#agathism

Agathism, n. /a’gǝ-thism/ - The doctrine that all things tend towards good.

Photo by Austin Chan on Unsplash

Open up a dictionary to a random word. Define what that word means to you.

To me, this word means that you would do anything necessary for the Greater Good. This could mean putting people in harm's way, dismantling ecosystems, taking down governments or even just withholding the truth so you don't hurt someone.

It's the age-old question: if you could go back in time and kill baby Hitler...would you? Some people are like "no way I would never kill a child." Others are gung-ho about killing baby Hitler because it would prevent the murder of millions of Jews, Romanis, Jehovah's Witnesses and more. Some might try to circumvent this with a "I'd just adopt him, show him a better life." But that isn't the question is it?

This means bad things will have to happen in order for Good to prevail. Essentially the end will justify the means, but a lot of people disagree with that. They believe that for something to be purely Good, it must be achieved with Good intentions all the way through.

I don't know if this is always possible. Sometimes bad things must be done in order for the proverbial good guys to win. Who's going to make that decision though? Who ultimately decides what is Good and what is Evil? Most people will say God or some other higher power. Some don't believe in a higher power, they define Good and Evil on a rolling scale of their own morals. Others don't give a damn.

Would winning the Good fight be worth it if you became an evil person in the process?

agathism noun