Believe me, you don't. Mohammed showed us HOW TO clean our sins, but it's up to us whether to do it or not, but on the other hand, Christians ALREADY have been saved once Jesus has been crucified "according to them".
My slant on this is that Christ was trying to tell us that sin did not exist, hence if you simply believed in him your "sins" were forgiven. It is my assertion that the comment, "Go then and sin no more" was in reference to this. The point being that is one believed in the Christ, I mean, really believed in what Christ stood for, it is rather unlikely that such a person would commit what was regarded as "sins". Get it? It isn't so much a case of so-called "sins" literally being "forgiven" but rather it is a case of the individual leading a life that is a few skips and jumps beyond the probability of further "sinning".
Then, Muhammed [pbuh] trotted past, several hundred years later, and reinstituted the concept of "sin", but added the twist that it was up to the individual to "sin no more". As you say, the individual is responsible for "sinning" or not "sinning". That might sound like a progressive suggestion, empowering the individual to effect change in their lives. The crux however is that there is no guarentee in Islam, and everything is ultimately judged by Allah, at the end of the road.
The difference is that in the first case, the idea of "sinning", in theory, becomes moot, as if the individual is a "true believer" they CANNOT "sin" any further. In the later case, one is still left with their "sin" and the continued possibility of "sinning" further.
It was just an example, and i don't necassary mean YOU, Paul.
If that is the case, dear Abu, then why direct the comment at me? *flutters eyelashes annoyingly*
You know what, i find it amusing how someone who doesn't believe in all these things still discussing, arguing, and debating about it. It's a total waste of time, if you were serious, but if you just wanted to have fun by talking about the things which you believe to doesn't exist, so that's another story.
Tsk, tsk, Abu. You misunderstand completely, as usual, my friend. As long as people still feel a need to discuss "sin", I have a moral obligation to attempt to set the record straight. I can understand how one could think this effort would be a glorious waste of time, as you so eloquently put it, but I would suggest that that is a very superficial analysis of my intent.
You see, Abu, I have set my "expectation bar" rather low on this matter. I don't actually expect people to believe me. My attainable goal is simply to get people to ponder if there is any possibility that what I am saying might be correct. To me, it is hardly a waste of time and it is somewhat insulting to read such comments from a person who is allegedly a spiritual person. You think I am just having a bit of fun and yet you don't even attempt to realize that I am deadly serious.
The simple fact, Abu, is that you still believe in "sin" and so your life is needlessly hamstrug by this perception, this odd lens, through with you view your personal reality and the personal reality of others. In my own life, I have abolished "sin" and the possibility of "sinning". I am therefore FREE for the inherent guilt associated with "sin" and "sinning". Being trapped by your own perceptions of "sin",
you simply cannot imagine just how
liberating it is to "sin no more". The psychology behind this is far deeper than you can presently understand, as you are still within the concept of "sin" and being "judged" for your actions. I'm not. Do you get it now, Abu?
What you, superficially perceive, as a lark and a waste of time could not be further from the truth. Heck, I am trying to liberate others from their guilt. I really am hard pressed to think of a more worthy effort.
In closing, I do not intend this as an attack on you, but on the belief structure of people like yourself who are still within those debilitating belief structures. When I say "you cannot imagine" I am not poking a stick in your eye and trying to be mean. I am simply stating a fact, so do not take that personally.
