Do you see anger as evil?

[scorpia]

Most often I tend to see in some debates mentioning how someone or something might be portrayed as angry and mentoioned so in a negative light. So I would simply like to know; Do you see anger as evil? Yes? No? Why?

Personally I don't think it is evil. It may make people who are angry scary in some manner. But anger is an emotion that people are born with, and there are enough cases when it is more right for people to feel angry rather than anything else.

[melikio]

http://www.ravenhill.org/beangry.htm

Too angry?

I agree with much of what has been said in this thread about anger.

My primary concern is with those to whom anger tends to become an obsession (their main mode and motive).

Now, the article I linked to above, points to situations or "conditions" of within mankind that are of deep concern to many believers. There are enough "hot-button" issues in that article to keep this forum and its threads busy for a VERY LONG TIME.

But that article leads me to the question of: Where do we let God handle all that we believe is "wrong" with society or the world, and eventually accept that we can only fix so much of what's "broken". Where is the "balance"? That is, I believe there is a point where being continually concerned over things which DO anger us, can and typically does lead to evil (despite the BEST of religious, moral or social intentions).

http://www.joyfulheart.com/maturity/kindness.htm

A good example of what I'm pointing out, is what to do about "racism". I've had to deal with that as a Christian nearly all of my life. And no, I'm not talking about anyone wrapping me in chains and dragging me with a pickup truck, but the undercurrent of superiority and arrogance generated by many (even some Christians) as a result of mere perceptions of other human beings. Trust me on this, I'm a person who has seen "injustice". In this day/age of "homosexuality" or "liberalism" being THE worst sin, that particular human "negative" (racism) is more easily overlooked; that, along with "greed" or "gluttony".

I realize that the originally linked article (http://www.ravenhill.org/beangry.htm) is far more balanced in addressing the overall RANGE of issues (sins) which actually anger the author, but as a gay person, I cannot help but see a certain level of moral bias that has certainly been addressed in other threads.

Be all that as it is, there is the concern I have over the frustrating effect of focusing upon things that we cannot change. I have met LOTS of angry Christians (usually focused upon their favorite sin). And rest assured, they are typically very angry at "something". So, I'm not so certain that "anger" is the solution which God has called for. Actually, I believe that love can do far more than anger and the evils which tend to flow from it.

Despite one's view of God, I think it must be admitted, that He is INFINITELY BETTER at controlling His anger, than most human beings ever are. Our anger tends to flow into many of the negatives which God discourages. And honestly, many who talk themselves into believing their anger is "holy", aren't really harboring "holiness" within themselves as they focus upon the various objects of their anger (usually other human beings).

If God were as petty in His "anger" as many try to depict Him as being, I firmly believe we WOULD NOT have seen any record of the "Savior" walk this planet; I think He would have (by then), finally killed off everything and likely not let it regrow (into what we see today). I "believe" that God is far more patient, loving and compassionate than anyone who "follows" Him. The problem is effectively encouraging following-people to see they AREN'T perfect; they too have flaws/limitations which render them "equal" to those around them; they are "human".

And in the very strictly spiritual sense, only God's grace puts them in the positions they inhabit. Not so they can play God and LORD their influence and power over others, but serve Him from the position/s they temporarily hold.

I personally think that MANY need to take a good look at THEMSELVES; assess how they might improve their own "morality" and from that set the solid living examples they SHOULD be setting (at least avoid being big fat hypocrites). I believe God and even unbelievers would find that to be honorable, as opposed to the finger-pointing authoritarianism we so often associate with "Christianity" (often for very good reasons).

-Mel-

[scorpia]

Wrath (anger in my stipulation) is considered on a Biblical basis to be one of the seven cardinal sins, so I don't see how your position is defensible, scorpia.

I had been following a given interpretation of Pslam 4: 3 "In your anger do not sin, when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent",

Or Eph 4: 26: "In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry"

I have been told it does not mean anger is directly a sin, although it can lead to it. However, there is this verse;

James 1: 20; "For man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires"

So maybe that interpreation is not entirely correct. There is also the case where Jesus himself got angry when the (temple?) was misused. So if Jesus can get angry, why can't anyone else?

And outside of scripture, perhaps it is better to be angry in some cases than not. When someone does some wrong, isn't anger the most appropriate emotional response?

[melikio]

So if Jesus can get angry, why can't anyone else?

We can do many things or react in many ways, but not ALL things we do are truly beneficial.

People who spend more time being angry at everything or everyone else else that is wrong (in their eyes), rather than primarily tending to their own "moral" and "spiritual" walk, I believe are missing the overall points of compassion, grace and especially LOVE.

Jesus getting angry is a LOT less "tentative or "if'y", than the average "Christian-Joe" who happens to get pissed at this/that human fault.

But here is the difference between Jesus and us:

Jesus was/is PERFECT, we aren't. He could justifiably and with absolute AUTHORITY enforce, judge, condemn, or define the will of the Creator. Humans cannot do that and should not try to.

