That's a perfectly understandable viewpoint, Martin. You can make a good argument for the idea that people have to be influenced toward goodness (and, yes, I think they definitely do) or that they are often influenced by environment toward being destructive (and that also happens).

It depends whether you're talking about the eternal soul or the temporal personality.

We'd have to get into some pretty deep and involved stuff to deal with that dichotomy.

Just to put it briefly...I think people are intrinsically good, because I do not think people really ARE their temporal, mortal personality. It's a mask. It passes away. I think their eternal soul is of God, and is entirely pure. I do NOT think their temporary personalities are pure by any means!

Did God make the personality? I don't think so. The personality made itself, by imagining itself to be separate in the first place (an error in perception). It identifies itself with a temporary, mortal body. It usually thinks it IS the body. As such, it is mainly concerned with issues of survival, safety, security, pleasure, avoiding pain, gaining prestige, being "right", making others "wrong", and avoiding loss. As such, it's usually inclined to be selfish, fearful, acquisitive, greedy, jealous, vengeful, vindictive, argumentative, and so on...that's where the common bad behaviours stem from. Like animals...only more complicated. And that's why we need to bring up children with good values, so that they can develop some motivation to overcome those negative tendencies. We try to teach them conscience, responsibility, honesty, fairness, generosity, and other such virtues. We try to set a good example for them.

Our personalities are caught up in a struggle between complete egotism and fear versus love and social responsibility. Religions, when they are applied in a healthy manner, can do much to encourage people in the right direction. An awareness of the existence of God can do much to encourage people in a constructive direction...depending on how that awareness is used! It can also be used to steer them toward prejudice and destruction.

So, what I'm saying is that the personality is NOT born good...or evil...but it's born with a strong potential to go either way. It has a very limited awareness, based on its idea of separation from others. I'm saying that the eternal soul IS good (knowing its unity with others), but what you deal with, with most people on a daily basis is mainly their outer ego personality. They themselves are not aware of their eternal nature in the least. If they were, they would become very loving and harmless.

When I say that people are basically good, I'm talking about the part of them that is eternally of God...their soul...not their outer personality. I don't mean they are basically inclined to behave well... (grin) No, indeed. I remember what kids were like in grade school. A lot of them were mean, rotten, sadistic little creeps. That was just their danged fearful little raging personality flaunting itself around, but it'll be gone not too far down the road...in 60 or 70 years or less. Their soul will not be gone. Their soul is of God. Their personality is just a temporary dramatic part, kind of like the dramatic parts that people often play when they post on the Internet under some symbolic name they have chosen.

Some dramas really suck! :-) (depending on your viewpoint, of course)