Why do “good people” hurt others?
There is a popular belief prevalent in today’s mindset. It is this – “There is god in every person. The divine force is in ALL of us, we just need to channel it.”
Sounds true, right? It becomes interesting when people who believe this are confronted with mindless evil. They tend to pin the blame on some sections of society and upbringing, moments after attributing “god” to all mankind.
Newspapers would make such people even more uncomfortable. Ugly news surfaces each day, thanks to the dangerous people. Take a second look though. The bad people are actually, the “good people”. The “good” uncle molests his young nephew. The “good” Bank officer lady bolts with the hard-earned money of pensioners. A “good” civil engineer burns his wife and children to death because he tested HIV positive.
“Good people” can cause personal harm. Your email was supposed to be private, but now it’s the talk of the town. You had trusted her with the money; now it is all gone. He was loving and gentle;then one day he punched you in the gut. You trusted them because they seemed “so nice”. And then..
Anger comes naturally against good people who have wronged you. They should be glad you were not granted a deadly weapon. Or else, would not the belief that “we are good people” be smashed to bits by our vengeance? Sadly, the desire for revenge- not justice- shows that I could end up on tomorrow’s news for all to see, but for God restraining me in various ways. Adolf Hitler was in power, so he was able to accomplish those heinous crimes- my enemies are probably safe because I thankfully don’t have that kind of influence.
The myth of man’s goodness prevails because of the invisibility of our ugly thoughts and also because of the invisibility of our motives.
The Bible says mankind was created in God’s image-so we were made to reflect God’s character and His goodness. But due to our sinful origins from the time our first parents chose to “go my way”, we have been as virtuous as a bucket with hot bathwater and dog poop in it. Yours and my evil spiritual DNA is witnessed to, by the Bible from the days just before Noah’s flood (Gen 6:5). The prophet Jeremiah diagnoses the heart of the matter (Jer 17:9, 13:23). The thread continues into the New Testament (Rom 1:21). Part of the Minnesota Crimes Commission report from 1926 got it right.
Total inability to do good, also known as “total depravity”, is mankind’s inescapable contribution to this world.
Stalin the dictator did say– “Death solves all problems; no man, no problem.”
For escape, I hope there is a way.
