Original Sin?

Quote: Evenbob

Looking
for sin is what we used to call a snipe hunt. Looking
for something that doesn't exist.

Gallinago stenura, common to most of the world that has wetlands. Also, one of the four bird clans of the Seneca.



We send the kids on snipe hunts, too. Wonder where that came from?

I think sin is so obvious that you don't need to search for it at all. It is beyond obvious that we struggle as human beings to do what we know is right. It explains what we read in the newspaper every day. If you don't recognize sin then I wonder how you explain all the pain and hurt in the world.

Quote: FrGamble

I think sin is so obvious

You think a god who can be offended by
our thoughts and actions is obvious? We've
already had this conversation. Missionaries
had a hard problem explaining the concept
to many native cultures. Not only wasn't
it obvious, they couldn't understand it once
it was explained to them. They found it was
far easier to teach to kids, a kid will believe
anything.

Quote: FrGamble

If you don't recognize sin then I wonder how you explain all the pain and hurt in the world.

You've repeated this many times and it makes
no sense. There are lots of explanations for
hurt and pain, sin isn't one of them. The Buddha
says it's because we let ourselves get emotionally
attached to temporary things. He's probably onto
something.

The Buddha there gives a pretty good definition of sin, I'm glad you like it. See I told you it is pretty obvious.

Quote: FrGamble

The Buddha there gives a pretty good definition of sin, I'm glad you like it. See I told you it is pretty obvious.

Getting emotionally attached to temporary
things is offending god? How so? Buddhists
have no word or concept for sin. Lets go
over what sin means again:

an act that is regarded as a transgression of God's will; violate a law of God.

How is getting emotionally involved with
temporary things any of these.

Since you don't believe in God it would be helpful if you replace "God's will" or "law of God" with something like "what makes us happy" or "truth". Getting emotionally involved with temporary material things leads to unhappiness and is a violation of truth. This is a given, like sin.

Quote: FrGamble

replace "God's will" or "law of God" with something like "what makes us happy" or "truth".

I didn't know sin could mean anything you wanted
it to. Where is that written, exactly? The dictionaries
don't seem to be aware of it. Is the Church really that
desperate to stay relevant that it would change the
meaning of 'gods' words just to please a current
generation? It's just like every other big corporation,
then, no real core truth. Just tell people what they want
to hear to sell your product.

Sin doesn't mean anything you want. It also doesn't mean exactly what you want it to mean. I think I have been perfectly vague in describing it as whatever holds us back from being the people we want to be. For me this is an offense against God because the "Glory of God is the human person fully alive." God wants nothing more than fro us to be fulfilled and happy. However for you who for some reason don't believe in God sin is not offensive to something you don't think exists, rather for you it is more generic - it is things you choose to do and things you don't do that gets in the way of your happiness.

Quote: FrGamble

Sin doesn't mean anything you want. It also doesn't mean exactly what you want it to mean. .

Sin is a word that has a very specific meaning.
It has to, you get eternal punishment if you
sin on purpose. (supposedly)

So you can't screw around with it as you're
trying to do. It means doing something
against the will of god. Knowing that god
doesn't want you to do this, and doing it
anyway. That's sin. That's what you go to
hell for.

It's not about being fulfilled and happy, it's
about a very very specific thing. Obeying gods
very very specific laws. Quit trying to pretend
it's something else.

What happens when you do something against the will God? You are unhappy and unfulfilled. This is sin.