Have You Sinned?

[roli]

As a human, I strive to live by the maxim: "To err is human"

but to live, is it truly brought about by the divine

 

[roli]

If sin is missing God's idea of perfection, for me, then I would say that I have sinned many, many, times. But I would also say that it's somewhat inevitable, as I don't even know what the perfected me would look like. I'm blinded to this "perfected me", even though I do believe that God made me to be more then I currently am. So I just keep muddling along.

I know, I know, that religions all think they know what the perfected me looks like, and acts like, and thinks, but frankly I think they're all 'full of it'. I don't think any other human being on this Earth knows one iota more about perfection than I do. And I know very little.

Excellent and quite frankly accurate,but can we change to be more then we are and will it take an exterior source that brings about an internal alteration

 

[roli]

Are we invited to answer if we don't believe in the concept of sin, or the existance of the god you believe in?

Thanks for asking ,yes absolutely ,I encourage your thoughts.

I do have some questions about some of the sins on the list though, and what qualifies as having sinned against that precept (this is a discussion after all, isn't it? Why don't we make it more productive ).

Excellent ,why don't we

#2 on the list admonishes us not to "make a graven image" of things in heaven, or on earth. What does this mean, exactly? Does it mean not to create likenesses of god? Not to paint pictures of landscapes? Not to make a clay statue of a dolphin or wolf? Or is it another statute against worshipping something other than god?

I believe it refers to the fact that man has always worshipped and offered sacrifices to unknown gods,both inanimate and animate and avoided giving full devotion to the living God.
For us today there are religions that give heed to idols they have erected and placed in temples,and places of worship, but can we have any in our residences,offices,garages,wallets.What could be your god,money ,material things,careers,entertainment etc.
Can these be forms and images that become our worship
I believe we have the greatest entertainment center known to man,that being our minds.
We can create in our very vivid imaginations concepts and images of gods that cater to and endorse our lifestyles,behaviors ,actons etc.

#4 tells us to keep the sabbath holy. Which sabbath are we talking about? Jewish tradition dictates the sabbath as a saturday, while Christian tradition makes it a sunday. The commandments were first given to the Jewish people, so does that make the saturday sabbath more valid than the sunday one? And, how exactly does one "keep the sabbath holy"? Again, Christian and Jewish tradition concerning the holy week day differ. Is it simply taking that day as a day to go to temple or church? Or is it as some orthodox Jewish traditions believe, and there is no work other than going to temple to be done on the holy day (and, of course, no bowling! )?

Excellent point.
Yes ,it does appear confusing and legalistic,but Jesus speaks concerning this specific command
According to Jesus,he says don't let anyone judge according new moons,sabbaths,festivals, or what you eat and drink etc.
It always starts in the heart,that is apprently what God looks at
That is religion,find a day and if you believe in God give that day as a day of prayer,devotion etc,To some it may be everyday,others specific days.

And, finally #6, "thou shalt not kill". Does this mean anything? Is it breaking the commandment to crush an insect, or to kill any animal for food? Or is this only a commandment against killing other humans]

I believe if you study it ,the first commands are directed at God.
The later commands speak to our fellow man
Jesus actually speaks of the heart where all the sin oringinates, that if you hate someone you commit murder in your heart.
If you look with lust you commit adultry in the heart.

 

[love]

I am a sinner. But Christ said He didn't come to save the perfect. Do you call a physician if you are not sick?

 

[Dr. Nosophoros]

Yes I have "sinned" and I Ioved every minute of it, for it gave me in a very primal way satisfaction that self restraint never could have.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

One question I have. It says honor your parents. What if they do not deserve that honor?

 

[Real Sorceror]

Sin is being disobedient to God, right? If thats the case, then I don't know if I've sinned, although I expect God and myself must disagree on something or another.

 

[Paladin]

One question I have. It says honor your parents. What if they do not deserve that honor?

I don't think it ultimately has anything to do with "deserving" though I understand your perspective on this.
I think it has everything to do with a shift in consciousness that allows others, in this case the parents, to simply be as they are, human, imperfect, forgiveable. If the pain and suffering caused by these parents is still insurmountable, there is still much healing needed. Once healed these old wounds dissolve and one can see the parents in a different light, this is self transformation, or trancending an old perspective that ultimately is defeating. I went through this stage and it was quite painful at times, and took years for it all to come out. Now, at least I can see my parents as they are, not as I would have them be.

Peace
Mark

 

[Pardus]

Done it all.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

One question I have. It says honor your parents. What if they do not deserve that honor?

That's an excellent question that I do not think the Bible addresses.

It's akin to the command not to divorce by Jesus, we have to stay with people we may not enjoy being around... the idea is that Christians are not supposed to ever give up on people, always expecting, hoping, and praying for the redemption of our friends and ourselves.

It's tied to the idea of self-sacrifice and resurrection. Honoring parents and staying with a spouce is for many people, "taking up our cross and following Jesus."

