Some people become pissed, others bewildered at the ideas below. They try to figure out how I'm wrong, but I bet you can't do it.

EVIL – WHO NEEDS IT?

That, of course, is a silly question. Those who are reputedly evil don't need it, they already have it and some surely enjoy it. No, it is not them, it is the rest of us because the more we find others evil, the more virtuous we believe ourselves to be. It is truly reassuring to find that others are of that sort because three existential problems become resolved.

The first: Once someone becomes identified as evil, nothing more about that person is relevant. The hard work of understanding them is avoided. Knowing someone is evil is the ultimate and only meaningful truth; nothing else is relevant. And, because the person is evil, dispositional concerns are simple: kill, incarcerate or exile. Whew, no moral ambiguity there.

The second: Once the other is defined as evil, we immediately assume moral superiority and do not have to think about our own behavior. No matter how badly we may act, that the other is evil makes our transgressions pale in comparison. The evil Germans killed prisoners because Germans are evil. American soldiers did the same thing; but because of the exigencies of war and thus are good guys. We are off the painful hook of self-contemplation and live a self-congratulatory life.

The third: We can join with others in decrying their evil outrages, sort of form a brother/sisterhood, supporting each other in our superior morality and feeling the warm glow of comradeship. We joyfully unite in destroying those who are evil; it is an easy way to forget they are human beings.

You see, we need the concept of evil to make our daily lives a bit more comfortable. But, from this, it is obvious that the notion of evil is a psychological trick we humans have invented to make ourselves feel better. And, the question remains, whence the idea?

As far as I understand the notion, it is purely religious and perhaps only significant in the Abrahamic religions. How is it we believe in the concept of sin (sinners after all are evil)? In the good book, there is no uncertainty; sinners are killed by God. For about half the American population, the devil is a reality and churches have active exorcists to drive demons out of possessed bodies. We are told daily that evil exists and must be fought everywhere. The church that pickets funerals of dead soldiers is convinced our country is evil and they do what they can to thwart it.

If we give up the pleasures of believing in evil, we can get a better understanding of the human animal.

First, there is no such thing as a superior human being. We are all born with the same passions and lusts that are part of our human nature. Civilization has striven to curtail them with commandments and laws, but with almost no success. Everyone hates war, yet how is it that the history of humankind is a history of each group bound and determined to destroy the other. We are all common clay. Or, more crudely, we all fart.

Second, a significant part of our nature is that we make mistakes. Essentially, we do things that make our lives worse and it is not only caused by our passions. Our brains are not computers. Advertising and politics everyday fool us into thinking A is really B and vice versa. Science tells us we are somewhat mentally clumsy and hell, who wants to admit that?

Three. We have laws that designed to punish evil doers. If you can't do the time, don't do the crime assumes a rational thinking person who opts to be a law-breaker; no doubt that's why children are sometimes prosecuted as adults. It was a long legal struggle that determined that mentally retarded people are not competent to defend themselves in court. How humane we have become. Contrary to religion, our legal system and common misconception we are not responsible for ourselves. Mistakes and foolishness clutter our lives and we learn to take such seriously.

We have had enough of religious declarations of evil with its freedom to punish evil doers. Nonsense, we are creatures of our genetics and our history, neither for which are we responsible. Yes, we should have a legal system to protect society from criminals but that is a shorthand way of saying we figured out that a stable society is best. Killing people for their crimes is not getting rid of an evil person; and there is little evidence to support the notion that it deters others.

It is better to accept the wisdom, “There but for the grace of God go I.” Or, how about this rule: All people should be treated kindly regardless of their actions.” Or, as my aunt Rose used to say, “People are not for hurting/”

If we get away from “evil,” we become more humane, surely, that is a worthy goal.