There are evil behaviors which may bring out negative emotions or even uncontrolled anger in me. And I'm here to say from experience, that most people are QUICK (very quick) to in anger judge and CONDEMN others (and painfully-SLOW to forgive, on top of that).

I don't believe or think that the kind of "anger" we tend to see in most human beings (Christian or otherwise), reflects the actual temperament of the "Savior" (toward sinners, in His anger); for if it did, I believe there would be little to no hope for ANY "sinner".

Honestly, considering what Jesus knew and was aware of in in people's hearts, there would likely be more verses exclaiming:

And Jesus was angry AGAIN at the sinners of the world. ("Hey guys, the John 3:16 thing is OFF; never mind.") That very well may have been so, but that isn't how I see the Bible defining Him. Frankly, I believe there are too many Christians being "angry" rather than rolling that energy into LOVING those who offend them (just as Jesus tended to illustrate He was doing). Again consider, that He was FAULTLESS, and afforded people INFINITELY more compassion and grace, than many of the jerky people, who have read the Bible, heard a few sermons and broken a few bad habits.

If Jesus' "anger" was the same attitude some of those average folk tend to "exude", I am certain there would be heaps of stories where He caused people to DROP DEAD, merely because of their "bad" or "evil" attitudes alone. Actually, I think it possible none of us would BE HERE, as he'd be pissed-off at ME (and others), before I was ever BORN (if God's "anger" was as they'd have people believe is was/is).

-Mel-

[KnowJah]

Anger is not a sin in itself. It could lead to sin, true. There is righteous anger like in the case of Jesus. So for example when we see someone doing something wrong and disgusting it can evoke anger in us because of the badness that they do.

Also note this scripture:

Ephesians 4:26:Be wrathful, and yet do not sin; let the sun not set with YOU in a provoked state. (And psalms 4:4).

[ChooseAndAct]

I would have to say that anger can be goog bad neither or both depending othe physical actions of the person. And yes anger can be a good thing. A drug addict can become "angry" with their way of life and choose to change it.

[methylatedghosts]

Ok, I've just read a few posts, and I thought I have a little to add here. Anger is an advantageous emotion(?) stemming from evolution. If someone/something was to steal your food, you got angry, which led to (essentially) you keeping your food so you may stay alive. Or anger as a result from a mother defending her children. This all helped to keep the species alive.

Jump forward in time to now, and I think that, evolutionarily speaking, anger isn't necessarily an advantageous thing to have. Not many people like those with a short fuse.

That, to me, is what anger is, and why we experience it. This is not a "good" or "evil". It is an emotion (as far as I can tell). I believe we can do things that are caused by anger, that we may regret later. I believe we can also train ourselves to not become angry, or to let the energy out in a positive way. Although I do not believe in good or evil, for the sake of this thread, I will say that it is the result of uncontrolled rage not anger, that can lead to "evil" things.

Rage is a blind emotion that is very hard to control. And I believe it is the result of people not knowing how to express emotions properly that they bcome angry very easily and thus leads to rage which then leads to so-called "evil"

Ok, now I'm losing myself, I'm beginning to ramble. I'll come back soon I hope, although I'm not sure when.

[Ed]

Anger itself is not what is evil or good. It's the intentions of the heart when one is responding.

when a father corrects a child when they've done something wrong, it depends where the reaction is coming from in his heart in reacting.
Should it be-and in most cases is-a stern correction out of love(many times mistaken for anger),then there is nothing wrong.his heart is in the correct place.

however, should it be a case where he is just replying out of hatred, or intense dislike for what has been done and his heart is not in the correct place.
that is when one can say that it is bad.

May the name of the lord be praised!

[BAD_BRAD]

It says in the bible that jesus is perfect yet he got angery


He got angery at the money changers in the temple

It also says in the bible that YE HAVE TO BE SLOW TO ANGER




greta topic by the way

[Ed]

It says in the bible that jesus is perfect yet he got angery


He got angry at the money changers in the temple

It also says in the bible that YE HAVE TO BE SLOW TO ANGER

i'm going to refrain from asking you what the adjective in your username is referring to. I think that you have failed to reply to what was actually said. Maybe read it again and then reply.

look again at the intentions Jesus had in this particular example.

1)there were people trading in the temple-which was meant to be a house of prayer for all nations.
2)this trading was preventing this-atleast to a few groups of people.
Now his heart's intention was good- to allow people to pray and chase out the people who were there simply to make a profit.

and thus, we can see that this doesn't inherently disprove what i originally posted.

[Greatest I Am]

Many terms can have a good and a bad side.

Mother
Father
God

Almost all nouns and adjectives and verbs, the same if you think about it.

Perhaps this is why the Bible tries to define good and evil. The writers may have know that at the end of the study, we would end up trying to define the meaning of words and that here is where the true battle starts.

Is my inability to refute my statement just not knowing enough words, or is it a true statement.

Regards
DL