Comments on: The sin of the century http://fallibleblogma.com/index.php/the-sin-of-the-century/ A Catholic Social Commentary Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:08:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Sage http://fallibleblogma.com/index.php/the-sin-of-the-century/comment-page-1/#comment-49491 Sage Thu, 21 Apr 2011 17:23:52 +0000 http://www.fallibleblogma.com/?p=510#comment-49491 What's considered a sin for some religions is not a sin for others. For Gandhi, it was so big a sin to eat beef, the one time he tried it, he was deathly ill, proof to him I suppose that his Hindu religious view was right. For headhungers it was a sin not to take the heads of their enemies. Christianity is one religion of many. Christians of 200 years ago could justify the sin of slavery in this country; the bible doesn't say anything about slavery being a sin but if trapping people and taking them to other countries to be bought and sold is not a sin, what is? Christians now believe polygamy is a sin although the patriarchs of the old testament had hundreds of wives and concubines. Some Mormons still don't think it's a sin. Who gets to decide what is sinful? In some native american tribes young people were allowed (if not encouraged) to be sexual before they chose a life partner. We are told sex outside of marriage is a sin. We would probably all agree killing another human being is a sin - until our gov't sends our young people to another country to kill in war. Then that killing is blessed by the clergy when they see them off! What’s considered a sin for some religions is not a sin for others. For Gandhi, it was so big a sin to eat beef, the one time he tried it, he was deathly ill, proof to him I suppose that his Hindu religious view was right. For headhungers it was a sin not to take the heads of their enemies. Christianity is one religion of many. Christians of 200 years ago could justify the sin of slavery in this country; the bible doesn’t say anything about slavery being a sin but if trapping people and taking them to other countries to be bought and sold is not a sin, what is? Christians now believe polygamy is a sin although the patriarchs of the old testament had hundreds of wives and concubines. Some Mormons still don’t think it’s a sin. Who gets to decide what is sinful? In some native american tribes young people were allowed (if not encouraged) to be sexual before they chose a life partner. We are told sex outside of marriage is a sin. We would probably all agree killing another human being is a sin – until our gov’t sends our young people to another country to kill in war. Then that killing is blessed by the clergy when they see them off!

]]> By: dancingcrane http://fallibleblogma.com/index.php/the-sin-of-the-century/comment-page-1/#comment-49452 dancingcrane Thu, 21 Apr 2011 02:54:36 +0000 http://www.fallibleblogma.com/?p=510#comment-49452 The loss of the sense of sin can be driven by fear. Many people believe in a God, but not one that would punish their own kind of sin. God certainly loves them enough to make an exception for them, right? So for them it's not really a sin. Many others simply run away from belief altogether, as if disbelief would save them. I spent a whole day discussing this with a gay friend who finally said "But can't you just agree that it's true for you, but not for me?" He needs that kind of meaninglessness because he is terrified that believing in sin will put him in Hell. That's scary, tho. What's worse, losing it, or rejecting what you still know is true...what God has written in your heart? The loss of the sense of sin can be driven by fear. Many people believe in a God, but not one that would punish their own kind of sin. God certainly loves them enough to make an exception for them, right? So for them it’s not really a sin. Many others simply run away from belief altogether, as if disbelief would save them. I spent a whole day discussing this with a gay friend who finally said “But can’t you just agree that it’s true for you, but not for me?” He needs that kind of meaninglessness because he is terrified that believing in sin will put him in Hell.

That’s scary, tho. What’s worse, losing it, or rejecting what you still know is true…what God has written in your heart?

]]> By: Kellee http://fallibleblogma.com/index.php/the-sin-of-the-century/comment-page-1/#comment-49128 Kellee Fri, 15 Apr 2011 15:59:48 +0000 http://www.fallibleblogma.com/?p=510#comment-49128 I completely agree that the loss of the sense of sin is the worst sin. I can't tell you how many times doing the right thing felt like I was doing the wrong thing. Society is so confused. Thank you for posting. I completely agree that the loss of the sense of sin is the worst sin. I can’t tell you how many times doing the right thing felt like I was doing the wrong thing. Society is so confused. Thank you for posting.

]]> By: Matthew Warner http://fallibleblogma.com/index.php/the-sin-of-the-century/comment-page-1/#comment-48002 Matthew Warner Wed, 23 Mar 2011 20:20:32 +0000 http://www.fallibleblogma.com/?p=510#comment-48002 You should totally read this post here on just that topic: <a href="http://www.fallibleblogma.com/index.php/catholics-on-condoms-for-aids-in-africa/" rel="nofollow">http://www.fallibleblogma.com/index.php/catholics-on-condoms-for-aids-in-africa/</a> You should totally read this post here on just that topic: http://www.fallibleblogma.com/index.php/catholics-on-condoms-for-aids-in-africa/

]]> By: Matthew Warner http://fallibleblogma.com/index.php/the-sin-of-the-century/comment-page-1/#comment-48001 Matthew Warner Wed, 23 Mar 2011 20:17:16 +0000 http://www.fallibleblogma.com/?p=510#comment-48001 Sage - that doesn't make any sense. Sage – that doesn’t make any sense.

