Why do good people do evil things?

I understand why some people habitually do evil things. They are self-centered and entitled and don't care who they hurt while getting what they want. It's not hard to see.

The same sort of thing goes for good people doing good things. They want to be a positive part of society; want to help people.

I can also understand why people who easily choose to do evil things sometimes do good things-- it's to their benefit. No one could survive long only doing evil things all the time.

But why do otherwise good people commit evil? How can they rationalize what they are doing?

"For good people to do evil things it takes religion." ~ Physicist Steven Weinberg.

No religion is more convenient for this purpose, or illustrates this fact better, than Statism.

It's what causes good people to become cops and then start to commit evil acts as part of the "job". It's what causes good people to get a "job" with the IRS and start stealing property and ruining lives. It takes a belief that committing evil acts is OK under the circumstances, and is approved by the "higher power" flowing from the courthouse, city hall, the capital, or the bureaucracy. Or that this approval makes the act which would be evil otherwise not evil.

Statism is the most popular religion in the world. It usually comes before any other religion the believer may have. When combined with other religions it can become even worse-- just look at the Muslim world, the old "Moral Majority", or "Focus on the Family" if you have any doubt about this danger.

Don't trust any belief which causes you to rationalize violating others "for their own good" or for society or for "the common good". Do the right thing, even if you feel you could win approval and rewards by doing the wrong thing.

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