 

[roli]

Yes I have "sinned" and I Ioved every minute of it, for it gave me in a very primal way satisfaction that self restraint never could have.

Are you prepared for the consequences,if God truly brings about his kind of justice as is mentioned in scripture

 

[roli]

I am a sinner. But Christ said He didn't come to save the perfect. Do you call a physician if you are not sick?

He can really only save those who call on him,whoever will believe and come to him

 

[roli]

One question I have. It says honor your parents. What if they do not deserve that honor?

That s a good question,only in and through Christ can one be able to fully answer that

 

[Random]

Everyone has sinned @ one time or other: it is inevitable. As long as one remembers that forgiveness begins with oneself and repents with a true heart, God will do the rest.

 

[roli]

I don't believe in sin. The Gods know that I try my very best to be a good person in this world, sometimes I slip, I can't help that, I can't be absolutely perfect. The Gods may be more powerful than I, and can certainly punish me, but I also believe that the Gods are realistic, and know that it's impossible to live a perfect life.

So you do believe in gods as you have mentioned.
Could you answer a couple questions for interest sake.
What do you call it when you slip
Sin by it's definition actually means missing the mark,as in christianity it is missing gods standard of perfection
Perfection not as in perfect but in completeness
Do your gods help you when you slip or help you to avoid slipping up?
How do your gods punish you?
Do they bring you hope or any form of redemption?

 

[Gentoo]

So you do believe in gods as you have mentioned. Could you answer a couple questions for interest sake.

Sure

What do you call it when you slip? Sin by it's definition actually means missing the mark,as in christianity it is missing gods standard of perfection

I call it a slip up, or as most people know them: mistakes.

Perfection not as in perfect but in completeness

I hadn't heard that before, but it's an interesting take on it.

Do your gods help you when you slip or help you to avoid slipping up?

I believe they do, I view them as parental figures. They're there when I need them, and they give advice, help me see the error of my ways sometimes and other parental-type things.

How do your gods punish you?

They don't. I believe that karma takes care of punishing for bad deeds and rewarding good ones.

Do they bring you hope or any form of redemption?

They bring me a lot of hope. In fact, they bring me a form of completeness, perhaps the completeness that you spoke of.

 

[Mike182]

We all are ,that is why my God felt the need to send his son to redeem man
What do you believe will be your means of vendication.

i'm happy you believe that way, but i don't believe i will be held to account for my actions by the standards of teh 10 commandments because i don't follow the God who sanctified them.

What do you believe,or who do you believe in

my Patron Goddess is Hecate, but i am a polytheist - but this isn't really relevant to the topic.

Fair and so they do,but what do those images and figures bring to your life in the sense of answers to some of life's most difficult questions,such as where did we come from,what are we here for ,where are we going .
Do these images bring an sense of clarity or understanding to these and other questions that have long plagued mankind

the figures themselves bring nothing but aesthetic pleasure, but what they stand for gives me purpose.

 

[PureX]

... can we change to be more then we are and will it take an exterior source that brings about an internal alteration

Yes, we can change and grow and become "more" of who we were meant to be than we are, now. And sometimes that change will require external help. We won't be able to do it by ourselves.

I, personally, would hesitate to refer to "God" as an "exterior source" just because I think we are all expressions of "God", and as such, God is not "external" to us, but is the very essence of who and what we are. I think we actually need to look within ourselves to try and get some vision of what the "perfected me" would look like.

 

[roli]

i'm happy you believe that way, but i don't believe i will be held to account for my actions by the standards of teh 10 commandments because i don't follow the God who sanctified them.

my Patron Goddess is Hecate, but i am a polytheist - but this isn't really relevant to the topic.


the figures themselves bring nothing but aesthetic pleasure, but what they stand for gives me purpose.

Ask yourself this question what is you follow than when your conscience tells you, don't murder,lie,steal,hate,covet.
According to God it won't matter that you believe in other gods, for that won't exempt anyone form his judement, according to the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob
The 10 commands are not only standards in which our North America has established it's civil law it's placed in all our hearts and that is the standard in which we will all be accountable,regardless of our life's pursuit.

 

[roli]

Yes, we can change and grow and become "more" of who we were meant to be than we are, now. And sometimes that change will require external help. We won't be able to do it by ourselves.

I, personally, would hesitate to refer to "God" as an "exterior source" just because I think we are all expressions of "God", and as such, God is not "external" to us, but is the very essence of who and what we are. I think we actually need to look within ourselves to try and get some vision of what the "perfected me" would look like.

Well that sounds like new age thinking and the essence of the new found "secret".
The problem with looking within to find the perfect me is that is an unrealistic pursuit as we need to not look to deep to find,lying ,deceit,hatered,violence,theft,selfishness,arrogance,lust and the like.
But it is a nobel line of thinking but we need to just look around our globe to see the truth and futility of that attempt.
Man is ruthless,evil to the core ,but that is hard to confess and admit.
Our nature is wicked and sinful.
The transformation within a Christian is the nature of man being changed into the nature of God,by his spirit