Do you believe in, or that there is "Sin"...? "Evil"...?

[Neogaia777]

Do you believe in, or that there is "Sin"...?

If not, and I would like the ones that don't, answer this one...? Do you believe in or that there is (a such thing as) "Evil" or that evil exists...?

Why, or why not?

God Bless!

 

[Dave-W]

Absolutely sin and evil exist.

Sin is anything that intentionally or unintentionally misses the mark of God's perfection and glory.

Evil is intentionally violating HIS will.

 

[tienkhoanguyen]

Do you believe in, or that there is "Sin"...?

If not, and I would like the ones that don't, answer this one...? Do you believe in or that there is (a such thing as) "Evil" or that evil exists...?

Why, or why not?

God Bless!

This one gets to me! I believe there is true evil and true goodness in the world. All through my life I have always had a good life that I could see. However when I was older I also witness true evil. I have a friend who is my exact age and wanted to marry her. Someone decided to jump in before me although 10 years younger and took her for himselves! She got pregnant and I am now just another smuck to her. He has managed to manipulate his way into her life claiming he is "right" for her. He "wants" her enough to force her to be with him. Now that is true evil while I sit at home thinking all good things...

 

[ananda]

Do you believe in, or that there is "Sin"...?

If not, and I would like the ones that don't, answer this one...? Do you believe in or that there is (a such thing as) "Evil" or that evil exists...?

Why, or why not?

God Bless!

No.

I define "sin" as something done against the authoritative will of a deity, and I do not believe in such a thing.

On the other hand, I believe that every action which we perform are either done skillfully or unskillfully, to either increase or decrease our or others' sufferings.

 

[tienkhoanguyen]

No.

I define "sin" as something done against the will of a deity, and I do not believe in such a thing.

On the other hand, I believe that every action which we perform are either done skillfully or unskillfully, to either increase or decrease our or others' sufferings.

So you believe we are each other so we are "evil" to each other

 

[ananda]

So you believe we are each other so we are "evil" to each other

If we cause each other suffering, that is unskillful behavior.

 

[tienkhoanguyen]

If we cause each other suffering, that is unskillful behavior.

My father Nguyen Binh Thuy who is true Buddhist tells me "self-control" (against others) is skillful behaviour. I believe you!

 

[jayem]

Evil doesn't exist as some independent force or entity. It is a human construct. It's a term we use to describe human actions, or ideas, that we believe are harmful. Usually, but not always, there is an understanding that such actions were done with an intent to cause harm. Sin is a specifically religious term which refers to actions or ideas that violate religious dogma. And again, it usually incorporates an element of intent.

 

[Neogaia777]

Absolutely sin and evil exist.

Sin is anything that intentionally or unintentionally misses the mark of God's perfection and glory.

Evil is intentionally violating HIS will.

Can we do anything that is not sin...?

God Bless!

 

[Neogaia777]

No.

I define "sin" as something done against the authoritative will of a deity, and I do not believe in such a thing.

I can see how one could see it that way, and under that definition, if God being omniscient, how can anything be done that is not in his will?

But we can still sin against each other, and ourselves can't we?

On the other hand, I believe that every action which we perform are either done skillfully or unskillfully, to either increase or decrease our or others' sufferings.

By skillfully, or not, do you mean intentionally and/or unintentionally...?

If so we should intentionally or skillfully seek to decrease our own and each other's sufferings, shouldn't we...? And try to make our personality such that it automatically, most of the time just automatically by it's nature or unskillfully or unintentionally allieviate ours and each others sufferings, by adopting and practicing good virtues...

Wouldn't intentionally or skillfully seeking to increase other sufferings purposefully to that aim, be evil or sin against each other...?

God Bless!

 

[quatona]

Do you believe in, or that there is "Sin"...?

If not, and I would like the ones that don't, answer this one...? Do you believe in or that there is (a such thing as) "Evil" or that evil exists...?

Well, the word "exists" is pretty elastic, but I would have to stretch it dangerously far in order to say "evil exists".

 

[Neogaia777]

Well, the word "exists" is pretty elastic, but I would have to stretch it dangerously far in order to say "evil exists".

Boy, your right... I just looked up a bunch of different definitions of existence, and "what it is", or means, and, in short, I conclude that it seems like no one really seems to know for sure, not concretely anyway...

God Bless!

 

[Shempster]

Opinions of what is sinful is not always a fact chiseled in stone.

