What is the difference of trying not to "sin" trying to do/be good? Is goodness and "sin" usually the same? How do we know certain things are wrong even though they are not specifically outlined in the bible and titled "sins"?
slavery, child abuse/molestation, torturing animals, abortion, rape, cloning, genetic modification, complex ethical questions regarding modern medicine, etc. etc. etc.?
Isn't it true that all men try to be good, not 'sin', just for goodness sake and societal consequences, having nothing to do really with fear of God? What does this innate need to be "good" mean to Christians, and is it even worth it? For example: If someone is an atheist they are surely going to hell if they never accept your god, right? So what should be his motivation not to cause pain and distruction, kill, where does the atheist get his ethics/morals from? Is it just the fear of getting caught that stops him, or is it exactly the same for all of us no matter what our belief?
2006-08-01 09:24:35 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
destruction*
2006-08-01 09:25:58 · update #1
Oh no, many go one step futher. They actually think that it's entirely impossible for something to do something good unless you're christian.
2006-08-01 09:29:35 · answer #1 · answered by The Resurrectionist 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
As to your first question, I don't believe that and I consider myself a Christian.
The reason people who are atheists do and want to do good things is that all mankind have (what we Mormons call) the Light of Christ in them. In short, the Light of Christ is that part of us that tells us what is good and what is bad that we are born with. As only a few sins are specifically outlined in the Bible, it is our conscience or the Light of Christ that help us understand that some things are just bad, and other things are just good. As we learn and grow many factors influence us to help us determine specific things that are good and bad. For example: NOW most of the world believes slavery is inherently wrong/bad. However, that wasn't always the case. Societies views changed, thus impacting the way people think.
As to your second question, some try to prove their adherence to their chosen faith by using catch phrases (I'm as guilty as anyone) that can be generally recognized (at least by others of the same faith). Trying not to sin and trying to be and do good is the same thing, just a difference in prefered phrasing of the person using the terms.
Trying to be good for goodness sake and societal consequences is based on our desire to please our Creator (aka God). It is so deeply rooted within us that we base our governments and societies around it. This innate need to be good means (to this Christian) that while I know I'll never be perfect, I can strive to be. That can be my goal, hoping that with every effort I make I can draw closer and nearer to God and life will be easier and at the Judgement Bar I might hear the words I long to hear - Well done thou good and faithful servant.
2006-08-01 17:00:20 · answer #2 · answered by Tonya in TX - Duck 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To answer your original question, I am Christian and I know a lot of good people who are not Christian. I know some try to be good because some of them are my friends. They don't consider themselves "secular", some are atheists, some are pagans, some are not sure what they are but I know they are good people. (that doesn't mean they are saved, but I love them anyway)
Sin is just a word we use to mean "going against the will of God". Evil is a word to describe "the absence of God". I also believe that even if people aren't "saved" that they are still being prompted by the holy spirit. Some people follow the spirit and some turn away. The people who turn away enough times, lose the spirit's prompting and tend to fall into a lot more sin and evil. But sins are not bad because God says they are bad. Sins have consequences that hurt us and God loves us and wants us to be happy. That is why he advises against sin.
2006-08-01 17:08:15 · answer #3 · answered by Sara B 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Whenever I see a question like this I am appalled, reading some of the answers, to be reminded that there exists prople who are so out of touch with their basic humanity, and reality, that they would not have any idea how to conduct themselves in society, absent the written code of an imaginary sopernatural being, based on the myths, superstitions, fairy tales and fantastical delusions of an ignorant bunch of Bronze Age fishermen and wandering goat herders.
Cooperation and altruism are innate properties of human existence... a more sophisticated version of the social organization that you can see among pods of orcas, packs of wolves, lion prides and troops of chimpanzees. Moral consensus, moral conscience and mutual empathy are evolved survival traits. These are social constructs... the social lubrication that allows people to exist together, in a society. People come away with the misconception that they don't exist, absent religion. The religious puppet masters try to perpetuate that idea, in order to protect their conduits to wealth and power... but that is a canard. This has to do entirely with human nature.
Perhaps the following will shed come light on this issue, for those who don't think that 'unbelievers' are capable of moral, ethical behavior.
Christians make up about 75% of the population in the US... and about 82% of the prison inmate population. Atheists/agnostics, on the other hand, make up around 12% of the population... and about 0.21% of prison inmates.
That's kind of disproportionate... wouldn't you say?
2006-08-01 16:57:10 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wow, you question a lot!!! Cool stuff, keep at it! But as for me... oyvay, that's a lot to try to address.... ummm
Slavery hurts people. Child abuse is violence towards children, which is wrong. Molestation is sexual immorality, which is listed as wrong in the Bible. Torturing animals... proverbs says a wise or good man (can't remember which) treats his animals well, evil men do not. Abortion is wrong if the unborn child is a person (he is) because then you are killing an innocent person; murder. Cloning.... isn't necessarily wrong. But the things it will inevitably lead to are absolutely wrong... The Island and other movies like that are fairly prophetic, in a way. Genetic modification.... usually done for selfish reasons... but I don't think that would always be wrong either. Complex ethical questions... :) Like some wise Christians told me once; knowing the right thing to do isn't always easy. But you have to try.
