God and sin

[Chriliman]

What is a sin anyway? Christians talk constantly about it?

When you know something is wrong, but you do it anyway.

 

[Shempster]

There are 2 ways to look at this.

1. When the father hates the child he will always punish them to be sure they get their just desserts.
2. When a father loves the child he corrects them in their failure to teach them a bigger lesson.

Now one must ask: does the God we serve love us or hate us? Pain may result in some correction but pain is never the point.

 

[Chriliman]

You missed it again.

I cannot ask and maintain the appearance of being fictional.
If I do not ask, he will not respond. He will most probably be apathetic.

God gives individuals reasons to believe He is real. Whether those individuals accept those reasons as evidence of His existence is completely up to them. God does his part perfectly, people are the imperfect ones that cause problems in His creation.

 

[Davian]

God gives individuals reasons to believe He is real. Whether those individuals accept those reasons as evidence of His existence is completely up to them. God does his part perfectly, people are the imperfect ones that cause problems in His creation.

Or, that statement is simply a product of your imagination.

 

[juvenissun]

What is a sin anyway? Christians talk constantly about it?

Look at the first case happened in human. Adam sinned. What did he do?

 

[Colter]

Look at the first case happened in human. Adam sinned. What did he do?

It was actually Eve, it says she ate an apple. Then Adam deliberately sinned to share Eves fate.

 

[Colter]

When you know something is wrong, but you do it anyway.

I think you are basically correct but could you be more specific? People self impose guilt about silly things all the time. And the mores change over the ages. What was acceptable in one age may become unacceptable in another yet God didn't give any blanket rule changes.

 

[Chriliman]

Or, that statement is simply a product of your imagination.

Even our imaginations have a real effect on reality. Wouldn't this mean our imaginations are a part of our reality? Since when is our imaginations a bad thing that should be avoided?

 

[juvenissun]

It was actually Eve, it says she ate an apple. Then Adam deliberately sinned to share Eves fate.

It was Adam. But, it is a side point.
The point is: They did the first sin.
So we know what sin is.

 

[HitchSlap]

Even our imaginations have a real effect on reality. Wouldn't this mean our imaginations are a part of our reality? Since when is our imaginations a bad thing that should be avoided?

When one begins to believe things imagined are real.

 

[Chriliman]

When one begins to believe things imagined are real.

If one sees an object in the shape of a person outside their window at night, their imagination becomes very useful to help them determine if the object is an actual person who might do them harm.

Imagination is useful in determining what's real as well as in creative thought and thinking about the implications of concepts. Basically, imagination is essential to our survival, be thankful that you have imagination and try to stop viewing it as a negative aspect of humanity.

 

[HitchSlap]

If one sees an object in the shape of a person outside their window at night, their imagination becomes very useful to help them determine if the object is an actual person who might do them harm.

Imagination is useful in determining what's real as well as in creative thought and thinking about the implications of concepts. Basically, imagination is essential to our survival, be thankful that you have imagination and try to stop viewing it as a negative aspect of humanity.

You might not understand the definition of "imagination."

 

[FrumiousBandersnatch]

... Then Adam deliberately sinned to share Eves fate.

Ah, the virtues of love and loyalty... (?)

 

[Chriliman]

You might not understand the definition of "imagination."

You disagree that imagination can help prevent harm to ourselves or our loved ones and is useful in both creative thought and thinking about the implications of concepts?

 

[FrumiousBandersnatch]

When you know something is wrong, but you do it anyway.

What about situations where you have no other choice, and you know inaction would also be wrong, e.g. situations where you must choose what you feel to be the lesser wrong? Is that inevitably a sin?

Is there a hierarchy of sin to hep one decide in such difficult situations?

It seems that normative moral & ethical theories, whether consequentialist, duty based, rights based, or even virtue based, all seem to run into the problem of situations where the theory conflicts with our inner moral compass, our personal sense of fairness & justice, of right and wrong...

I'm curious to know if Christian moral philosophy has anything to say about that, as the Bible has examples of people commanded by God, or His representative(s) to act in conflict with their own personal sense of justice; but in those situations it (presumably) isn't a sin.

This suggests two possibilities, either your statement about what constitutes a sin is mistaken, or what you mean by 'When you know something is wrong' is really 'When you know something is contrary to God's command' (the tenets of Christian morality) regardless of your personal moral compass. Or perhaps there's some other possibility?

 

[FrumiousBandersnatch]

You disagree that imagination can help prevent harm to ourselves or our loved ones and is useful in both creative thought and thinking about the implications of concepts?

Imagination is invaluable in helping us explore hypothetical situations, but it's clearly a mistake to confuse a hypothetical situation with reality.

 

[HitchSlap]

You disagree that imagination can help prevent harm to ourselves or our loved ones and is useful in both creative thought and thinking about the implications of concepts?

How's that conversation with yourself going for you?

Let me know which one of you wins.

 

[Chriliman]

What about situations where you have no other choice, and you know inaction would also be wrong, e.g. situations where you must choose what you feel to be the lesser wrong? Is that inevitably a sin?

Is there a hierarchy of sin to hep one decide in such difficult situations?

It seems that normative moral & ethical theories, whether consequentialist, duty based, rights based, or even virtue based, all seem to run into the problem of situations where the theory conflicts with our inner moral compass, our personal sense of fairness & justice, of right and wrong...

I'm curious to know if Christian moral philosophy has anything to say about that, as the Bible has examples of people commanded by God, or His representative(s) to act in conflict with their own personal sense of justice; but in those situations it (presumably) isn't a sin.

This suggests two possibilities, either your statement about what constitutes a sin is mistaken, or what you mean by 'When you know something is wrong' is really 'When you know something is contrary to God's command' (the tenets of Christian morality) regardless of your personal moral compass. Or perhaps there's some other possibility?

The Christian belief and my belief is that this is where the Holy Spirit will guide our actions. If we submit to God, His Spirit will guide our actions and even in a horrible situation the outcome will be good. Someone who relies on their own moral compass will undoubtably make wrong decisions that might result in further harm. This is why the belief that there is a correct action for every situation is important, however, the correct action can only come from God.

You don't have to agree with this, just try to understand.

 

[Chriliman]

How's that conversation with yourself going for you?

Tends to happen when the other person doesn't answer direct questions.

Let me know which one of you wins.

I did!

 

[Chriliman]

Imagination is invaluable in helping us explore hypothetical situations, but it's clearly a mistake to confuse a hypothetical situation with reality.

Agreed. Imagining a hypothetically bad situation can help us prevent the situation from happening. This is the point I'm trying to make, imagination is useful and should not be viewed in a negative way. When someone lets their imagination get the best of them and they begin to act psychotically, then we have a problem.