The Complexities Of Defining Sin In Religion And Culture

what is considered a sin

The definition of sin varies across different religions and cultures. In a religious context, sin is a transgression against divine law or the law of deities. While sins are generally considered actions, any thought, word, or act considered immoral, selfish, shameful, harmful, or alienating might be termed sinful. The Bible says that sin has separated humans from God. However, the concept of sin is not limited to Christianity and is present in other religions such as Islam, Buddhism, Shinto, and Judaism, each with its own interpretation.

Characteristics Values
Transgression against divine law Murder, adultery, lying, stealing, greed, rage, lust, violence, theft
Transgression against the universal moral code Creating schism in society
Transgression against Christian biblical law Idolatry, covetousness, love of money, gluttony, complaining, tempting God, high-mindedness, disobedience, witchcraft, blasphemy, sloth, laziness, neglect of assembling with saints, profaning worship service, dishonouring parents, filthy talk, striking or fighting with parents, anger, hate, enmity, rage, brawling, rioting, unforgiving heart, wrath, unmerciful, dissensions, contentions, clamour, despitefulness, debate, arguing, fighting, abortion, divisions, strife, rivalries, fornication, sexual immorality, crude joking, whoremongers, defiling the body, homosexuality, sensuality, impurity, tempting others sexually, inordinate passion, corrupt language, effeminate, pornography, vulgar or crude jokes, stealing, bribery, extortion, sloth or laziness at work, defrauding, dishonesty, cheating, gambling, lying, gossiping, slandering, backbiting, spreading rumours, deceit, extortion, railing, slander, defrauding, breaking promises, craftiness, hypocrisy, dishonesty, whisperers, idle words, boasting, flattery, exaggerating the truth, whining, speaking evil of others, coveting, envy, lust, jealousy, drunkenness, sorcery, materialism, wantonness, sensuality, revelings, attachment to riches or material goods, lawsuits against Christians, emulations, extortion, desire for money, desire for power, desire for sex, anger at other’s good fortunes, desiring things of others, flirting or playing with temptation

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Pride

In Islam, sin is viewed as an act and not a state of being. Muslims believe that sin is anything that goes against the commands of Allah (God) or a breach of the laws and norms laid down by the religion. While there is no specific mention of pride as a sin in the Quran, Muslims believe that God weighs an individual's good deeds against their sins on the Day of Judgement, and those whose evil deeds outweigh their good deeds are punished.

In Buddhism, there is no concept of sin, according to some authors. However, Buddhists do have a concept of "missing the mark", which is similar to the idea of sin. Buddhists believe that every action, good or bad, has an inevitable effect in a long chain of causes, independent of the will of any deity.

In the Baháʼí faith, "sinning" is considered following the inclinations of one's own lower nature, turning away from God. The concept of an "insistent self" or a self-serving inclination within all people is seen as a hindrance to spiritual development.

In Judaism, sin is regarded as a violation of any of the 613 commandments. Judaism teaches that sin is a part of life since there is no perfect man, and everyone has an inclination to do evil. Sins have many classifications and degrees, but the principal classification is "missing the mark" (cheit in Hebrew).

In Shinto, sin is called "tsumi" and is anything that makes people impure or separates them from the kami (spiritual essence). However, Shinto believes that this impurity is not due to human actions but rather the result of evil spirits or other external factors.

Short Stature: A Biblical Sin or Not?

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Sexual immorality

Christianity

In the Bible, sexual immorality is strongly condemned. In the Old Testament, laws were given to the Israelites to discourage sexual immorality. These laws prohibited adultery and other forms of sexual misconduct, such as incest and rape. In the New Testament, Jesus taught that all sexual relationships outside of marriage are immoral. He also taught that lusting after someone is just as sinful as the act itself.

The Bible makes it clear that God expects followers to remain sexually pure and faithful to their spouses. God's plan for marriage is beautiful, and He wants people to honor and protect it. If they do not, they risk damaging their relationships with both God and others.

In the New Testament, the word most often translated as "sexual immorality" is "porneia". This word is also translated as "whoredom", "fornication", and "idolatry". It means "a surrendering of sexual purity" and is primarily used in reference to premarital sexual relations. From this Greek word, we get the English word "pornography", stemming from the concept of "selling off". Sexual immorality is the "selling off" of sexual purity and involves any type of sexual expression outside the boundaries of a biblically defined marriage relationship.

The Bible is clear that sex was created to be enjoyed between one man and one woman who are in a covenant marriage until one of them dies. Sexuality is God's sacred wedding gift to human beings. Any expression of it outside those parameters constitutes an abuse of God's gift. Adultery, premarital sex, pornography, and homosexual relations are all contrary to God's design and are therefore sinful.

Islam

In Islamic ethics, sin is anything that goes against the commands of God (Allah). Islam teaches that sin is an act and not a state of being. It is believed that God weighs an individual's good deeds against their sins on the Day of Judgement and punishes those whose evil deeds outweigh their good deeds.

Islamic terms for sin include dhanb and khaṭīʾa, which refer to intentional sins; khiṭʾ, which means simply a sin; and ithm, which is used for grave sins.

Other religions

Other religions, including Buddhism, Baháʼí, Judaism, and Shinto, also have their own interpretations of sin. While the specifics may vary, the underlying concept of transgressing against divine law or the laws of deities remains consistent across different faiths.