]]> By: Sage http://fallibleblogma.com/index.php/the-sin-of-the-century/comment-page-1/#comment-47998 Sage Wed, 23 Mar 2011 19:33:00 +0000 http://www.fallibleblogma.com/?p=510#comment-47998 Do you ever think about over population? Do you really wish we had 50 million more people here competing for jobs and resources? Just asking...I heard the pope tells people in Africa not to use condoms so they keep spreading HIV and having infected babies. Is that true? Do you ever think about over population? Do you really wish we had 50 million more people here competing for jobs and resources? Just asking…I heard the pope tells people in Africa not to use condoms so they keep spreading HIV and having infected babies. Is that true?

]]> By: Sage http://fallibleblogma.com/index.php/the-sin-of-the-century/comment-page-1/#comment-47997 Sage Wed, 23 Mar 2011 19:19:59 +0000 http://www.fallibleblogma.com/?p=510#comment-47997 The majority of people in this country believe in a god, hell, sin, damnation, doing good. 99 percent of prison inmates believe in god. Who are you talking about when you say people don't believe in sin? I think what really upsets you is that not everyone believes the catholic church determines what is and is not sin anymore! The majority of people in this country believe in a god, hell, sin, damnation, doing good. 99 percent of prison inmates believe in god. Who are you talking about when you say people don’t believe in sin? I think what really upsets you is that not everyone believes the catholic church determines what is and is not sin anymore!

]]> By: rr http://fallibleblogma.com/index.php/the-sin-of-the-century/comment-page-1/#comment-28855 rr Thu, 05 Aug 2010 15:15:31 +0000 http://www.fallibleblogma.com/?p=510#comment-28855 Well, Ayn Rand was also a self-described rationalist who thought religion was irrational. The flaws in her logic are too numerous to mention here. To her, giving some of your hard-earned money to others, even voluntarily, made you a chump. Her arguments aren't specifically about government, but about any force that would keep any amount of your rewards from you (including voluntary tithing). Having a philosophy that justifies total selfishness is, no doubt, comforting to some. Just as rascists can now find shelter in some libertarian arguments (I can keep blacks out of my business because Jon Stossill said it's OK). The marketplace will correct everything. (Of course, it didn't during the many decades when segregation was legal.) Well, Ayn Rand was also a self-described rationalist who thought religion was irrational. The flaws in her logic are too numerous to mention here. To her, giving some of your hard-earned money to others, even voluntarily, made you a chump. Her arguments aren’t specifically about government, but about any force that would keep any amount of your rewards from you (including voluntary tithing). Having a philosophy that justifies total selfishness is, no doubt, comforting to some. Just as rascists can now find shelter in some libertarian arguments (I can keep blacks out of my business because Jon Stossill said it’s OK). The marketplace will correct everything. (Of course, it didn’t during the many decades when segregation was legal.)

]]> By: Heather http://fallibleblogma.com/index.php/the-sin-of-the-century/comment-page-1/#comment-25257 Heather Tue, 08 Jun 2010 20:34:19 +0000 http://www.fallibleblogma.com/?p=510#comment-25257 People may have a problem with her, but Ayn Rand said something similar in her book <I>Atlas Shrugged</I>. The protagonists in the book are constantly trying to fight that sort of relativism that supposedly gives the government the right to oppress the productivity of society, because it's for the "greater good." Quite an interesting read, despite being over 1000 pages. People may have a problem with her, but Ayn Rand said something similar in her book Atlas Shrugged. The protagonists in the book are constantly trying to fight that sort of relativism that supposedly gives the government the right to oppress the productivity of society, because it’s for the “greater good.” Quite an interesting read, despite being over 1000 pages.

]]> By: Christopher Wright http://fallibleblogma.com/index.php/the-sin-of-the-century/comment-page-1/#comment-25249 Christopher Wright Tue, 08 Jun 2010 15:04:31 +0000 http://www.fallibleblogma.com/?p=510#comment-25249 I can't remember when I last heard the word "sin" uttered from a Catholic pulpit, or lectern, or wherever. I guess when I was a teenager, a long, long time ago. To embarrassing, I guess, and too judgmental. God bless! I can’t remember when I last heard the word “sin” uttered from a Catholic pulpit, or lectern, or wherever. I guess when I was a teenager, a long, long time ago.

To embarrassing, I guess, and too judgmental.

God bless!

]]> By: Ricky Jones http://fallibleblogma.com/index.php/the-sin-of-the-century/comment-page-1/#comment-25248 Ricky Jones Tue, 08 Jun 2010 15:04:08 +0000 http://www.fallibleblogma.com/?p=510#comment-25248 So true. Awesome post as usual. Keep it up Matt! So true. Awesome post as usual. Keep it up Matt!

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