Something which someone could take as being evil, or appearing to be evil, has an appearance of evil. Like beauty, the appearance of evil is in the eye of the beholder.

In that case it is a nonsence expression... Obviously people have different opinions of what evil is and if all are considered youd get quite Politically Correct soon.

Paul said he sought to be all things to all men. Jesus met people where they were.

Both Jesus and Paul where persecuted by people who accused them of evil or the appearance of evil (falsely ofcourse).

Paul says that the lot of anyone who is Christ's. Jesus taught the same thing.

I'm not following your train of thought here, Thomas.

Daryl asked what the determining factor of the appearance of evil is, you replied "Like beauty, the appearance of evil is in the eye of the beholder."

If the way to determine wether or not something has the apparence of evil is to make a public referendum on it you could aswell try to get the answere by throwing dice. For instance, pirating music and movies from the net, is that evil or an apparence of evil? The majority would (most likely also in US) say no, while the industry and a minority would say yes. Whos eyes should we trust in this case? The average beholder thus would make wrong right. Another example, you are living on a healthy diet when you meet someone who convinces you that parts of it are abominable to God and will be a sure ticket to hell and then gives you advice to eat an unhealthy diet depriving you of several esential nutrients. The false friend thus took something good and declared it evil, making right into wrong. Am I being clearer now?

Would you sell your car to reach the environmentalist? Would you let your dog/cat loose in the wild to reach the animal rights activist? Would you logg into P2P programs to reach the mediapirate community even tough youd have to share some 3-5 GB of material yourself to get it at all?

I wasn't addressing what one should do. I was answering the question as to what constitutes an appearance of evil. An appearance of evil is something which varies from person to person, don't you agree? Do you think there is a universal standard as to what constitutes an appearance of evil? If so, what would that be?

Stealing (pirating) music and movies from the net is evil. (Thou shall not steal) However it might not be the appearance of evil if no one were to know about it.

Drinking a ginger ale in a restaurant could look like you were drinking a beer, therefore the appearance of evil, though no real evil is taking place.

The appearance of evil is always in the eye of the beholder and there are limits as to how far we can and should go in avoiding it. Last Sabbath I went shopping for some much needed headache pain medication in our little town where many people know me. I'm sure I presented the appearance of evil. Should I have put up with pain to avoid the appearance? I think not, obviously.

Situation ethics, don't you just love em?

Redfog

Look at what is evil first and foremost. It is not possible to not have the appearance of evilon the outside and be evil on the inside, that would equate you with a worker of iniquity.
Worldliness is the appearance of evil.
God Bless,
Will

A person could give every evidence of piety to those that know him or her but in their hearts be consumed by evil. They would be avoiding the appearance of evil but still be evil. At the same time another person could truly be a pious person but still appear, especially to the casual observer, to be evil. I think of the person who is seen in a bad part of town where the drug dealers and prostitutes are. If seen there some might think they are part of that mess when in reality they were there to help those people.

While to a certain extent we do have a obligation to avoid the appearance of evil there is also much to be said for not judging others. For instance I know a person who rarely comes to church though she is quite physically able to do so, many I'm sure judge her to be a backslider when in reality she has phobia's related to being in groups of people. She cannot avoid the appearance of evil, but neither should we judge her.

Redfog