We are all responsible for all men's sins

[michaeldimmickjr]

“There is only one way to salvation, and that is to make yourself responsible for all men's sins. As soon as you make yourself responsible in all sincerity for everything and for everyone, you will see at once that this is really so, and that you are in fact to blame for everyone and for all things.”

― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov

I have heard from other writers as well that we should take on other's sins. How do we cultivate this mindfulness of being responsible for other's sins and in fact, the state of the world?

Thoughts?

 

[ArmyMatt]

I think we regard ourselves as the lowest, and always forgive anyone we see sinning around us. because I don't really know why someone else would sin, and therefore I cannot judge. however, I do know my own fallen motivations, and the countless wrong choices I have made.

 

[Yeshua HaDerekh]

“There is only one way to salvation, and that is to make yourself responsible for all men's sins. As soon as you make yourself responsible in all sincerity for everything and for everyone, you will see at once that this is really so, and that you are in fact to blame for everyone and for all things.”

― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov

I have heard from other writers as well that we should take on other's sins. How do we cultivate this mindfulness of being responsible for other's sins and in fact, the state of the world?

Thoughts?

IMO, that is NOT Orthodox theologically. We are NOT guilty of others sin but we can suffer consequences of them. I am not responsible for others sin, I am responsible for my own. We can pray for others, but ultimately it is between them and God. the only way you could rationalize this is that because you are in this world you have a cause and effect relationship with everything and everyone. There is only one WAY to SALVATION...Yeshua HaDerekh

 

[michaeldimmickjr]

Here's one article I found on this subject: Make yourself responsible for all the sins of men | OrthoCuban

Michael

 

[ma2000]

I don't think one can make himself responsible for all the sins of men. But feeling responsible in front of God for what other people do might mean that you are on the right track. And I mean by this what the three youths said in their prayer:

In all the things that thou hast brought upon us, and upon the holy city of our fathers, even Jerusalem, thou hast executed true judgment: for according to truth and judgment didst thou bring all these things upon us because of our sins.

For we have sinned and committed iniquity, departing from thee.

In all things have we trespassed, and not obeyed thy commandments, nor kept them, neither done as thou hast commanded us, that it might go well with us.

Wherefore all that thou hast brought upon us, and every thing that thou hast done to us, thou hast done in true judgment.

The three holy youths were just, but they felt responsible for the sins of their people.

I think you should pray and don't think specifically think about this. And ask your priest

 

[michaeldimmickjr]

I don't think one can make himself responsible for all the sins of men. But feeling responsible in front of God for what other people do might mean that you are on the right track. And I mean by this what the three youths said in their prayer:



The three holy youths were just, but they felt responsible for the sins of their people.

I think you should pray and don't think specifically think about this. And ask your priest

Thank you

 

[~Anastasia~]

This thought of being responsible for the sins of others was introduced to me when I was doing a study in GT on The Lord's Prayer and was putting in quotes from St. Nikolai Velimrovich.

He writes:

Behold, all our sins are common, and we all are responsible for the sins of all. Therefore, there are not on earth pure righteous men. For all the righteous must take upon themselves some of the sins of the sinners. It is difficult to be an immaculately righteous man, because there is no righteous one who does not bear upon his back at least one sinner. But how is it, O Father – give me to understand how it is that the more a righteous man bears the sinners’ sins, the more righteous he is?

Our Heavenly Father, who art sending bread from morning to evening to all Thy children and art receiving their sins in payment, make less heavy the burden of the righteous ones, and illumine the darkness of sinners.

The earth is full of sins, but full of prayers, too; it is full of the prayers of the righteous and of the despair of sinners. Is not despair the beginning of prayer?

I spoke to my priest about it, but he wanted to think about it for a while.

I've been noticing many things in Orthodoxy that seem to tie into a very universal kind of understanding, and it's making connections in my mind, but I am not POSITIVE they are meant to be understood that way.

I think I will leave it at that. I have no answer for you, but St. Nikolai seems to speak directly to your question.

We also have Scriptures such as bearing one another's burdens, and I believe (can't look it up from here) isn't there one about praying for a brother's sins? I think that is how it is worded (as long as it is not a sin unto death).

I'm trying to make cohesive sense out of this too, but I don't want to develop a doctrine that the Church doesn't hold.

 

[seekingfreedom]

I believe that our sinful words and actions can be responsible for the sins of others. I know that it is said that we can't control what happens to us, but we can control our reaction. I just don't think it is always that simple.
I say something mean to someone, they are having their own problems and react to me negatively or they take it out on someone else. And the ball keeps rolling. It's sin in the world.
I could think of lots of examples.
So I have to say, I have felt responsible at times for causing someone else to sin by my words or actions(or inaction).