I like to believe that a healthy human being could never abuse, torture or kill another human being in regular circumstances (wars, famine and persecution excluded). However I regularly hear about such acts of violence taking place in what appear to be otherwise normal situations. So, is it innate in our being, or is it a disease that infects the mind? Perhaps we will never know.
In the meantime I need to believe in the innate goodness of humankind and put all the crap down to an evil disease. Anything less than that suggests that evil lies within each of us and only our conscience keeps it at bay. I fear that prospect more than a disease.
In that context I hope that we all treat each other the best way that we know how, that we all be the best person that we know how. I think we all fail that test occasionally. Sometimes we apologise for our actions, other times we carry on regardless (and perhaps unknowingly) and some of us even do it on purpose against our better judgement. The question is whether we learn from our mistakes and do we feel remorse. That is something only the individual can answer.
The faithful will (apparently) be judged by their god, as will the rest of us if god(s) exist, or we will all just die and there will be no consequence of our actions on earth. Either way we will lay on our death bed full of regret or thankful for the chance to learn.
In the end we are our own judge and jury.
