A theory about sin.

[Autumnleaf]

People tend to identify with other people who like to do what they do. Especially as it pertains to sinful behaviors. So they associate with other people who have like minded sinful desires and they use groupthink to justify what they do. This can happen in a bar or a church or even the club. What do you make of this theory?

 

[McScribe]

People have a strong desire generally for social acceptance and will often take it where the can get it. Adding other appetites will make it more tempting.

 

[yasic]

People will congregate based on their hobbies and desires. The fact that these hobbies may also happen to be sins for various religions doesn't affect the fact.

For instance, homosexuals may gather together, while certain religions believe it is a sin.
Or people who enjoy seafood may make a group of it if, while other religions believe it is a sin.
Some people may want to gather together to protest war, yet such is an immoral action according to some norse beliefs.

 

[quatona]

People tend to identify with other people who like to do what they do. Especially as it pertains to sinful behaviors. So they associate with other people who have like minded sinful desires and they use groupthink to justify what they do. This can happen in a bar or a church or even the club. What do you make of this theory?

I´m not sure I understand how you arrived at the idea that this "theory" applies to "sinful" behaviour more than to non-"sinful" behaviour.

Apart from that I find this "theory" pretty banal. Sure, I play Badminton with other Badminton players, and I talk about a book with others who have read it. I don´t even seem to understand what about that would require justification of sorts.

 

[quatona]

I was just trying to imagine a congregation of thieves who spend the night justifying "using groupthink to justify their sinful desire".

Or overeaters coming together in order to "use groupthink to justify" gluttony. I was under the impression that it´s rather "Weight Watchers" than overeaters who congretate with the purpose of encouraging each other in the behaviour they have in common as their goal.

 

[Nithavela]

How about the other way around: People congregate with other people who find X sinfull, to judge people who do X, praise each other for not doing X and generally feel smug about it.

 

[Gadarene]

Apart from that I find this "theory" pretty banal. Sure, I play Badminton with other Badminton players, and I talk about a book with others who have read it. I don´t even seem to understand what about that would require justification of sorts.

badminton? deviant

 

[ValleyGal]

People tend to identify with other people who like to do what they do. Especially as it pertains to sinful behaviors. So they associate with other people who have like minded sinful desires and they use groupthink to justify what they do. This can happen in a bar or a church or even the club. What do you make of this theory?

I can see this. I'm thinking about things like bullying - where a group of people have a common "enemy" and when one of the group bullies, the others join in and justify it using their common dislike of their "enemy". Their justification might go something like "if person A can pull off bullying, then why can't I?" So they join in, and they pull others into the behaviour, without thinking about the personal consequences. Then they rationalize it away, thinking "I was just going along with the crowd." It's a form of blame.

The rationalizing, justifying, blaming, and bullying are all sin. However, I can also see it being used for good. For example, there is a group of women at the church who want to study the Bible. That is identifying with others who do what they do. So they formed a group because they are likeminded. One of them decides to implement a newly learned methodical style, and it then becomes the "in" thing to do, so they all do it, justifying it by saying "I want to be accepted by this group, so I'm going to learn the method as well."

 

[MJ Bond]

I'm going along with the notion that people congregate regardless of whether something is right or wrong. My complaint would be the opposite, that I can't find many others who like many of the same things I do. That keeps me away from many different gatherings. I kind of just stand by and watch different kinds of people.

 

[quatona]

badminton? deviant

Yeah, kind of gay.

 

[Paradoxum]

This might be true sometimes, but other times what you might call sinful, other people genuinely don't think is sinful, so don't require any sort of group to justify or strengthen that conclusion. In that case the group would be like any other group to them.

If a majority of people think X is a sin, then it might make sense that the minority who disagree come together, since it might be easier to do X in a group, depending what X is.

I don't really see why it would apply to sin more than any other like-minded group. I'm also not sure why a bar or club comes into it.

People tend to identify with other people who like to do what they do. Especially as it pertains to sinful behaviors. So they associate with other people who have like minded sinful desires and they use groupthink to justify what they do. This can happen in a bar or a church or even the club. What do you make of this theory?

