Morality of Good and Evil
- mtliviero9
- Mar 18
- 6 min read
Updated: Mar 25
The definition of morality from the Oxford Reference Dictionary states the following:
“…a system of values, normative rules, or principles according to which intentions or behaviours are judged to be good or bad, right or wrong. Such judgment can arise from
cultural, religious, or philosophical beliefs. see ethics.”[1]
There is a wealth of literature that explores the meaning of morality in depth. However, in this context, I would like to briefly share my thoughts on the importance of considering morality in terms of good and evil from both philosophical and psychological perspectives, rather than from a religious standpoint—traditionally associated with Original Sin and Adam's disobedience to God by eating the forbidden fruit.
Early Christian fathers developed the idea that man’s nature is conceived and born in sin, and they had the power and authority to spread the idea that humans inherit a tainted nature and can only be saved by repenting to avoid condemnation. As Romans 5:12 states:” Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”
From the story of Adam’s transgression, it appears that good and evil are essential for the progress of man’s nature and for determining the path he wishes to follow. In my view, the concept of Original Sin serves an underlying motive to control and undermine human power, which is represented by the divine will that resides within us rather than outside of us. By connecting with this divine power, we can free ourselves from guilt and shame and step into an internal, spiritual dimension, in contrast to external power. This allows us to manage primal feelings linked to fear; fear of death, fear of abandonment, and fear of failure. The spiritual dimension offers a space for us to discover our true selves and the strength of the divine will within us. I cannot define or suggest what spiritualism means for you; every individual is unique, with their own inner journey to spirituality.
My unpublished book explores the significance of good and evil within us and what occurs when we experience suffering: how we then have the choice to either transcend pain or continue on the same path without judgment from God. Nevertheless, we can become unbalanced due to issues that arise from within ourselves. In this context, factors contributing to suffering—those that distance us from our core self (which does not betray who we are), our divine spark—may very well be regarded as a sin. Flaws such as low self-esteem, self-centredness, the seven deadly sins, negative projections, transferences, addictions, general unhappiness, drama, staleness, an unwillingness to take risks for personal growth, and negative thinking patterns fall into this category. Yet, experiencing such suffering is crucial in the process of transcending the false self; therefore, we need sin, or the collective/personal shadow.
The themes of good and evil, right and wrong, represent a common merism similar to the yin and yang symbol, suggesting opposing aspects of the whole; like day and night, one cannot exist without the other. Thus, the Christian belief in inherited sin can be seen as sinful in itself, potentially depriving humanity of the chance to embrace their dark side—personal, emotional pain. For instance, by punishing behaviours that contravene the Ten
Commandments, the Christian authorities may inadvertently label emotional suffering as a sin. However, the mental and emotional repercussions of violating this moral code can be perceived as fundamental to the development of the self, prompting individuals to reflect on their actions and potentially leading to change. Repentance does not always spur an individual to examine themselves and can, in fact, enable them to evade accountability for their actions. In such cases, they can relieve any guilt simply by repenting. If we find ourselves repeating the same behaviours, repentance only permits us to feel guilt-free in that moment. I have often felt remorse for things I have said and done, but nothing truly alters until I cultivate self-awareness.
In my book yet to be published, I propose the idea that God created evil, as noted in Genesis 1:21, before man was created, rather than the initial appearance of evil (or Satan) represented by the serpent, which occurs in Genesis 3. There are various versions describing God’s creation in Genesis 1:21: “...great whales” (King James Version), “great sea monsters” (e.g., NASB, Legacy Standard Bible, Amplified Bible), and “great sea creatures” (New American Standard Bible, New King James Version). Some biblical scholars have linked the sea creature to the ancient Near Eastern and Babylonian mythology of the primordial sea serpent known as Leviathan. Britannica states the following:
In the Old Testament Leviathan appears in Psalms 74:14 as a multiheaded sea serpent that is killed by God and given as food to the Hebrews in the wilderness. In Isaiah 27:1, Leviathan is a serpent and a symbol of Israel’s enemies, who will
be slain by God. In Job 41, it is a sea monster and a symbol of God’s power of creation (Encyclopaedia Britannica, March 2020).
