What is sin?

[Shadow of Liberty]

I'd say the notion of inherited guilt isn't so much due to ignorance (a word I'm really starting to hate being applied to ancient people), but more vindictiveness. I'm a Heathen, and so identify kinda strongly with my pre-Christian ancestors. As such, it's easy for me to demonize Christianity as the force that "destroyed my people", and to consider any modern Christians as equally guilty of this thing that happened a thousand years ago. Keeping that from happening to me is a struggle.

But guilt itself is just an aspect of empathy, and so is what helps keep groups together. There's nothing inherently wrong with it, so long as it's not misplaced. Sadly, puritanical thought often causes us to misplace it a lot.

I always try to look at the whole picture and include myself along with the ancients to narrow down the archaic terminology into a more modern one. People will always be offened as long as they are looking for it.

 

[Riverwolf]

I always try to look at the whole picture and include myself along with the ancients to narrow down the archaic terminology into a more modern one. People will always be offened as long as they are looking for it.

Wise. Not all offense is sought (when I'm offended it's usually because I'm caught off guard, or something genuinely hurt), but a lot of offense is.

It's a shame that religious terminology is among the most polysemic. Makes discussion where everyone's on the same page VERY difficult.

 

[Nada]

"It's A Sin"

(Twenty seconds and counting...
T minus fifteen seconds, guidance is okay)
??
When I look back upon my life
It's always with a sense of shame
I've always been the one to blame
For everything I long to do
No matter when or where or who
Has one thing in common, too

It's a, it's a, it's a, it's a sin
It's a sin
Everything I've ever done
Everything I ever do
Every place I've ever been
Everywhere I'm going to
It's a sin

At school they taught me how to be
So pure in thought and word and deed
They didn't quite succeed
For everything I long to do
No matter when or where or who
Has one thing in common, too

It's a, it's a, it's a, it's a sin
It's a sin
Everything I've ever done
Everything I ever do
Every place I've ever been
Everywhere I'm going to
It's a sin

Father, forgive me, I tried not to do it
Turned over a new leaf, then tore right through it
Whatever you taught me, I didn't believe it
Father, you fought me, 'cause I didn't care
And I still don't understand

So I look back upon my life
Forever with a sense of shame
I've always been the one to blame
For everything I long to do
No matter when or where or who
Has one thing in common, too

It's a, it's a, it's a, it's a sin
It's a sin
Everything I've ever done
Everything I ever do
Every place I've ever been
Everywhere I'm going to - it's a sin
It's a, it's a, it's a, it's a sin
It's a, it's a, it's a, it's a sin

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/petshopboys/itsasin.html

 

[1137]

To me, "sin" is something psychologically (maybe spiritually) unhealthy for you or others. For example, the idea that one is fallen and in need of saving is a sinful idea. I don't usually use the term "sin", though.

 

[vaguelyhumanoid]

I've never believed in such things. I fully believe that the sins of the father die with the father.

I can't say whether Tiw, God of Kings and Justice (among other things, but is basically the equivalent to Gods such as Zeus), would agree with my opinion, but the great thing about being a polytheist is that there's no obligation to agree with the Gods. Especially ones we don't follow closely.

I love Thor and feel a draw to several Greek deities but I've talked my share of **** about Zeus from time to time...

 

[Looncall]

I'd say the notion of inherited guilt isn't so much due to ignorance (a word I'm really starting to hate being applied to ancient people), but more vindictiveness. I'm a Heathen, and so identify kinda strongly with my pre-Christian ancestors. As such, it's easy for me to demonize Christianity as the force that "destroyed my people", and to consider any modern Christians as equally guilty of this thing that happened a thousand years ago. Keeping that from happening to me is a struggle.

But guilt itself is just an aspect of empathy, and so is what helps keep groups together. There's nothing inherently wrong with it, so long as it's not misplaced. Sadly, puritanical thought often causes us to misplace it a lot.

I agree about puritanism.

So far as the idea of sin is different from that of crime, I think it is a ploy by clerics to grab power by making people feel guilty. Have you noticed that sins tend to be natural desires that need not be harmful?

 

[Riverwolf]

I agree about puritanism.

So far as the idea of sin is different from that of crime, I think it is a ploy by clerics to grab power by making people feel guilty. Have you noticed that sins tend to be natural desires that need not be harmful?

I think there's a lot more going on, honestly.

More likely that these people genuinely believe that such things are harmful and horrible, perhaps because they were/are, as an example, sex-repulsed to some degree. There could be plenty of other reasons. I genuinely believe, however, that the bulk of such pushers of such philosophies genuinely believe in them. Doesn't make them any less wrong.

 

[bud123]

wrongdoing, an immoral action against a divine law.

 

[rusra02]

Hoping to hear from many different perspectives on this term and its origins from those various beliefs. I believe it to mean ignorance but have been told it is different. What can I really say when I'm not a scholar anyway?

"Definition: Literally, a missing of the mark, according to the Hebrew and Greek Bible texts. God himself sets the “mark” that his intelligent creatures are to reach. Missing that mark is sin, which is also unrighteousness, or lawlessness. (Rom. 3:23; 1 John 5:17; 3:4) Sin is anything not in harmony with God’s personality, standards, ways, and will, all of which are holy. It may involve wrong conduct, failure to do what should be done, ungodly speech, unclean thoughts, or desires or motives that are selfish. The Bible differentiates between inherited sin and willful sin, between an act of sin over which a person is repentant and the practice of sin." (Reasoning From the Scriptures, p.371)

 

[Shadow of Liberty]

Looks like R.B. agrees with me on this one.

 

[allfoak]

Willful ignorance may be sin.
Sin really depends upon the person.
Those who understand much are responsible for much.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

A concept to control the masses and keep people in line according to the wishes of those who are desperate for power.

 

[Shadow of Liberty]

Willful ignorance may be sin.

Yes. A known or willful sin would be, as the bible suggest, an "iniquity".

 

[Shadow of Liberty]

A concept to control the masses and keep people in line according to the wishes of those who are desperate for power.

There is a lot that summons into it for sure.

 

[allfoak]

A concept to control the masses and keep people in line according to the wishes of those who are desperate for power.

Yes.
And it certainly has been effective.
It has people thinking that the concept is nothing but foolishness.