters here were referring anger to evil. What? Anger is not evil, anger is just anger. It's a natural emotion that we have as human beings. Does a dog not become angry, or a wolf? What about children, they express anger.

So, it is the way that the anger is expressed that becomes something that is 'evil', or what have you. It is not anger itself that is evil. And in and of itself, it is purely natural to feel angry sometimes.

The idea of emotional purity can either disrupt your evolution or enhance it, it depends on where you are coming from again, if you seek to 'remove' certain emotions from your consciousness, it will come up in other areas in your life. You were given the five natural emotions for a reason. Use them, they are great tools, use them as the highest expression of yourself that you can envision.

blessings,

e

I believe that evil must be eradicated on Earth. But all is the will of God.:redface:

I don't think anyone is pure bad/wicked/evil I think all human beings can operate from love/divine conciousness/however you wish to say it or operate from fear/anger/greed/negative emotion/ego. Most people do both; some lean to either side. How I deal with people that operate from almost solely a negative place with them is to see a hurting child underneath where they were treated so poorly at points in childhood that they felt they needed to operate from this place. Calling them evil and hating them only spreads and manifests more hate and darkness in this world. It dosn't help anyone recover...

You might find it beneficial to find that alot of people deemed evil were severely abused sexually physically mentally etc as young children. I believe they mimic their abusers to regain a sense of power that was lost or to shield themselves from further harm by choosing to be the one who is doing the hurting rather than recieving it. It's a twisted subconcious logic but it stems from very early on; children are very vulnerable and are very often direct products of their environment. If you can see the child in their eyes I think it'll help you see clearer.

Also important to note; when I was operating my own life out of fear; feeling like a victim, feeling vulnerable, not trusting in the universe to bring good people or situations into my life I attracted alot of what could be considered "evil" now feeling certain the universe wishes to only teach me and is trying to show me how to live in alignment with my highest good, trusting, and feeling safe, and cared for no matter what happens I attract much better energy. It's really a matter of your perspective and changing that to where you are helping yourself and experiencing a world in alignment with those beliefs. It's difficult and a process but it works wonders.

Evil is best left ignored, that's the wisest way to deal with it.

Gandhi was a good example of dealing with many forms of social and government injustices; he was not afraid to fight it was just how he fought which was like an irresistible force at times because of his deep convictions!

another example was the founder of the martial art of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba, who could expertly intercept or side step an attacker and also hold back or then turn an attackers power against them.

I'd add that it is important not to idealistically bite off more than we can chew by ourselves. For instance the teaching of, "love thine enemy" is really an advanced attainment that may not work out (or be could be taken advantage of) unless one also has the wisdom and power needed to go with it.

there are some really nice posts in this thread, this being one of my favorites.

looks like this thread was recently resurrected after 7 years sleeping hehe.. well I want to add what I usually think about evil. first a disclaimer that I really don't know much about the going-ons of the complex spiritual world and other realms and all that so only speaking from a mainly mundane and personal philosophy derived from my learning and understanding of things that go on..

What I think is that by and large evil is usually akin to unconsciousness. Which is one of the reasons it's synonymous with darkness and is defeated by light. In most cases a form of evil will cease to exist when enough light is shed or cast on it. generally it's just a misunderstanding or misinterpretation of some sort, whether the person producing it is mislead, or just the recipient is misunderstanding it. I mean besides that, people who are hurt sometimes choose to hurt others, but even that is because they are misunderstood and misunderstand how to exist properly and act from their true nature.. which may be muddled by a combination of other misunderstandings and such. like people who poison themselves with whatever substance and their brain and bodily functions suffer, so they are sort of a shell of themselves and not able to behave as their true selves. and really we see a whole lot of that going on. Not everyone is as much a victim as the next person, but overall this misinformed society is not living up to its divine potential because it is not living and loving as it should.

So that is what I think most evil is rooted from. I can't speak for other dimensions and all that jazz, but here I think that the majority of cases of presumed evil could be solved and resolved with some extra light and understanding, and the right teaching so those accused of evil can realize the truth of their own path and self.. illuminated by light so they don't feel they have to suffer in darkness alone anymore. More people can help each other when paths are lit up because it's harder finding and saving people who are hiding in the dark not knowing where or how to go or that there really is anyone else out there who cares or is willing to share light. Interesting to think about auras and all that and what beautiful brilliant rainbow-filled light each individual is exuding underneath it all

Stop creating it internally and projecting it outwardly. That leaves you with nothing to deal with.