Therefore, I would argue that the serpent in Genesis 1 serves purely as a symbol, or manifestation, of evil, and that God actually created evil before Adam transgressed God’s sacred boundary. This could imply that there is a dark side to God, intentionally transferred onto humanity in order to cultivate the potential for virtue within us, rather than to consolidate or strengthen evil, which has become a common occurrence in the present day. Humanity has internalised evil for personal gain, enjoyment, and the feeling of control and dominance. We observe this in instances of domestic violence, bullying, political corruption, human trafficking, mass murder, wars, and abuse towards children. It appears that the magnitude of evil is never-ending, yet the tide can turn if we acknowledge our dark side and learn how to transform those traits. This is why the power of awareness is equally as important as the power of “now”.
In my opinion, the power of awareness precedes the power of “now”. Without the power of awareness, how can we change our interpersonal dynamics, the very elements that influence our capacity to apply thinking and the power of “now”? I believe that self-awareness is the first step to recognising the difficulties we encounter and the act of challenging the facets of ourselves that cause our emotional suffering—the negative traits we refuse to acknowledge by projecting onto others, blaming others, transferring responsibility, gaslighting, and so on. Being self-aware of our mental and emotional vulnerabilities, as well as the issues that trigger certain unfavourable behaviours, helps us align with the present. By adopting techniques such as deep breathing, we can endeavour to remain with the difficult feelings in the here and now. Harnessing the power of “now” is crucial in minimising our damaging behaviours, but without self-awareness, how can we truly be present? I am not only referring to mental awareness but also to self-awareness of what our body communicates—physical sensations and feelings we can also experience with the power of “now”. However, there is a difference between the two concepts. The power of self-awareness provides us with an understanding or knowledge of ourselves and our triggers, resulting in the ability to remain in the present without reacting. The concepts of self-awareness and being present are a merism in that they represent opposing actions necessary to consolidate and become whole.
At the beginning of this blog, I briefly discussed the topic of morality in relation to the Self and proceeded to examine how the dark side of God symbolically created evil through the sea creature in Genesis 1, projecting evil onto humanity. God did this for one reason only—to enable us to transcend our false selves by reaching the inner divine, rather than succumbing to external energies.
We all recognise that morality is linked to right and wrong, and some may disagree with my definition of "wrong." Each society, group, or individual defines morality differently from the next, so what does “wrong” truly signify? When someone crosses your boundaries, you are likely to feel they have wronged you; however, your boundaries may not align with theirs, hence they do not perceive themselves as having wronged you. Some individuals believe they are entitled to act as they please, thus in their worldview, they have never committed any wrongdoing. In such cases, using their experiences as a learning opportunity to confront negative behaviours is not easy, particularly when emotional wounds run deep. Here, I am not referring to the legal definition of “wrong” or the dictionary definition of "wrong."
Wrongdoing is a personal experience, and when you experience feelings tied to such actions, you recognise it. Emotions like guilt, shame, embarrassment, or humiliation from others, along with self-directed anger, often arise. For most of us, there is a natural inclination to feel these emotions when we believe we have acted wrongly. However, ongoing wrongdoing can lead to suffering and imbalance, resulting in repression and suppression of our negative actions through addictive behaviours, aimed at avoiding the acknowledgement of our wrongs. Yet even these behaviours may compel us, in time, to stop, reflect, and change. Ultimately, wrongdoing can work in our favour over time.
The biblical merism of good and evil has a ripple effect that illustrates how the dark side of
God possesses positive and loving intentions, rather than merely representing inherited sin.
“I would like to have everything that is good, genuine and beautiful”.
W.A. Mozart
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