Does evil exist as a malevolent force or is it simply the work of human beings with no need to invoke deities or demons or other supernatural forces.

For me personally the jurys still out, though much of what might be ascribed to evil is simply the work of individuals acting in a malign way.

Personally how much bad stuff have you done, and if so how bad was it?  Most of us have done stuff that was wrong and got away with it to some degree in our lives and of course it’s a question of degree. I don’t think I have directly done anything really bad but I can’t be sure what the outcome of some of my actions would ultimately lead to.

Do I believe in outside agency?

My personal position is defined below

Agnosticism is the view that the existence of God, of the divine or the supernatural is unknown or unknowable.

According to the philosopher William L. Rowe, “agnosticism is the view that human reason is incapable of providing sufficient rational grounds to justify either the belief that God exists or the belief that God does not exist”

Maybe there is a malevolent force that influences us, perhaps some people make efforts to tap in to it and use it as a source of power, but then there is no lack of cruelty and violence in the natural world

When some prominent person declares their faith publicly then goes on to preach hate and  division it  gets a little bit hard going, doesn’t it? Particularly when the object of their hatred is outside their club.

So who’s winning, darkness is an absence of light and many want to keep the blinds drawn.