Mainly for non believers, please answer all questions. Thank you.?

Question

These are questions for a class that I am taking, they are mainly directed to non christians. Please answer. Thank you

What is sin?
Are all people sinners?
Do people become sinners because they sin or do they sin because they are sinners?
What is God's penalty for sin, if any?
Are there any penalties that occur on earth for sins in a person's daily life?

Answer 1

(You undoubtedly classify me as a "non-believer," even though I am open to the possibility of a Creator existing. Actually, I'm pretty sure about it.)

Sin: "Self-serving actions at another's expense." You can't "sin" against your own body.

All people make mistakes. The truly moral feel regret for their mistakes and strive to be better for them -- or better yet, give the lessons learned as a gift for someone else's benefit.

God's penalty for sin is in Natural Law and the inate moral code that he already gave us. Natural Law works flawlessly: When we do good or bad our conscience rewards or convicts us accordingly. We work for love, admiration, self-respect and enjoyment. There is balance in everything and we need the bad to fully appreciate the good.

People with mental/personality disorders (e.g.: Ted Haggard, narcissistic sociopath) are the exception, of course. But they need medical intervention, not "salvation."

The premise of "sin/sinner" contradicts "non-believer," so you may need to reword that if you want more answers.

Answer 2

I'm not a Christian, so I'll answer your questions, but keep in mind: I'm not a "nonbeliever" in the traditional sense of the word. For example, I don't deny the possibility that a higher being can exist. What I DON'T believe in is organized religion, and the concept of religion in general. I don't believe that you should listen to some church or some leader who claims to be closer to God or whoever than everyone else, and that these realms of thought are all man-made and therefore even more susceptible to corruption and violence (which, as history has shown, and current events continue to show, is obviously true).

Sin is a concept invented by the purveyors of religion as an attempt to encourage socially acceptable behavior and goodwill towards mankind. Saying that there's sin blames some sort of devil figure, whom we attribute to that sin, but I think the whole idea is bogus. The devil figure doesn't create wars and genocides and extinctions; humans do. We can't blame it on anyone but ourselves.

No, not everyone is a "sinner." There are some very good people out there, and people who strive to be good all the time. It's hard in modern society.

People become sinners because they sin, and by that I mean, we don't do bad things because we were born to do bad things (or manipulated into it by some Satanic figure); we do bad things and then we become bad people.

I'm not sure I have an idea on the second to last question.

No, not that I know of. Some people sin all day and live wealthy and happy.

Answer 3

Sin literally means to cause an offense against god, so I don't believe there is "sin". I do believe that you can do moral wrongs however. Because I do not call a "lie" a "sin" doesn't mean I think it's a good thing to do.

Because of what the word "sin" means, no. All people are not sinners. All people do have moral failings, however.

I can't answer this question. It's nonsenseical.

There is no god, so "he" doesn't punish sin any more than santa does. There are natural consequences for behaving in an immoral way (see Ted Haggard). If you lie a lot, people will not trust you and you'll have a less fulfilling life. Etc.

For the last question, yes. See previous question.

Answer 4

Sins are human behaviors that are considered morally wrong in the eyes of certain faiths.

According to some religions we're all sinners, but I don't necessarily agree with what someone else might define as sin.

In my religion - there are things some Christian's consider sin that I define as perfectly normal and healthy human behavior such as masterbation, sexual desire, anger, envy, jealousy, etc...

People are only sinning if they if they believe they are sinning or have been brought up to believe they are sinning.

My gods don't give penalties for sins. Wrong-doing is something we have to take responsibility for individually. Oftentimes people beat themselves up far more than anyone else could punish them anyway.

I do believe in karma. Whatever you put out into the universe - you get back.

Answer 5

-I think sin defined from the perspective of a nonbeliever would be any act that violates their personal code of ethics. This code of ethics was probably created from a combination of one's parents' attitude and from exposure to society.
-Almost all people are sinners in that they do things that go against what they believe is right...or what God believes is right, for believers. Some people are complete sociopaths who can do anything without a conscience, therefore they don't believe in sin.
-People become sinners because they sin.
-God's penalty? I have no idea, because every religion has its own idea of what happens to sinners. As a confused non-believer, I wouldn't know how to answer that.
-I don't know if karma exists, but I try to believe it does in that sinning will come back around to you, and superstitiously, I try not to sin in the hopes that bad things won't happen.

