GOOD AND EVIL

How can we define what is good and what is evil?
Are there universal indicators behind, within, or consequent upon an action by which one can determine whether it was a good or an evil act?
How can one tell whether a person is good or evil? The scriptures of the world's religions provide a variety of answers to these questions.

A good person or a good deed bears good fruits; and an evil person or an evil deed produces evil fruits. From the fruits, the person's heart and sincerity can be known.
You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? So, every sound tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears evil fruit.
A sound tree cannot bear evil fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will know them by their fruits.

Hear and understand: not what goes into the mouth defiles a man, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man....
Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and so passes on? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a man.
For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a man.

Christianity

God's messenger said, "Do you know the thing which most commonly brings people into Paradise? It is fear to God and good character.

Islam

Is there a "righteous man" who is good and a righteous man who is not good? He who is good to Heaven and good to man, he is a righteous man who is good! Good to Heaven but not good to man, that is a righteous man who is evil.

Judaism

"All who commit crimes, robbing, stealing, practicing villainy and treachery, and who kill men or violently assault them to take their property,
being reckless and fearless of death--these are abhorred by all."

Confucianism

Whosoever wishes to eliminate completely the sufferings of others through his own sufferings, that is the excellent person.

Buddhism

God's definition of goodness is total giving, total service, and absolute unselfishness. We are to live for others. You live for others and others live for you.
God lives for man and man lives for God. The husband lives for his wife and the wife lives for her husband. This is goodness. And here unity, harmony, and prosperity abound.

Unification Theology

Thoughts about Abel and Cain

No human is absolutely good or absolutely evil. When I read the tragic story of Cain killing his brother Abel. I wonder, why it is recorded, that God was talking to Cain, saying „ …..sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.“ It means Cain would have the strength to overcome his resentment. But there is no record, that God warned Abel, like saying „ …. don‘t go with Cain out to the field.“
Could it be, that God talked to Abel and Abel didn‘t hear Him?
I admit, that in my life, I didn‘t listen to my inner voice or conscience – which could have been God‘s warning – and I paid for it painfully.

The story of Jacob and Esau has some parallels to the story of Abel and Cain.Again younger and older brother. Older brother wanted to kill the younger brother. But the story ends completely different. Jacob listens to God and managed to make peace with Esau and share his blessings with him.

Could have been there a way, that Abel could have made peace with his brother Cain and share his blessings with him? Something to meditate about it ….