It is most definitely NOT true that all men try to be good. See, there are those idiots who quite frankly, don't care about goodness, or society. They care that THEY are comfortable, and they get greedy. There really are people who don't want to do good.
As for morals and atheists... atheists definitely CAN be good... no, we christians don't really think that all secularists don't try to be good. But you've got a point; why??? If you are an atheist, why would you be good??? Honestly, I don't know.... I suppose because like the Bible says, "the law is written on our hearts" and everyone around the world knows, deep down, that being good is something that is important. We just know it, and we don't have to be christian to know it.
Goodness and sin the same? Umm.... no....??? Sorry, it's a weird question. Look, sin is anything we do say or think that God doesn't like. The reason he doesn't like it is because it is bad for us. His laws really are, believe it or not, good for us, and because he loves us, he hates it when we do wrong... aka, things that will harm us. For example... controversial example, btw, homosexuality. Have you looked up homosexual life-expectancy or the emotional/mental health of most homosexuals? There is a reason God doesn't want people involved in that lifestyle. Same with out-of-marriage sex; emotionally, it's a killer.... judging from my friends in college... it really does kill something inside of them. A lot of the laws in the Old Testament were just ceremonial... but if you find out more about their environment, culture, and applicable science, you start to see that a lot of their laws made sense to keep them healthy and whatnot. I mean, we are offended by the idea that women would be considered 'unclean' during their period. But as a woman.... to not have to work or have sex during my period, but be able to rest more... I wouldn't mind that. I think for them it was more physically unclean, as opposed to morally. So, I don't know. Not all the laws make sense, but as I read through them, many of them started to.
Anyway.... to know sin, you need what the bible calls 'wisdom'. The bible shouldn't have to spell everything out to us; we are to be wise and knowledgeable and understanding so we can discern for ourselves. Quite frankly, sin is anything that harms yourself or other humans... or even some animals, I would suppose. Finding out what harms people can be HARD... welfare has some nasty effects on people, even though it is trying to help. So, finding out what is best for people is not always easy, because welfare LOOKS like it would be helpful at first. But yeah... sin harms us... that's why a loving God hates it... not just because he wants us to have no fun.
2006-08-01 16:41:30 · answer #5 · answered by neigeblanc18 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The real issue is why be good or how is good defined if oyu do not believew in God? You are a cosmic accident, here for no reason, going to no purpose. There are no morals, no good, no evil. There is no ultimate reaons for trying to be good. The only thing that makes sense is getting all the pleasure you can and avoiding all the pain you can for when you die you are no more and do not matter.
2006-08-01 16:31:11 · answer #6 · answered by nobodiesinc 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not if they take time to think about it.
The thing is"secularist" believe in rules that man has made up.
It could be a state law or federal or it could even be a sign that reads (don't walk on the grass.)
We just make them up, and we are foul-able, the rules we make up might be good(murder is wrong)or it might be bad(killing unborn children of sexual gratification is protected)
Now on the other hand someone who follows god tends to assign more value to the rules they believe god has written.
Don't lie
Don't steal
Don't kill etc.....
They have stood up pretty good over time.
That and Jesus taught "there is no good but god."
So apart from god there can be no good.
God bless
2006-08-01 20:48:41 · answer #7 · answered by erickallen101 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
True "goodness" comes from within. Not just because you read a particular book or follow a certain faith or belief. I'm a Unitarian so I have friends that are of all beliefs, as well as secular and atheists. I had someone tell me the other day that even Mother Teresa and all the good works she did wouldn't guarantee her a place in "heaven" if she wasn't saved.........I don't buy it.
2006-08-01 16:31:57 · answer #8 · answered by carpediem 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Look, you don't have to practice a religion to do the right thing and not rob, kill, etc.
Just because you are a christian (or any other religion for that matter) does not mean that you are good.
The only thing that is different between people of faith and atheists is their belief or non-belief of a god.
2006-08-01 16:35:23 · answer #9 · answered by sprcpt 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No the imprint of the Creator is on all people and gives them a basic moral sense. It's just the sin in the world that skews that basic sense of right and wrong as people go further and further from the truth in their lives.
2006-08-01 16:30:02 · answer #10 · answered by Makemeaspark 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
How is being a secularist mean you are a non-Christian?
Being secular just means you don't force religious ideas on people via laws.
And no, I don't think just because someone doesn't believe in God that they are a 'worse sinner' than I am.
2006-08-01 16:31:10 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