Are humans inherently evil/good?

[hojo33]

Are humans inherently good only with the stain of original sin? I read in a post from 2007, someone saying “our nature is good, but due to original sin, we have a fallen nature”.

The only things I know of that are inherently evil, are abortion, contraceptions, rape, murder, etc, so I don’t believe we as humans are inherently evil…

Can someone clarify?

Thanks,

 

[Todd_Easton]

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, in paragraphs 404 & 405, variously describes our human nature now as “fallen,” “wounded,” “weakened,” “inclined to sin,” and “inclined to evil” but “not totally corrupted.”

 

[Wesrock]

Human beings are like good, but cracked, fine china.

 

[Bradskii]

It sounds lime you are suggesting that someone is evil only if they perform an evil act. I think that’s open to debate (notwithstanding that what you consider evil may be disputed).

 

[0Scarlett_nidiyilii]

And don’t forget, we’re not supposed to judge people, only actions

 

[fhansen]

Our main “fault”, inherited from Adam & Eve, is separation from God and our bent to continue preferring ourselves to Him (as Adam did according to the catechism) and to the truth of who we really are. Pride remains strong in us to put it another way, and pride opposes God just as He exalts the humble.

To the extent that we’re distant from God, from faith in, hope in, and love of Him, loss of self-control and the sin that results is that much more likely.

Anyway, man is innately good, as is all of God’s creation, but he’s on a journey involving a battle of the will, and we’re here to learn first of all of our indisputable need for God. We’re free moral agents who shape our own lives by our choices, towards good or evil according to the Catechism

 

[snarflemike]

I think there’s no question that we are inherently good, because goodness matters greatly to us (often moreso that others be good to us, than that we be good to them). If we were inherently evil, we would have no conscience, would not be horrified when evil is done to us or others, but we are horrified (or angry, or determined to try and make things right). After all, nobody is horrified when we eat or sleep, because that is our inherent nature.