In the first instalment,
we concluded that pride was the root of all non biological evil. Now I would
like to discuss some of the greatest evil acts in history starting with Adam
and Eve. The first sin in history where Eve bit into the apple, was committed because
her pride was insulted by the serpent. The snake called her unknowing and
unintelligent, and prove that she was not she ate of the apple committing one
of the greatest sins in history. The crucifixion of Jesus was committed by the
high priests and people of power. Although Jesus had not committed any illegal
acts despite possibly disrupting the piece. They needed him to die specifically
because he was questioning what they believed. He was falsely killed because
the high priests and people of power where simply to prideful to admit their
ignorance.
World War Two occurred in
part due to the state of Germany proceeding World War One. The German people
had pride and could not stand living in poverty; giving Hitler the perfect
opportunity to rise to power. Pride can be the root of good as well, but not
the root of all goodness. The defeat of Germany was also due to Hitler’s Pride
when opening the second front he over exuberated himself and this action caused
the loss of the war. In the defeat of Germany specifically Hitler’s Pride
played a pivotal roll in the goodness at the wars end. Another instance of
Pride being good in World War Two was the loyalty of the Japanese when fighting
for their nation. However much like American soldiers during the Vietnam War
the Japanese showed extreme cruelty do to the same Pride in their nation.
Ted Bundy, the mass murder
wanted everyone to know his name. He was perhaps one of the most successful at
this in history. Not that indifferent form jack the ripper who lived many years
ago, but is still talked about and studied to this day. It is a personal belief
that most crimes are committed for fame. The guy who breaks into a house with
is his buddies most likely at some point says hey guys watch this or look over
here. These are examples of pride, Ted and Jack both wanted people to know who
they were that’s why they entangled theatrics into their murders. I am quality
of this just like most of us are. It is unlikely that you will ever find
someone that says look at what I did. There is nothing wrong in doing good and
successful things it is a good and necessary part of life. It is when you are
so desperate for attention that you do good or wrong things just to achieve the
attention you get form doing it.
For most people, even if
Jesus was not a messiah he was a good person and a great teacher, he could
really capture an audience. He was humble he is known to have served the people
who followed him. There is a famous quote “ask not what your country can do for
you, but what you can do for your country”, this is a form of humility you are
putting yourself below the good of the nation instead of above it. Those famous
words were spoken by Kennedy, a well like and popular president, In his
inaugural speech. Martin Luther King Jr. a pastor and man of God spoke the
famous words “I have a dream” clarifying a vision of what he wanted America to
be like. Most don’t know though that paragraph after this ended with the
comment we will stand hand in hand as black and white and as brothers and
sister. He did not alter himself above his brethren. He was among the masses he
was another face in the sea of people standing up for what is right. My great
grandmother was one of the best people you would ever meet there was never a
soul that she would not help. If she didn’t have a shirt on her back she would
go work for one to give to you, and there were times in her life where a shirt
on your back was hard to come by. I ask you now, what to Jesus, Kennedy, Martin
Luther King Jr., And my great grandmother all have in common? They were all
humble.
Evil cannot come of
humility only good can. The people in the above paragraph where all incredible
people, the best of the best. Some of their names will surely be known for
eternity while some will only have a name until it weathers off the gravestone.
They were all humble though all four of them and so many like them. It is no
coincidence that Pride and humility are opposites just Good and Evil are. For
every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. This is a scientific law
however I believe that it extends on past science and into the realm of
morality and religion. For every good there is an evil for every right choice
there is a wrong choice and for every prideful action there is a humble one.
I myself am human and have
the struggle with pride every day. We are all human and all make mistakes, but
we must realize that we have a problem before we can attempt to fix it. I know
that I am very self-centered and egotistical, and have more Pride then I
should. There have been points in my life where I would be offered food and I
was hungry and I would have rather stolen food then to have excepted the offer,
because I was to prideful to show weakness. It’s a real struggle and one that I
work against every day. I have not and do not know that I ever will eliminate
my Pride, but I can see my humility growing every day. I must admit also that I
am happier because of it I still do not like excepting charity, but I have
found that people find pleasure in helping others almost as much pleasure as
the receiver finds in exception of the gifts they are to receive. In section
one I committed that pride was the root of all evil, in section two I
elaborated, and discussed the goodness of humility. In the last sentence of
section two now I ask you, is your root one of Pride or is it one of
Humility?
I must say that my root is defintely in pride; I find it hard to admit faults in myself, and it has put me in more than one difficult situaiton. However, I bleive that learning to deal with this part of maturing and growing as an individual. Everybody has a choice in this matter; to either accept their faults as they are and do nothing about them, or realize that they are a problem and attempt to correct them. I believe how everybody deals with these issues shows a lot about a person's character
ReplyDeleteI really don't get why Eve's legendary transgression is considered by Christians "one of the greatest sins of history" when she was merely evincing the curiosity (and pride) they say her Creator endowed her with, and that He in his omniscience knew she would exercise. It was the tree of knowledge, for heaven's sake!
ReplyDelete