I could only shake my head in bewilderment, as I listened to the interviews Rick Warren, a Baptist pastor, conducted with Barack Obama and John McCain, the US presidential candidates for the Democratic and Republican parties, respectively.
Most absurd during the two-hour special were the exchanges about “evil”.
When asked how they would deal with evil if they were elected president – would they ignore it, negotiate with it, contain it, or defeat it – Obama said he would “confront it” while McCain said unflinchingly that he would “defeat it”.
After this “civil forum” was broadcast on CNN, the network’s so-called “best team on television” commented on the candidates’ performance.
This only managed to add insult to injury.
For most outsiders, the US is in denial over its own “evil doing” around the world. Obama and McCain could see evil in Darfur but would not admit that the invasion and occupation of Iraq on false premises or for oil is no less an evil act.
A sad reflection of the manner in which American politics kowtows to superstition. Cowardice replacing leadership.
Obama didn’t specifically mention Iraq in his response to the evil question, but I’m not surprised considering the venue. He did touch on the fact that we have to be careful when we take action or we might accidentally do more harm than good:
Obama:
Evil does exist. We see evil all the time. We see it in Darfur. We see it, sadly, on the streets of our cities. We see evil in parents who have viscously abused their children and I think it needs to be confronted. It has to be confronted squarely and one of the things that I strongly believe is that, you know, we’re not going to, as individuals, be able to erase evil from the world. That’s God’s task, but we can be soldiers in that process and confront it when we see it.
I think is very important is for us to have some humility in how we approach the issue of confronting evil. A lot of evil has been perpetrated based on the claim that we were trying to confront evil
Warren:
In the name of good?
Obama:
In the name of good, and I think one thing that’s very important is having some humility in recognizing that. You know, just because we think our intentions are good doesn’t mean that we’re going to be doing good.
Imaginary friends are for toddlers. It would be nice to have a president who is free of superstition.
Big sigh.
Agreed
These are politicians who are gearing their message to the specific venue they’re in. Of course they’re going to ignore the “evil doings” of the Bush Administration. This took place in the heart of the most conservative place in the entire U.S. Bush bashing is a total non-starter in the rich neighborhoods of beautiful Orange County.
There is no such thing as evil.
What is evil?
Humans inherently want to force others to think the same as them, whether the intent is forced or done out of naivete.
That is evil. Osama honestly thinks he’s doing the work of god. Bush honestly thinks he’s doing the work of god.
Both of them want to tell you what to do.
The church wants to tell you what to do.
The Evil Doer Box is a comfy box, indeed. So you think after this spectacle they went back stage and smoked some hindi-kush on the biblical papers? “puff, puff pass” “bitch, I got medical”
Trust Aljaz to hit the nerve.
Mega-Church == Teh Evil
Its too easy to go kneejerk on a sloppy religious term. “Its definitional.”
What is evil and what are you going to do about it? Fair question unless the answer is pray.
Rick, that’s exactly the sort of rationalization usually used to promote or turn a blin eye to evil deeds.
I agree that no one persons or society’s will should be accepted across the board. But to say there is no evil, that its all a matter of point of view is naive and foolish.
“However, you have failed to demonstrate to me…
any other difference between your philosophies.
Your good and your evil use the same methods,
achieve the same results.
Do you have an explanation?
You established the methods and the goals.
For you to use as you chose.
What did you offer the others if they won?
What they wanted most– power.
You offered me the lives of my crew.”
—-ST:TOS “The Savage Curtain
The world is full of evil and evil people – always been there, always will.
Some evil just goes away (Bush), some are merely ignored and eventually die (Castro), some change with diplomacy (Libya’s Kadahfi), some get ‘defeated’ if ya mess with my daddy (Hussein) and some are simply ignored (Idi Amin).
To say “I’ll defeat it” is not only a ridiculous answer, it proves McCain is not prepared to deal with 21st century evils.
Some evil is a good thing. For example: any method that keeps the total world population from growing too large too quickly.
How will the candidates handle evils such as starvation, epidemics and pollution? Waving guns and bombs will probably not fix those types of evils.
“Some evil is a good thing. For example: any method that keeps the total world population from growing too large too quickly.”
WTF????
God, I hope that’s a joke. I can’t believe someone wants to seriously go down this “end justifies the means” path.
“How will the candidates handle evils such as starvation, epidemics and pollution? Waving guns and bombs will probably not fix those types of evils.”
Starvation isn’t an evil. Withholding food aid for political purposes is. Epidemics aren’t evil, unless the disease is some man made synthetic. Pollution (waste) isn’t evil, not cleaning it up is.
The point is the natural world is not evil, it just exists. It is the evil Men do, through action or inaction that matters. Evil can’t exist with Man because evil comes from the actions of humanity.
So we’re quoting from Al-jezera concerning the nature of evil. That’s nearly poetic.
Those two answers couldn’t have been more different. McCain answered the question in the context it was put to him, while Obama gave an even better answer about how evil is everywhere. Whoever wrote that editorial didn’t bother to read their answers.
This is another reason why I thought this was a good debate. They were not routine questions.
The TSA has a list of everyone that has clicked through to that link! You are now on the LIST!!!
The whole event was a crock of shit. Cowtowing to the bible thumpers.Maybe McCain can go after the Catholic church in his search to defeat evil.
#10 tcc3 said,
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—-ST:TOS “The Savage Curtain
Good pull!
The arrogance here is astounding.
#20 – Blue-Pill-RSweeney
How’s life in la-la land?
Evil is real and it is here to stay. No man can defeat evil in the world. It is a spirit in the heart of men. You cannot legalize love, so evil is going to prevail. Man can only keep taps on his self to see what lies in his heart. The heart of man is desperately wicked and no man can know it, but God search the heart and knows the heart. Self-righteousness is evil and John McCain needs to know that. If he was such a great Christian, why does he perpetrate evil? If running for presidency do not bring out the best of your Christian life, something is wrong. Christianity is an everyday walk and way of life, not lip service, self-righteousness and pride. We cannot stand idly by and allow evil things to happen to others without confronting it. There is a way to do anything. Unkind words stir up evil. I feel that it is right for the U.S. to protect others but not for self gain. I say that the USA needs to get the pole out of their eyes before trying to get a beam out of someone else eyes. If it does not benefit us, we are not going to touch it. Thanks.