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Violating the Ten Commandments

In a religious context, sin is a transgression against divine law. Each culture and religion has its own interpretation of what constitutes a sin. For instance, in Islam, sin is viewed as anything that goes against the commands of God (Allah), while in Judaism, sin is regarded as the violation of any of the 613 commandments.

The Ten Commandments are a set of biblical laws relating to ethics and worship, which provide a standard for people to live by. Violating the Ten Commandments would therefore be considered a sin. Here is a breakdown of the Ten Commandments and the associated sins:

The First Commandment: You shall have no other gods before me

Idolatry, greed, covetousness, love of money, gluttony, complaining, not loving God wholeheartedly, tempting God, high-mindedness, disobedience, witchcraft, self-love, and putting anything above God, including family, friends, job, food, money, sports, TV, internet pornography, movies, cars, and attachment to riches or material goods.

The Second Commandment: You shall not make for yourself a carved image

Love of money, greed, disobedience, covetousness, self-love, putting anything above God, irreverent use of God's word, and attachment to riches or material goods.

The Third Commandment: You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain

Cursing, swearing, blaspheming, breaking oaths taken in God's name, irreverent use of God's name in humour, speaking evil of the church, taking communion or the Lord's Supper carelessly, anger at God, and careless use of God's name.

The Fourth Commandment: Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy

Sloth, laziness, neglecting to assemble with other believers, profaning worship service, and fighting or speaking ill of fellow believers.

The Fifth Commandment: Honour your father and your mother

Cursing, dishonouring, striking, fighting with, disobeying, making fun of, or speaking ill of parents and grandparents.

The Sixth Commandment: You shall not murder

Murder, anger, hate, rage, brawling, rioting, being unforgiving, wrath, being unmerciful, dissensions, contentions, clamor, despitefulness, debate, arguing, fighting, abortion, divisions, and strife.

The Seventh Commandment: You shall not commit adultery

Adultery, fornication, sexual immorality, filthy talk, crude joking, defiling the body, homosexuality, sensuality, impurity, tempting others sexually, inordinate passion, corrupt language, effeminacy, pornography, and vulgar or crude jokes.

The Eighth Commandment: You shall not steal

Stealing, bribery, extortion, sloth or laziness at work, defrauding, dishonesty, and cheating.

The Ninth Commandment: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour

Lying, gossiping, slandering, backbiting, spreading rumours, deceit, extortion, railing, slander, defrauding, breaking promises, craftiness, hypocrisy, dishonesty, whispering, idle words, withholding the truth, double-tongued speech, bragging, boasting, and flattery.

The Tenth Commandment: You shall not covet your neighbour's belongings or relations

Coveting, envy, lust, jealousy, drunkenness, sorcery (drug abuse), materialism, wantonness, sensuality, gambling, revelry, attachment to riches or material goods, lawsuits against fellow believers, emulations, extortion, desire for money, power, or sex, anger at others' good fortunes, and flirting with temptation.

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Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit

In a religious context, sin is a transgression against divine law. Each culture and religion has its own interpretation of what constitutes a sin. In Christianity, sin is a central doctrine, as the faith's basic message is about redemption from sin through Christ.

One such sin, considered eternal or unforgivable, is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. This sin is specified in several passages of the Synoptic Gospels, including Mark 3:28–29, Matthew 12:31–32, and Luke 12:10, as well as other New Testament passages.

John Wesley, the father of the Methodist tradition, discussed blasphemy against the Holy Spirit in a sermon titled "A Call to Backsliders," writing:

> "This blasphemy is absolutely unpardonable; and that, consequently, for those who have been guilty of this, God 'will be no more entreated'."

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that while no sin is absolutely unforgivable, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit represents a deliberate refusal to repent and accept God's mercy. This leads to self-condemnation and Hell.

According to the Bible, Jesus declared:

> "I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come." (Matthew 12:31-32)

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Homosexuality

In a religious context, sin is a transgression against divine law or the law of deities. Each culture has its own interpretation of what constitutes sin. While sins are generally considered actions, any thought, word, or act considered immoral, selfish, shameful, harmful, or alienating might be termed "sinful".

However, the interpretation of these passages is not without controversy. Some scholars argue that the condemnation of homosexuality in the Bible is rooted in cultural biases and poor biblical scholarship. They suggest that the Bible was condemning specific practices related to sexuality in the ancient world, such as pederasty or the sexual exploitation of young men, rather than condemning all same-sex relationships. Additionally, it is important to note that the term "homosexual" did not exist until the 19th century, and the biblical authors likely had no notion of sexual orientation as we understand it today.

In Islam, the Quran does not explicitly mention homosexuality, but Islamic law and traditional interpretations of Islamic texts have generally prohibited same-sex sexual activity and considered it a sin. However, there are differing views and interpretations within the Islamic faith regarding this issue.

Frequently asked questions

In a religious context, sin is a transgression against divine law or a law of the deities. Each culture has its own interpretation of what it means to commit a sin. While sins are generally considered actions, any thought, word, or act considered immoral, selfish, shameful, harmful, or alienating might be termed "sinful".

Christians have a broad agreement about what constitutes a sin, including violence, rage, greed, lust, lying, and theft. The Bible also lists murder, adultery, stealing, and blasphemy as sins.

In Islam, sin is anything that goes against the commands of God (Allah), and in Judaism, the violation of any of the 613 commandments is considered a sin. In Buddhism, there is no concept of sin, but there are five heinous crimes that bring immediate disaster through karmic process.

Some common sins in modern society include materialism, toxic individualism, and the distorted view of sex and marriage.

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