Are we born evil, or born pure and become evil?

Question

Are we born evil, or born pure and become evil?

Answer 1

Born pure, then become evil.

Answer 2

In order to be born pure, our mother and father must also be pure.  A child within the womb can already learn.  Play music to your unborn child, talk to it, put your hand over it.  

An unborn child is not an inanimate object, but a promise for a better life, if only we ourselves were enlightened enough to rid ourselves of fear.

It is through fear that evil enters into us.

Did not St John the Baptist already have the strength of the Holy Spirit before he was born?  Did not St Ann (Mary's mother) forbid anything to defile her daughter, even to the point of not allowing her to touch her feet on the ground?

Answer 3

Neither.

We are born as blank slates, so to speak.  As we learn more about our world, we form viewpoints which can be for the better or worse of our fellow man.  What one person views as evil, another views as good, and vice versa.  

Answer 4

In the beginning - everything is pure.

Answer 5

One chooses to become ,what one chooses.

Answer 6

pure

Answer 7

Christians teach that children are the representatives of all things pure...

...You should really read Lord of the Flies by William Golding and then decide if children are pure or evil...

Answer 8

There's a saying that goes like...I was born to be a christian but the temptation of the world make me a criminal.Better to choose which path to follow coz the decision you make today determines your tomorrow's destiny

Answer 9

Adam was created pure, but became sinful. Also, nothing sinful can produce something pure. Therefore, all the descendants of Adam, namely, all of us, are sinful, as Adam was.

Answer 10

I've had to work at it.

Answer 11

I don't believe anybody is 'good' or 'evil'. People are just people. Some make different decisions/beliefs than others, and maybe mine don't meet eye to eye with yours. Does that mean I'm evil? Or are you? Nobody makes it a life goal to be 'evil'. Not even Hilter. They do what they believe in and what they think they should do.

*I agree with Satan In A Box: Do you think those people say, 'This is evil, I think I'm going to do that.'

As a matter of fact, if anybody DOES say that, they are most likely some little teenage punks trying to act cool.

T.T

**How do you define pure? Innocent? Still 'of the Christian god'? Uncarved? If not any of the above, then what?

Answer 12

Man is born with original sin of Adam and Eve.  That is being evil  by inheritance.  After baptism  we are cleansed and pure of soul but  we always have the  temptations while on earth to do evil.  It is our free choice and will  that decides what we will do and be.  

Answer 13

Evil and Good are relative terms.  Do you think a cannibal considers himself 'evil'?  Does a soldier think what he's doing is wrong?  We are born human, and become human.  That is the extent of it.

Answer 14

we are born with some good and some evil and we have to fight out enter life to not let the evil take over  

Answer 15

We are all born pure. We are all born Atheist. What does that tell you?

Answer 16

We are born pure, we are all born Agnostic.  What does that tell you?

Ok, just kidding!  Silly atheists!  You have to know about the idea of God/gods to reject the idea!

My real answer:

NONE OF THE ABOVE!  We are born ignorant.  Good and evil must be decided.  "Pure" is a false concept in this case unless you mean as the Taoists mean, "the uncarved block" - having shape, yet not formed.  Another similar metaphor is the blank slate, the unwritten note, etc.

If we were born evil somehow, then who would be to blame for putting that there?  There are biological impulses and behavioral tendencies, but effective positive parenting can overcome most obstacles.  Other issues may require medication, but is even that "inherently evil?"

Answer 17

No one is born evil.  We are born innocent (not the same as pure in my book) and learn that we are part good and part bad as we mature.  The secret is to learn to control our 'bad' or 'shadow' side and use it to make ourselves better and stronger.  People become evil when they let their shadow selves become stronger than their light selves.

Answer 18

I don't believe anyone is born evil.  It is society that corrups one's mind.

Answer 19

According to the bible we are born with the original sin, in the beginning when adam and eve partook of the forbidden fruit, that God told them not to eat of, they did anyways, and that was the original sin, and God said that every one that comes into the world would be born in the originalsin. There fore, we are born evil.

Answer 20

Children are born children, nothing more.

Answer 21

depends on the religion

as a christian I believe we are born pure.

I think jewish and catholics believe evil that is why thy baptize babies