Man - Good or Bad?

Man - Good or Bad?

The story of Robin Hood is a classic. As a matter of fact, so well known that it scarcely needs to be retold, but to be pointed in the right direction - basically, the story tells of a man who stole from the rich to give to the poor. Switching gears, but in the same line of fire, when one steals, even if it is for a good cause, is stealing still wrong? When Heavenly Father said 'thou shalt not steal,' did he mean ever, without exception? Of course. So why, then, do we cheer for Robin as he runs out of King Richards castle when we know what he has done was wrong? Because he's a good guy, right? If he has to do a couple bad things to make a couple good things happen, it's alright. From this comes the burning question of the day; would the situation at hand mean that Robin Hood was basically a good guy who did bad things, or merely that he was a bad guy doing good things? And even wider, generally, could we ask this question about any person and their motives? Are people, deep down, basically good and easily influenced by the world to do bad things, or are they basically bad, and must be taught by an inside source to be good?

On the sixth day of creation God said, "Let us make man in our image and of our likeness," and life was breathed into his nostrils. Genesis 1 also states that, 'God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.' Of course it was - God is the epitome of "good". He doesn't make bad things. So why, then, in the Book of Mormon does it tell us '. . . the natural man is an enemy to god. . .'? Good question.

On the LDS website there is a link called Guide to the Scriptures. Its definition of the Natural Man is a person who chooses to be influenced by the passions, desires, appetites, and senses of the flesh rather than by the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Easy enough; pick out the key word. Choose. The natural man is an enemy to God, but it isn't until we choose to, that we become the enemy. In the meantime, people are deep down, basically good.

With the Fall of Adam came man's susceptibility to sin. It wasn't an accident, God planned it that way. All men are susceptible to the powers of the adversary. He is ruthless, selfish and insufferable. Take a look: we love the warmth because we have been cold; color is so beautiful because