Sure there are evil people..
A lot of them running our government.

Evil is a human concept. It exists because we have standards of behavior which we expect others to follow.

I'm convinced that morality and evil are relative to human society and individuals. Which isn't to say that they don't exist. It is just that the universe pretty much doesn't care but we sure as hell do!

All I can say is: Donald Trump. Surely he is one of the most evil beings on the planet right now. I think evil may be part of mental illness, why would someone take joy in anyone suffering?

It's all in how you define evil. If evil is malicious supernatural entities, then no. If evil is born of mental psychosis, then yes.

Don't argue with them. Hold your ground.

Evil is a social construct we impose on people. Do I believe all societies have the same standard of evil? No, I do not. Do I believe there are evil people? Yes. Do I believe in an external, malevolent force that we would call evil? No.

There is no 'evil' as some kind of outside entity. It is people who make evil things..

Evil is just a label for aberrant behavior. I my opinion the behavior of all sentient beings is a product of inherent personality traits and deterministic experiences.

You've split up your question into two parts. 1) Does evil exist? 2) Is evil an outside entity?

No and no. Both concepts belong to the religious.

Just think of it this way..... most Christians that I've met believe an agnostic/atheist can't have morals. Both (in my opinion) are b/s.

Dont worry about evil. I got it covered.

I suspect the concept of an outside evil source was dreamed up because many can't imagine humans doing horrendous acts of their own accord . "Mercy !"

Another handy scapegoat.

why not? what else would you call the malevolent actions in the world
?

I think evil clearly does exist. I think that evil had to be included in any religion, because it's observable where as Gods aren't.

Referring to something I heard elsewhere: the devil doesn't appear anywhere in the Christian Bible yet preachers refer to the devil all the time. That tells me that the devil got added later.

A lot of you didn’t really address the idea that evil is some outside entity that enters one’s mind, soul, digestive tract,baby toe or whatever. I think people do heinous things, like I said, but it is because they are mentally ill, sick with power and greed, or somehow else delusional.
Thanks for the great comments however.

Evil is behavior and intent. Watched a good documentary on psychopaths, learning how prevalent they are within positions of power; they’re not all serial killers. Well represented in the religious hierarchy, I suspect the concept of ‘evil’ has been crafted by those projecting their heinous behavior on make believe.

As human beings, we have a great imagination and that has its pros and cons. We have the capacity to do tremendous good and create great harm.

The word "evil" has changed from its original meaning as so many words have in the last few hundred years and my guess it was to evoke fear and compliance.

Mr. John Ayto writes:
"Evil" has gotten distinctly worse over the millenia. Originally it seems to have signified nothing more sinister than "uppity," and in the Old and Middle English period it meant simply "bad"; it is only in modern English that its connotations of "extreme moral wickedness" came to the fore. It probably comes ultimately from "upelo-", a derivative of the Indo-European base "upo-, under (source of Greek hupo, under, Sanskrit "upa", at, to, and English "up" and "over" ), and so its underlying connotation is of "exceeding due limits, extremism. Its Germanic descendant was "ubilaz", source of German übel, evil as well as English evil."

"Evil" as an outside entity is fear tactic that allowed the Catholic Church to create "exorcism" as one of their services (at a cost of course). Evil equated to demonic possession had allowed the government to institutionalize the poor for experiments. Look up Nellie Bly.

You can believe in evil, but it is something considered from your own perspective, ISIS would certainly deem me evil, and visa versa for that matter, others may have the perspective that the world will be destroyed one day regardless, so nothing matters.

evil is a great word but it's really to do with the devil

Of course there's evil. Haman beings being the prime example.

People, objects, creatures and physical forces are not evil in and of themselves. Evil is also not an independent force. When a person acts knowlngly in a manner which fails to treat others with dignity and respect or when the consequences of a person's decisions and/or actions harm others and when he or she fails to accept responsibility for those consequences.

According to some neurologists, many psychopaths are born with tendencies which would lead us to label them as evil. Those psychopaths are so absorbed in themselves and what they want that they do not care if they hurt others. In fact, they are likely to enjoy hurting others.

If he or she is being a nuisance then you can always give them some Zen questions which usually stops them in their tracks. What was you face like before you mother was born?...