Do you agree with the author's opinions on sin?

[Atieno Magero]

I agree with what the author says. Aside from factoring in religion and God, if you look at sin from a human perspective it is used to control the human population. However, I feel like it's become necessary for the general human societies.

[Sonya Nicolaidis]

While I can see what the author is getting at, in saying the only sin in the world is selfishness, I think this may be a little too simplistic a statement for such a weighted topic. I do believe the church uses the fear of sin and punishment to control their flock, usually for their own benefit. Often these demands are so burdensome, that people turn away from religion altogether because of them. If we follow the counsel to love God first, and then love our neighbor as ourselves, it sort of encompasses all the tenets of Christianity (indeed, all religions) and it acts as a good moral compass for how we should behave.

[Shahina C A]

I think there are many sins that are man made. Sex, food, shelter are all someone's personal preferences. So we can choose what we want.

[Maddie Atkinson]

I think there are many sins that are man made. Sex, food, shelter are all someone's personal preferences. So we can choose what we want.

Sex, food and shelter are also the base instincts of the majority of people and all animals, so to try and control those is unfair. As long as you are not being selfish or cruel in your actions to achieve those, I don't personally think they should be considered sins.

[Ldpuff]

This is more of a question of do you believe what is written in the Bible or not? My answer is yes; therefore, I disagree with your opinion of sins being man made. I can respect what you believe and where you are coming from, but it is impossible to know that every church has a mountain of money they are not using in a way you would deem beneficial. In my experience, churches use their money to support the community that they are a part of, which is in fact following Biblical instructions. Churches are to better their small community, which in turn has a ripple effect into the larger community.

[CConfounded]

I agree with the author that man kind uses supposed sins from the bible in order to justify politicizing the church. Controlling the populace through religion is seen in both Christianity and throughout history. Ancient Egyptian leaders used to style themselves as gods, and European leaders would justify their positions as being born there because God decreed it. Hindu's believe that those with higher positions in society deserve those higher castes because of their past lives.

In short, religion is definitely used to control the populace, and it isn't just Christianity doing it.

[kdstrack]

Without an agreed upon standard of right and wrong, everyone becomes their own god. For centuries, people believed and accepted the Bible as the standard for right and wrong. Certainly, the Church and society have twisted and corrupted these teachings. When there is no standard, confusion reigns. Some say premarital sex is acceptable and others say to wait until marriage, etc. We become like the Church the author described - everyone makes their own rules and changes them according to current feelings or convenience. We forget that the Bible's standards (correctly taught) have the goal of showing us our need for a Savior and a relationship with a loving Father. I think the author realized this. He wrote that: "all the strife and turmoil in the world is due to a complete lack of understanding and application of Jesus' principle," (p. 39). Sadly, his church did not show him how to have and enjoy that relationship.

[Cynthia Olyy]

And who said selfishness can't be ‘controlled’ just like other sins mentioned above? It shouldn't be carved out for any reason. As I've always said, sin is what the Bible calls sin, and that's it! But thank God for Jesus because sins shouldn't make a topic now.

[Maddie Atkinson]

And who said selfishness can't be ‘controlled’ just like other sins mentioned above? It shouldn't be carved out for any reason. As I've always said, sin is what the Bible calls sin, and that's it! But thank God for Jesus because sins shouldn't make a topic now.

Sadly, selfishness is a natural impulse that humans have. You're right ta=hat it can be controlled, to an extent, but that is down to the individual, it cannot be controlled by the government or the Church or anybody else, because you cannot control anyone's human nature except your own. The Church have created their owns sins as a way of controlling people because they cannot control the self.

[viczboy16]

I do believe a lot of the sins are man-made, like the ones you listed. However, I don't think all of them are. When Jesus says "thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself", he's pretty drawing a line in regards to Christian behavior: anything we do that purposefully harms others is a sin.

I agree with you talking about ”thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself” which is among the ten commandments but I disagree with the author for listing sex as a man-made sin. In the eyes of God, there is no big sin or small sin neither is there man-made sin nor scriptural sin. In the eyes of God, sin is sin.

[Maddie Atkinson]

I do believe a lot of the sins are man-made, like the ones you listed. However, I don't think all of them are. When Jesus says "thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself", he's pretty drawing a line in regards to Christian behavior: anything we do that purposefully harms others is a sin.

I agree with you talking about ”thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself” which is among the ten commandments but I disagree with the author for listing sex as a man-made sin. In the eyes of God, there is no big sin or small sin neither is there man-made sin nor scriptural sin. In the eyes of God, sin is sin.

Sin is sin, yes, but I things like no sex before marriage is man made. It is a way to control people to make sure that people, mostly women, don't end up having illegitimate children. Sex is a base instinct that God gave us, He never ever told us to control ourselves, He just said "go and have kids" to populate the Earth. Marriage didn't even exist at the dawn of time, if you believe in Adam and Eve, so why would He care now? It really is just a sin made by the Church as a way of controlling the masses.

[Ahbed Nadir]

Sin is disobedience to the law. Sins are man-made but like the author said, "it is up to us to do things as we will, they are not possible to control". So I'm not sure I can agree with the author on this one.

[dianaterrado]

In this case I find that I strongly agree with the author. I think sins are man made because we perceive them as such. And yes I think most problems we encounter stem from people's selfishness. Maybe if we're all a little bit kinder and a little more selfless, the world will be a much better place.

[Uche B]

Historically, religious institutions have used the "Divine Word" to guilt and manipulate people, so I agree with the author to an extent.

[Bisqwik]

The laws of Moses, what we call the ten commandments, are based on the earlier laws of Hammurabi. Which were based on older tribal laws. The modern churches have absolutely swayed opinion on what sin is. Taking the Lord's name in vain for example. It has never meant just to say his name as a curse or what have you, but to use his name as motive for actions that go against the teachings of the Bible. Crusades perhaps.
Remember the Bible shouldn't be taken literally. It's been edited and re-edited by kings and emperors. Translated multiple times. There is much that has been changed or lost or added.