Most Christians I know feel it is sinful to drink wine and use cannabis but its perfectly fine to eat anything at all.
I find that puzzling, as I feel differently. If ingesting wine or cannabis leads one to sinful behavior, then it is wrong.
But to me it is not acceptable to eat meat, GMO foods, drink flouridated & chlorinated water, chemical coloring and flavorings, artificial sweeteners, take little pills that doctors give us, ect. I do not get this from any bible verses. The spirit of God tells me that.
Do I think it is sinful for others to ingest such things? Well, yes. But I don't think anyone will be condemned for doing such.
The punishment for doing these things comes in the form of sickness, disease & anxiety.

 

[Neogaia777]

Opinions of what is sinful is not always a fact chiseled in stone.

Most Christians I know feel it is sinful to drink wine and use cannabis but its perfectly fine to eat anything at all.
I find that puzzling, as I feel differently. If ingesting wine or cannabis leads one to sinful behavior, then it is wrong.
But to me it is not acceptable to eat meat, GMO foods, drink flouridated & chlorinated water, chemical coloring and flavorings, artificial sweeteners, take little pills that doctors give us, ect. I do not get this from any bible verses. The spirit of God tells me that.
Do I think it is sinful for others to ingest such things? Well, yes. But I don't think anyone will be condemned for doing such.
The punishment for doing these things comes in the form of sickness, disease & anxiety.

Dang! What do you eat, drink, or do...?

What will happen with your belief if you get a sickness or disease...?

I'd like to point out that some things, in moderation, like caffine, or chocholate or red wine can be good for you, in moderation... Some of these things can have health beneifts and can be used to treat some things...

And, science has discovered how certain chemicals, like my anti-depressants, send seratonin, the positive thought chemical in the brain, that counters the negative ones, are tested and proven to be very effective on a person's depression problems, caused from the screwed up crap we are exposed to in our heads in this day and age and time... And I think God gave man that knowledge for these times to allieviate peoples suffering...

As long as medicine is not abused, it can be very helpful, and I think is from God, for these times were in...

God Bless!

 

[GrowingSmaller]

"Good" and "evil" are linguistic force fields surrounding the human body, community etc, helping to maintain a far from thermodynamic equilibrium state in such complex, self organising systems.

 

[Dave-W]

Can we do anything that is not sin...?
God Bless!

In our own strength? No.

But by listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit and obeying it - yes.

"I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me."

 

[tienkhoanguyen]

In our own strength? No.

But by listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit and obeying it - yes.

"I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me."

Thank you! I am weak too and I failed miserably once and it cost me what seems like a lifetime because I trusted in my own strength to save me and my family and friends. You are right again my friend; God is the true Saviour

 

[Dave RP]

Do you believe in, or that there is "Sin"...?

If not, and I would like the ones that don't, answer this one...? Do you believe in or that there is (a such thing as) "Evil" or that evil exists...?

Why, or why not?

God Bless!

I believe the concept of "sin" was invented by religions as a way of controlling behaviour, and is used as part of the fear based controlling dogma which Christianity practices - "sin and it's hell for you"

Evil is a label we have made for people who do bad things, who commit an evil act. Unfortunately some people are capable of committing hideously evil acts, although I don't believe it's because Satan told them to or led them astray, they are just horrible people.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Evil exists in the same way that beauty exists. It is in the eye of the beholder. A subjective judgment. It is a mistake to reify evil -- to treat it as a thing in itself rather than as an abstract descriptor of other things.

 

[ananda]

I can see how one could see it that way, and under that definition, if God being omniscient, how can anything be done that is not in his will?

But we can still sin against each other, and ourselves can't we?

I believe we can do things which cause more suffering in others.

By skillfully, or not, do you mean intentionally and/or unintentionally...?

We can apply volitional intention in various degrees of strength. The more intention, the more strength of volition. Early Buddhism teaches both determinism (law of kamma), and degrees of free-will (volitional intention in the present moment, to modify the effects of determined results from past causes).

If so we should intentionally or skillfully seek to decrease our own and each other's sufferings, shouldn't we...? And try to make our personality such that it automatically, most of the time just automatically by it's nature or unskillfully or unintentionally allieviate ours and each others sufferings, by adopting and practicing good virtues...

Wouldn't intentionally or skillfully seeking to increase other sufferings purposefully to that aim, be evil or sin against each other...?

God Bless!

I am simply describing a universal law (law of kamma, cause-and-effect), without applying interpretation or judgment as to it worth or results - that actions can be done which increases or decreases suffering in one's self or in someone else.

"Evil" and "sin" are two ways to interpret and judge the act of intentionally increasing sufferings in others. However, as we know, everyone can interpret the same act differently. E.g. Giving birth to a child can cause moments of great joy in the parents. Yet, at the same time, life is filled with suffering, and the child itself can see its own birth, life, and lifetime as "evil" and seek out things like suicide. Can it be interpreted & judged that by giving birth to a child, parents sin against their child?