 

[Gadarene]

I'm going along with the notion that people congregate regardless of whether something is right or wrong.

yes, in Britain we have outbreaks of spontaneous queueing

 

[OldWiseGuy]

yes, in Britain we have outbreaks of spontaneous queueing

(Laughing) No you don't.

 

[Joykins]

People tend to identify with other people who like to do what they do. Especially as it pertains to sinful behaviors. So they associate with other people who have like minded sinful desires and they use groupthink to justify what they do. This can happen in a bar or a church or even the club. What do you make of this theory?

So the people who do not honor the Sabbath, they meet everywhere except church?

 

[Joykins]

I was just trying to imagine a congregation of thieves who spend the night justifying "using groupthink to justify their sinful desire".

The nice thing about "theft club" is you never know what you're going to have left in your purse when you get home. It's never what you came with, that's for sure!

 

[Joykins]

OK, in all seriousness it kind of depends what kind of sin it is, right?

Not honoring your father and mother? That's more done one on one in therapy sessions.

Worshipping other gods? Yes, I would expect people of other religions to congregate to worship.

Making graven images? Can we all say ART CLASS?

Taking the name of the Lord in vain--this seems more scattershot, although I am sure there are plenty of advocacy organizations that cluster together to commit this one.

Covetous-- probably not gathered together as covetous people are really annoying.

Adulterers -- this again is more of a 1:1 (or so) pursuit.

Murder -- people want to keep this one on the down-low. Same for lying and theft.

 

[Beanieboy]

People tend to identify with other people who like to do what they do. Especially as it pertains to sinful behaviors. So they associate with other people who have like minded sinful desires and they use groupthink to justify what they do. This can happen in a bar or a church or even the club. What do you make of this theory?

Well, if everyone is doing it, it doesn't make the person feel so bad, even though they may know it is wrong.

However, I think people in general like to be around people like themselves. People who like baseball like to hang with other people that share the same interest. That doesn't make baseball sinful.

One could misuse the bible, misquote it, and claim that sinful "pork eaters" like to sin by eating at rib places together.

The real tragedy in such situations is that the real "sinners" are those that band together, denying their own sin, and point and another, and condemn them as an "unrepentant sinner." The enjoy feeling superior and self righteous, and in doing so, basically spit on the crucifiction, thinking themselves worthy and deserving of salvation, rather than acknowledging their own sin, and being forgiving of others, and needing Christ.

My theory about sin is this: Christianity has never ever been about sin. It has never been a book of laws you should not commit. Rather, as Christ explained, we are simply to love our neighbor as ourselves, and in doing so, show our love to God. When we love each other, we don't need to worry about sinning against others, because in love, we offer instead love, help, give with generosity not asking in return, and are happy for another's fortune rather than selfishly envy it.

Put simply, we are called to love, and when we do, we know God and are born of God. (1 John 4:7-8). It's that simple. And if we do not love, or do not focus on love, we have completely missed the point.

 

[Hikarifuru]

People tend to identify with other people who like to do what they do. Especially as it pertains to sinful behaviors. So they associate with other people who have like minded sinful desires and they use groupthink to justify what they do. This can happen in a bar or a church or even the club. What do you make of this theory?

Whether something should be called a sin or not... the theory is an expression of a very basic idea that says people navigate toward people and things that meet their needs. Sure, it's true. The sin part doesn't need to be true, so I agree. People tend to flock where their needs are met.

 

[Joykins]

The problem with sinful behaviors is that some are annoying to other people and some are harmful to other people. Which makes for bad company.

The best thing about "liars club" is I know I can't believe anything anyone says!

 

[Belk]

People tend to identify with other people who like to do what they do. Especially as it pertains to sinful behaviors. So they associate with other people who have like minded sinful desires and they use groupthink to justify what they do. This can happen in a bar or a church or even the club. What do you make of this theory?

I do not think this is specific to sin. In psychology this would be called "enabling behavior" and is a known component of self destructive activities. For example alcoholics will congregate with other alcoholics because the group does not call their behavior into question and reinforces that if others are doing it then it is "OK". It also has the tendancy to allow the behavior to become progressively worse as the group travels down the road of self destructive behavior together.