What makes someone truly "evil"?

[Ambition]

I have a question about what Catholic teaching/philosophy states is regarding what truly makes a “bad person”. Putting it briefly, people who torture and kill and other moral transgressions usually do such things because they are psychologically disturbed, or under the influence of some substance (drug) which alters their consciousness. Are all these disordered or influenced people truly held responsible for their actions, and if so, why would God send such people to hell when He creates them knowing that they will be psychologically damaged as they are?
This problem of evil has been weighing on my mind a lot lately; I just don’t understand how we can hold people responsible for actions spurred by environmental and psychological factors and deem them “evil”, nor why God would send them to hell for acts they performed under influence, as this is the case for most “evil-doers”.
Thanks!

 

[Maximilian75]

No human person is truly evil. We are all at our core, fundamentally good.

 

[Ambition]

Then, why would people suffer eternal punishment for their actions?

 

[Maximilian75]

Because as humans we can still choose to do evil rather than good.

 

[guanophore]

I have a question about what Catholic teaching/philosophy states is regarding what truly makes a “bad person”.

We all have the ability to be “truly bad persons”. We still have our fallen human nature, and without grace, we will follow the god of this world (Satan).

Putting it briefly, people who torture and kill and other moral transgressions usually do such things because they are psychologically disturbed, or under the influence of some substance (drug) which alters their consciousness.

While I can attest that psychological disturbance and drugs do put humans in a position to do evil things, and become evil persons, the fact is that such things can be done by persons who are very high functioning and sober.

http://tortureaccountability.org/donald_rumsfeld

Are all these disordered or influenced people truly held responsible for their actions, and if so, why would God send such people to hell when He creates them knowing that they will be psychologically damaged as they are?

God does not “send” anyone to hell. On the contrary:

" God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." I Tim. 2

God creates all persons to live in communion with Him for eternity. But we are born into a fallen world, separated from Him by sin. Not all will choose to receive His grace and be saved from themselves, and “this evil generatation” in which we live.

God does not intend for any of his creatures to be damaged, but if we are, He provides healing to all those who are willing to ask.

This problem of evil has been weighing on my mind a lot lately; I just don’t understand how we can hold people responsible for actions spurred by environmental and psychological factors and deem them “evil”,

we are responsible for our choices, and our willingness to ask for God to save us. Of course environmental and psychological factors are contributors, but God’s mercy is greater than all of these failings. God allows evil to occur so that greater good can come of it. Think about it. He allowed His Own Beloved Son to suffer and die on the cross, so that redemption could be purchased.

 

[Vico]

I have a question about what Catholic teaching/philosophy states is regarding what truly makes a “bad person”. Putting it briefly, people who torture and kill and other moral transgressions usually do such things because they are psychologically disturbed, or under the influence of some substance (drug) which alters their consciousness. Are all these disordered or influenced people truly held responsible for their actions, and if so, why would God send such people to hell when He creates them knowing that they will be psychologically damaged as they are?
This problem of evil has been weighing on my mind a lot lately; I just don’t understand how we can hold people responsible for actions spurred by environmental and psychological factors and deem them “evil”, nor why God would send them to hell for acts they performed under influence, as this is the case for most “evil-doers”.
Thanks!

Matthew 5

20 For I tell you, that unless your justice abound more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

John 8, The Children of the Devil

42 Jesus therefore said to them: If God were your Father, you would indeed love me. For from God I proceeded, and came; for I came not of myself, but he sent me: 43 Why do you not know my speech? Because you cannot hear my word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and he stood not in the truth; because truth is not in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father thereof. 45 But if I say the truth, you believe me not. 46 Which of you shall convince me of sin? If I say the truth to you, why do you not believe me? 47 He that is of God, heareth the words of God. Therefore you hear them not, because you are not of God.

 

[guanophore]

No human person is truly evil. We are all at our core, fundamentally good.

I am not sure this position is entirely defensible. Although we are made in the image and likeness of God, we are all capable of great evil.

“If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.” Gen. 4;7

Every human person is given sufficient grace to choose the good.

 

[Maximilian75]

God is fundamentally good, yes? and we are made in His image and likeness, yes? so…

 

[JamalChristophr]

The things is we have no idea who goes to Hell. The Catholic Church does not even authoritatively teach that Judas is in Hell. The Church can say some persons are definitely in Heaven but will never say that any single person is in Hell. Only God knows that.

People go to Hell because of their unwillingness to repent during their lifetime or just before their death. Only God can judge souls. We never really know all the information regarding a soul. We can see an action a person performs, sure, but that’s only one element among many others that constitute the make up of that Soul and its relationship with God.

 

[BlackFriar]

Agreed, at our core is “free will”.
If it is utterly bent on never doing what it should do then we are truly evil.

 

[stupidisasstupiddoes]

God is fundamentally good, yes? and we are made in His image and likeness, yes? so

Those are nice words but the empirical evidence is damning, man in a state of nature does not live as God intended. The fact that we can disagree in words and not immediately resort to violence in order to settle our disagreement is a relatively modern behavioural trait in human history.