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I have been reading Peter Kreeft's excellent book Angels and demons which is a philosophical window onto the traditional (and common sense) perspective that prevailed everywhere until recently, and among most people still.
Particularly enlightening was the idea that angels and demons can influence the emotions, create mental images and implant ideas...
But motivation and choice were not directly accessible to them.
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In other words, the Catholic understanding of the influence of the supernatural is that external powers can (and do) put ideas and images into the mind, and influence the emotions and feelings; but that free will is immune.
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In terms of the human condition, this corresponds with the fact that socio-political influences (whether angelic, demonic or indeed humanly motivated) can fill our minds with stuff, can pour images and ideas into our conscious and unconscious thinking; and can also manipulate our emotions.
But our free will (our motivations and choices) stands apart from this, and choices can be influenced only indirectly.
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It is always possible to reject images, ideas and emotions. This fact is non-negotiable.
For angels or demons to influence humans, there must always be an act of free will that opens the mind to the influence.
And that is the only way that angels or demons can have influence.
So it follows that a person can potentially always be good under any circumstance: can always make good choices.
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Yet, albeit indirectly, choices are influenced, shaped, pushed and pulled.
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So, it follows that a good society is one in which minds are filled with good images and ideas, and these good ideas are associated with positive emotions; and where bad ideas are associated with negative emotions.
A bad society is one in which minds are filled with bad (evil, false, ugly) ideas, and these bad ideas are associated with positive emotions; and good ideas are associated with negative emotions.
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Question: what kind of society do you think we live in - good or bad?
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