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Question: Why do people from European cultural backgrounds always equate evil with darkness!?
Even Buddhists use the terms fundamental darkness instead of fundamental ignorance!.Www@QuestionHome@Com


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I think it is a hold over from when we were living in caves, afraid of everything unknowwn moving in the dark!. We have evolved, some of our most instinctual motivators have not!. The unknown is evil, what lies in the dark is unknown, just like death is seen as evil to most western thought!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Catholicism had a great deal of influence in Europe the last seventeen hundred years!. This church used the bible as well as abused the bible to get what they wanted, and they wanted to rule!.
They did for the most part!. Christianity was a political tool for centuries and they used a lot of the bible for their reasoning for all poor as well as good acts!.
Evil is equated with darkness because of the testaments in the bible!. The Christ and the Apostles called satan the "prince of darkness", and satan is an evil urchin looking for you and I!.
Because of the Judaic/Christian presence in Europe the idea of darkness is equated with evil!. Buddhists are a religion without the Saviour, so they would teach differently than that of a Christian!. Seeing as how Christianity under the guidance of the Catholic church is so influential in Europe then it is easy to understand why we of the European lineage, and the Europeans themselves would equate darkness with evil!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Darkness is when we cant see, it is the place of uncertainty and lack of forsight!. This negative connatation lead to the name dark ages!.
Evil is anything we voilates the norm, the social fabric and has unforseen and uncertain consequence!. Thus women working was once evil because it broke with the social order of the patriachal family!. It had unforeseen consequence and according to many commentators it was the end of civilisation- much like the dark ages!. Its a continueing theme, god-hates-fags think all is evil so sees the end of civilisation everywhere!. Its where phrases like "what is the world coming to!?" came from!. Its all about uncertaintyWww@QuestionHome@Com

Because of the Gulf Stream, Europe has a lot of inhabitable land pretty far north, where nights are extremely variable in length!. Some northern European cities get winter days only three or four hours long!.

The extreme variation in whether light or dark dominates, and its obvious connection to seasonal variations in the amount of life supported, certainly connects darkness very closely with death and therefore with evil in the human mind!.

It's not an exclusively European association, of course, because light is conducive to observation and therefore to understanding!. But northern latitudes do tend to intensify the emotional connection, too; Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is an emotional depression caused by the deprivation of light in the winter!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Maybe it's as primal as the sun being the source of life, light, and warmth, and darkness being when you can't see what's coming!. In ancient times, pretty much the only people out and about at night were either lovers or those up to no good -- people who don't want to be seen doing whatever they plan to do!.

From there, it's easy to equate the sun (light) with good and the dark with evil!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Humans have a natural fear of what they cannot see!. The night time is quite fearful if there are predators, both human and animal!. In the dark, you are ignorant of your surroundings!.

Light is equated with knowledge because in the light, you can see and are aware of your surroundings!.

This has nothing to do with race!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Darkness conceals things!. In the light of day, things are clear for all, but predators and 'evil' creatures can conceal themselves in the darkness, pretend to be things they are not!.

Personally, though, I like night better than day!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

the darkness represents something primal in humans, a fear of the unknown that may or may not be in the darkness!. incidentally this is also a big reason for the creation of religion to begin withWww@QuestionHome@Com

Are you kidding!? You can see color and move in the light!. The dark puts a damper on that!. Light shows us what's there!.!.!.darkness!.!.!.doesn't!. I think folks all over the world kind of get that one, and catch the meaning of the metaphor!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

In the dark I have a lack of information and in the light I have information!. Last I checked African and Aboriginals were not sleeping by day and doing their lives in the dark!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Of course early humans were afraid of the dark, most still are!. Just turn off the lights suddenly, anywhere, and find out!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Because insulting people doesn't work and light is equated with the ability to see!. 'You ignore too much', see!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

The Qu'ran does the same thing!.Www@QuestionHome@Com