In the Face of Evil

Susan Quinn
Susan Quinn
9426
 

The word “evil” has become trivialized, particularly in this election season. Just like the words racist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamaphobic, it is casually thrown around like a ragdoll: who gets to play with it next? When people don’t like other people, or dislike their positions or the way they comb their hair, they just call them evil. Who can argue with evil?

I was going to write on this topic later, but then Doug Watt posted on the horrific practice in China of stealing organs. And the question slapped me in the face: how do we act in the face of true evil? What about other evils, such as abortion and murder? How do we take back the word “evil” so that we demonstrate its power and resilience? Do we even recognize what evil is anymore? Is there anything we can do about the commission of evil in this country or elsewhere in the world? Or must we resign ourselves to wringing our hands, condemning the careless use of the word, and praying for clarity and a strategy for action?

What do you think?

Published in Religion & Philosophy
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  1. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn
    Post author
    5:58 AM EDT ⋅ Oct 4, 2016

    Henry Castaigne:

    Susan Quinn:

    Fake John/Jane Galt:Years ago I went to an exhibit called “The Body”, basically it took human bodies and rubberized them through a process. The remains were then dissected and laid out for the world to see. The Chinese had provided cadavers though who they were in life was not specified. When I first viewed these people I became physically sick, I knew I was seeing a form of evil.

    I remember hearing about that, John. It was ghastly and evil as well.

    I don’t know if learning about the human body is evil. I recall a fantastic scene from the movie, The Physician were Ibn Sina discusses what it was like to dissect a human cadaver with another doctor. I paraphrase,

    Ibn Sina: Go over every detail of anatomy.

    Other Doctor: It was both terrifying and beautiful. Truly an amazing work.

    Ibn Sina: Are the lungs one thing.

    Other Doctor: No. The lungs have two chambers and the spleen is not part of the liver like we thought it was.

    Doctors cut up human cadavers all the time to improve their knowledge. My father who is a veterinarian describes it as more beautiful than terrible. Besides, if it weren’t for donations to medical science what would have happened to Jeremy Bentham?

    I think on can justify desecrating a body for medical science; students need to know how to work with the real thing. But for this exhibit, with the technology we have, parts of the body could have been created to be life-like and educational for the lay person. That’s my feeling, Henry.

    • #91
  2. Fake John/Jane Galt Coolidge
    Fake John/Jane Galt
    @FakeJohnJaneGalt
    6:08 AM EDT ⋅ Oct 4, 2016

    Susan Quinn:

    Henry Castaigne:

    Susan Quinn:

    Fake John/Jane Galt:Years ago I went to an exhibit called “The Body”, basically it took human bodies and rubberized them through a process. The remains were then dissected and laid out for the world to see. The Chinese had provided cadavers though who they were in life was not specified. When I first viewed these people I became physically sick, I knew I was seeing a form of evil.

    I remember hearing about that, John. It was ghastly and evil as well.

    I don’t know if learning about the human body is evil. I recall a fantastic scene from the movie, The Physician were Ibn Sina discusses what it was like to dissect a human cadaver with another doctor. I paraphrase,

    Ibn Sina: Go over every detail of anatomy.

    Other Doctor: It was both terrifying and beautiful. Truly an amazing work.

    Ibn Sina: Are the lungs one thing.

    Other Doctor: No. The lungs have two chambers and the spleen is not part of the liver like we thought it was.

    Doctors cut up human cadavers all the time to improve their knowledge. My father who is a veterinarian describes it as more beautiful than terrible. Besides, if it weren’t for donations to medical science what would have happened to Jeremy Bentham?

    I think on can justify desecrating a body for medical science; students need to know how to work with the real thing. But for this exhibit, with the technology we have, parts of the body could have been created to be life-like and educational for the lay person. That’s my feeling, Henry.

    That is not what this display did.  It rubberized human bodies and put them on display to be gawked at for entertainment.  There is a permanent exhibition in Las Vegas as a tourist attraction.

    http://www.premierexhibitions.com/exhibitions/4/49/bodies-exhibition/bodies-exhibition-las-vegas

    My understanding is that the once humans that make up the exhibit are from China.  Mainly because western law does not allow for human remains to be treated in such a way.

    • #92
  3. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn
    Post author
    6:10 AM EDT ⋅ Oct 4, 2016

    Fake John/Jane Galt:

    Susan Quinn:

    Henry Castaigne:

    Susan Quinn:

    Fake John/Jane Galt:Years ago I went to an exhibit called “The Body”, basically it took human bodies and rubberized them through a process. The remains were then dissected and laid out for the world to see. The Chinese had provided cadavers though who they were in life was not specified. When I first viewed these people I became physically sick, I knew I was seeing a form of evil.

    I remember hearing about that, John. It was ghastly and evil as well.

    I don’t know if learning about the human body is evil. I recall a fantastic scene from the movie, The Physician were Ibn Sina discusses what it was like to dissect a human cadaver with another doctor. I paraphrase,

    Ibn Sina: Go over every detail of anatomy.

    Other Doctor: It was both terrifying and beautiful. Truly an amazing work.

    Ibn Sina: Are the lungs one thing.

    Other Doctor: No. The lungs have two chambers and the spleen is not part of the liver like we thought it was.

    Doctors cut up human cadavers all the time to improve their knowledge. My father who is a veterinarian describes it as more beautiful than terrible. Besides, if it weren’t for donations to medical science what would have happened to Jeremy Bentham?

    I think on can justify desecrating a body for medical science; students need to know how to work with the real thing. But for this exhibit, with the technology we have, parts of the body could have been created to be life-like and educational for the lay person. That’s my feeling, Henry.

    That is not what this display did. It rubberized human bodies and put them on display to be gawked at for entertainment. There is a permanent exhibition in Las Vegas as a tourist attraction.

    http://www.premierexhibitions.com/exhibitions/4/49/bodies-exhibition/bodies-exhibition-las-vegas

    My understanding is that the once humans that make up the exhibit are from China. Mainly because western law does not allow for human remains to be treated in such a way.

    Phew!

    • #93
  4. Matt White Member
    Matt White
    @
    7:38 AM EDT ⋅ Oct 4, 2016

    Susan Quinn:

    Fake John/Jane Galt:

    Susan Quinn:

    Henry Castaigne:

    Susan Quinn:

    I remember hearing about that, John. It was ghastly and evil as well.

    I don’t know if learning about the human body is evil. I recall a fantastic scene from the movie, The Physician were Ibn Sina discusses what it was like to dissect a human cadaver with another doctor. I paraphrase,

    I think on can justify desecrating a body for medical science; students need to know how to work with the real thing. But for this exhibit, with the technology we have, parts of the body could have been created to be life-like and educational for the lay person. That’s my feeling, Henry.

    That is not what this display did. It rubberized human bodies and put them on display to be gawked at for entertainment. There is a permanent exhibition in Las Vegas as a tourist attraction.

    http://www.premierexhibitions.com/exhibitions/4/49/bodies-exhibition/bodies-exhibition-las-vegas

    My understanding is that the once humans that make up the exhibit are from China. Mainly because western law does not allow for human remains to be treated in such a way.

    Phew!

    There’s also consideration of the source. With China, there’s a decent chance they were executed political prisoners.

    • #94
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