[realitycheck]

First of all (and there is only a "first of all", because I omitted the "secondly"), consider this:

Light and heat are both things that can be measured in exactness. Since they can be measured, they obviously have certain degrees at which they are non-existant and therefore at zero (even when you omit the artificial scale systems that humans have developed to make measurements easier to obtain). For light, zero is equivilant to complete darkness. For heat, zero is equal to zero degrees Kelvin. However, what is zero for good? Is it murder? Is it treachery?

The answer is that there is no zero for this. It cannot be measured. Evil cannot be the absence of good because evil and good are both matters of perception. They are ONLY opinions that are relative to the currently adapted standards of a certain society. For example, the absence of suffrage for women was considered a good thing by most Americans 200 years ago. In modern society, that past conception is considered to be not good or evil since it denies equality between the two sexes. As you can see, the definition of good changes with time, and it is a matter of perception.

Furthermore, I am almost certain that Einstein did not actually say this. He was a genius, and would never have claimed that evil is the absence of good (unless, of course, he did it when he was very young and not yet smart enough to realize that "good" is not an exact science).

[swt1899]

Originally Posted by JeanLynn81

Technically, that link neither proves nor disproves anything. It just states that "Hey, there's no proof he actually did say it, but we don't think he did and here's why..." They aren't able to say for sure. It's more of an educated guess. But that's just my opinion. I don't think he said it either....But that's not the point. I think ultimately this was posted to get people thinking of the reality of good vs evil. It really makes sense to say people don't want or choose to be evil. They've just haven't seen enough good in their lives to know otherwise. It definately is more comforting to think that evil isn't something that can just "take us over."

I think there are many things we as humans do not understand about the world around us.... and beyond us. I teach science and am a Christian. There is such a fine line I have to balance on when teaching theories of evolution to Junior High kids. They are in the 'why?' mode of thinking. They ask if I believe in the theory of evolution or creation. My 'legal-professional' response is the usual 'that's not what we are talking about right now but if you would like to know what I think, please come during tutorials and we can discuss this.' I hate that, but I have to say it. I also teach them the difference between "Theories" and "Laws." Then they can determine for themselves using that and their beliefs. I refuse to mold kids into thinking a certain way... It isn't right and it doesn't help them in life. Theories are basically ideas tested by experimentation, inferencing, observations, and prior research. Looks good on paper and explains things fairly well, but there are gaps where things don't add up. Laws are tested and retested and you come up with the same exact results each and everytime. Like Newton's 3rd law... for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction... so if you collide two q-balls together on a pool table with a certain force, they will hit and deflect that force equally and in the opposite direction. Easy.
But we all have to ask ourselves what we believe in. What have we been taught? Do we really have to prove everything? I mean there are researchers that are experimenting all the time for everything!
Some things are to be left up to the All Mighty, Himself. There are tons of things I want to ask Him when I go.