Exploring Sin (The Concept)

[Dimmesdale]

What is sin, and, more importantly, how do you HANDLE it?

I personally believe there is sin. There is an ideal that I personally do not meet in my moral life - and I therefore feel bad about it. It effects me. I think it has always effected me, but not in the same way. I want to see the concept of sin clearly, and I also, on that basis, want to diagnose it and treat it in my life in the best way possible.

Christians seem to handle sin as something utterly heinous and deserving of condemnation. They point to Jesus' atoning sacrifice on their behalf as the great cure-all, the source of all peace and grace and every good thing. I can't do that.

First off, this idea of sin as "all-bad" in every sense, strikes me as wrong. Not to say that sin shouldn't be avoided, but sins, like other things, have their place in a way. What I mean is that, though they should be expunged in the best way possible, you cannot thoroughly eradicate sin without eradicating what is human in us. To have too hateful a view of sin is to be hateful of humanity in general. In other words, you have to be tolerant of sin to a point, or else you become a self-righteous hypocrite alienated from your own humanity.

To see God or Jesus as utterly holy and you yourself as deserving of utter condemnation, is to have too stark a sense of sin. It is an inaccurate picture. It is something that will cloud the mind and cause you to nitpick every last thing you do on the basis that sin pervades and chokes you and has a power of corruption which it doesn't have. You become overly vengeful and dissatisfied that things aren't "perfect" and become nihilistic, because you can't grapple with reality.

So, the Christian concept doesn't work in my book.

[Dimmesdale]

The Christian's idealization of the perfect moral life is a mirage. It is not rooted in reality because what the Christian calls sin is not totally sin. There is a remainder that is merely human, not diabolical. It should be respected as simply another "thing" - neither hated or glorified in rock and roll fashion.

What then is there to despise? Much.

But the way that it is to be despised - with neither thorough hatred, nor mere leniency, is something I need to dig into.

[Miles]

What is sin,

sin
/sin/

noun: sin; plural noun: sins
an immoral act considered to be a transgression against divine law.

Source: Oxford Languages

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sin noun

Definition of sin
1a : an offense against religious or moral law
2a : transgression of the law of God

Source: Merriam-Webster
___________________________

sin
noun
us /sɪn/ uk

the offense of breaking, or the breaking of, a religious or moral law:

Source: Cambridge Dictionary

___________________________

sin
(sɪn )
Word forms: sins, sinning, sinned
1. variable noun
Sin or a sin is an action or type of behavior which is believed to break the laws of God.

Source: Collins Dictionary

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Seems the consensus is that it's a breaking or a transgression of god's laws.

and, more importantly, how do you HANDLE it?

By ignoring it of course.


.

[Dimmesdale]

What is sin,

sin
/sin/

noun: sin; plural noun: sins
an immoral act considered to be a transgression against divine law.

Source: Oxford Languages

___________________________

sin noun

Definition of sin
1a : an offense against religious or moral law
2a : transgression of the law of God

Source: Merriam-Webster
___________________________

sin
noun
us /sɪn/ uk

the offense of breaking, or the breaking of, a religious or moral law:

Source: Cambridge Dictionary

___________________________

sin
(sɪn )
Word forms: sins, sinning, sinned
1. variable noun
Sin or a sin is an action or type of behavior which is believed to break the laws of God.

Source: Collins Dictionary

__________________________

Seems the consensus is that it's a breaking or a transgression of god's laws.

and, more importantly, how do you HANDLE it?

By ignoring it of course.


.

That is a pathetic response. There is more to any subject than just the bare bones definition.

If I wanted to study LAW I wouldn't just read the dictionary definition and expect to get a Ph.D in that area.

Grow up, with all due respect.

[Bust Nak]

That is a pathetic response... Grow up, with all due respect.

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[Dimmesdale]

[Replying to Bust Nak in post #5]

Ok.