What Does the Concept of "Sin" Mean to You

The book I quote often here about the many gods and many religions of the world summarizes Christianity as a religion that is about one thing, sin. While people with academic backgrounds in Christianity argue vigorously this is not accurate, that the faith is about forgiveness of sins, not sin, this splitting of theological hairs makes little difference really. The topic people in the pews discuss and fret about is sin. Any religion, or denomination within a religion is ultimately what those who pay the bills think it is about. 

I enjoy scanning several sites which discuss religion. Sometimes I find an ideas for this blog when scanning. The writing I look for are writers who are searching for some new way to present the faith that would be meaningful and attractive enough to stop the decline in numbers. Pope Francis is searching for some new way to present the Catholic faith that is more in step with current thinking. He overtures about accepting instead of condemning gay people is such an idea. The same with married priests and accepting divorced and remarried Catholics. 

A You Tube channel I follow has young clergy from the Lutheran Missouri Synod. These pastors want clergy to discuss the world that really exists, not the one used to make up the pages of rules in that denomination. They point to Jesus who talked to everyone.

Once in a while, I read a long article that I think is going somewhere useful but ends up going down a rabbit hole. Recently, there was a title, "How to reverse the downward trend in Christian numbers." The author is in an academic institution so I thought if must contain some fresh and new approach to presenting the faith.

The article spent a lot of time pointing out the obvious, that the faith needed to offer something helpful and useful to the public. Then is went off on how disappointing it is the faith does not tell the public is offers something very useful and helpful. After what seemed like pages of nothing he finally revealed what it is the public needs and how Christianity fills the need. The need, what the public longs for, is relief from worry about sin. The faith then forgives that sin. The usual Scripture followed.

How ridiculous. Donald Trump was asked if he ever asked for forgiveness the things he had done. He denied he needed to as for forgiveness. He did not, does not, understand Christianity. The rest of us do not believe we have sinned because there is no such thing. There is good behavior and bad. But sin is just a religious idea that has no relevance elsewhere. 

Forgiveness of sin is useless if sin, itself, is just an arbitrary concept dreamed up by ancients for self serving purposes.