What is your view of "sin"

[Nick the Pilot]

Hi everybody!

Here is an interesting list in today's USAToday. I was surprised by a couple of the entries. Was anyone else surprised?

Has the 'notion of sin' been lost? - USATODAY.com

WHAT AMERICANS CALL SIN

• Adultery: 81%
• Racism: 74%
• Using "hard" drugs, such as cocaine, LSD: 65%
• Not saying anything if a cashier gives you too much change: 63%
• Having an abortion: 56%
• Homosexual activity or sex: 52%
• Not reporting some income on your tax returns: 52%
• Reading or watching pornography: 50%
• Gossip: 47%
• Swearing: 46%
• Sex before marriage: 45%
• Homosexual thoughts: 44%
• Sexual thoughts about someone you are not married to: 43%
• Doing things as a consumer that harm the environment: 41%
• Smoking marijuana: 41%
• Getting drunk: 41%
• Gambling: 30%
• Not attending church or religious services regularly: 18%
• Drinking any alcohol: 14%

[Snoopy]

Originally Posted by seattlegal

Complete with warped spoon:

sg, why do I get a warped spoon?

s.

[Dondi]

Originally Posted by wil

oops Koine...it is my understanding that was the greek spoke in the middle east during Jesus time. there are disagreements about the exact word and definition and while today in Greek it means missing the mark, in Koine it didn't.

Pardon my incomplete memory and not knowing how to ascertain what I had read previously. I personally like the definition. I had originally heard it meant missing the bulls eye even, powerful thought. But then learned the whole scenario didn't quite fit reality. But H, E double hockey sticks sure won't let that get in the way!

Is this not the root of the word "koinonia", which means communion by intimate participation?

[wil]

Originally Posted by Dondi

Is this not the root of the word "koinonia", which means communion by intimate participation?

beyond my meager range of knowledge.

[seattlegal]

Originally Posted by Snoopy

sg, why do I get a warped spoon?

s.

The coffee is strong enough to warp the spoon.

[Snoopy]

Originally Posted by seattlegal

The coffee is strong enough to warp the spoon.

Ah, a "skinny latte" then

s.

[Dream]

Sins with examples:

• 1. you don't know about it, so it doesn't get done -- your auto-coolant runs out
  2. you know what to do, but you just don't feel like it -- not brushing your teeth
  3. you do it, but you know its not the thing to do -- you vote for the greater of two evils
  4. you do it, but only because you didn't know better -- you vote for the lesser of two evils
  5. sin brought on by previous sins -- robbing the bank requires that you escape from the police
  6. forced to sin by others -- she kissed you but she didn't brush her teeth

[Virtual_Cliff]

I don't think you can itemise "sin". It's a state of mind. If we were to have perfect trust in God there would be no sin. But things get scary, our faith wobbles, and we start closing off to others and taking care of ourselves instead. It's all downhill from there on.

We get scared and this comes out as anger. We don't trust God to provide so we store up stuff. This is never enough to calm our fears and inner emptiness so we want more and more. In the end you wind up with a divided world tearing itself apart. We all suffer.

But it can be reversed. I think this is what Isaiah is all about.

[Dream]

I think my list was not intended to be completely serious. I might be off by a sin or two, but since elections are coming up maybe we should all pay close attention to #'s 3 and 4.

[mee]

Sin occurred first in the spirit realm before its introduction on earth.

For unknown ages full harmony with God prevailed in the universe.

Disruption came through a spirit creature referred to simply as the Resister, Adversary (Heb., Sa·tan´; Gr., Sa·ta·nas´; Job 1:6; Ro 16:20), the principal False Accuser or Slanderer (Gr., Di·a´bo·los) of God. (Heb 2:14; Re 12:9)

[StarshipEnterprise]

I greatly dislike the word "sin" it implies that certain actions or thoughts are judged on the spot as "good" or "bad". "Good vs. bad" is a false dichotomy. A better dichotomy, if there must be one, is the dichotomy of healthy and unhealthy. Any thought or action has consequences, which can be seen as healthy or unhealthy to an individual, the group, the environment, etc. This is where the notions of good and bad come from.

[arthra]

We acknowledge the concept "sin" i think in the Baha'i Faith but we don't dwell on it nor does it have some of the traditional theological issues it does for Christians. So we focus on the strengths and look for the good qualities in people and don't stress their short comings...

- Art

[greymare]

as "pink" says......... I llive a life of sin"....

[greymare]

i like the spoon.

[Dream]

Arthra,

Agreed that focusing upon sins and guilt is a very unwise way to live, but who says Christians are supposed to do that?

In Christianity, sin originates within human beings as the result of a complex, intelligent force that is a part of our selves. This is sometimes translated as the 'law of sin within'. It is actually not a 'Law' in the modern sense but a mental widget. Angelic powerful spirit beings don't have this widget. People must choose between appropriate actions and whatever random action they happen to desire at the moment. That is called the 'War within my flesh'.