Answer 6

Sin is a term used within a religion for acts which transgress that religion's laws.

No. As an atheist, I am outside of Christianity's "jurisdiction", so I'm a free of the religious judgement of that term.

People become sinners because they take that term on themselves.

Atheist.

Yes. People who consider themselves sinners suffer the penalty of living with a self-imposed shame.

Answer 7

I'm not a believer in christianity if that's what you meant by non believer (The Savior proved christians as nonbelievers in
John 5:46), however, I am a believer that you must live by every word (Law) that proceeds forth from the mouth of Yahweh (613 Laws of Yahweh given by Mosheh, The True Faith).

The anwser to you question.
What is sin?
Answer: I Yahchanan (John) 3:4 Whoever commits sin, transgresses also the Law; for sin is the transgression of the Law.

Do people become sinners because they sin or do they sin because they are sinners?
Answer: Romans 6:16 Do you not know that to whom you yield yourselves as servants to obey, his servants you are whom you obey__whether of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?
I Yahchanan 3:7-8—
7 Little children, let no man deceive you; he who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.
Deuteronomy 6:25 And it will be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments; His Law, before Yahweh our Father, as He has commanded us.

Revelation 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, who deceives the whole world. She was cast out into the earth, and her angels were cast out with her.

What is the penalty for sin, if any?
Answer: Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of Yahweh is eternal life through Yahshua Messiah, our Savior.


Are there any penalties that occur on earth for sins in a person's daily life?
Answer: refer to answer #3.

Keep the Laws of Yahweh!

Revelation 22:12-14 Blessed are those who keep His Laws, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
15 For outside are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and worshipers of gods (elohim) and everyone who professes to love, yet practices breaking the Law.

Answer 8

If by sin you mean transgression against god, there is no such thing because there is no god. If you mean transgression against our fellow human, walking away when you could help is a sin.

Again, based on definition... People who willfully turn away from the chance to do good, out of selfishness, are sinners.

They become sinners because they sin, not the other way around.

No penalty from god, don't believe in one.

The penalties that occur on earth? I'm not sure. Lots of people who turn away seem to fare very well. I can't judge them. I know when I turn away when I could have helped, I feel wrong and desolate until I make it right.

Just the way I see things -- thanks for asking!

: )

.

Answer 9

1) What is sin?
Sin is an outdated concept that attempts to spoon-feed people with a fixed list of rules which are too difficult for anybody to follow. This sets up converts for guilt, which the church uses to keep them in church.

2) Are all people sinners?
Yes, according to the description of sin. As I said, it is an impossible list to follow, meant to instill guilt.

3) Do people become sinners because they sin or do they sin because they are sinners?
People sin because they are human. They are generally good and tend to follow rules. However, all humans have insecurities and the concept of "sin" allows religion to instill guilt in people because it is an artificial list of rules nobody can follow.

4) What is God's penalty for sin, if any?
According to the myth, God's penalty is death and possibly torture forever, depending on how you interpret it. Of course, since there are no gods, that's really an empty threat.

5) Are there any penalties that occur on earth for sins in a person's daily life?
That depends on the rule. Classically, "sin" refers to the 10 commandments. Of course the first three commandments really are silly, since there are no gods. Some of the others really are things that are common in society anyway. That's because they tend to foster a closer knit society. However, in the 10 commandments, they are really taken too literally and not given any room for interpretation.

In reality, there are consequences for anything that you do, both good and bad. It's up to each person to determine what the benefits and costs are for what you do. Any morality you come up with has to be flexible to account for variations in situation. Stealing a loaf of bread is bad if you can afford to buy it. Stealing a loaf of bread so you can eat and feed your family is not so bad.

The main trouble with the concept of "sin" is that it paints the world in black and white. In reality, the world is mostly different shades. Religion tends to make people morally lazy by spoon-feeding them what is right and wrong, but discouraging them from thinking about why something is right or wrong. Many of them can't even hold a decent discussion about morality without just defaulting to "God said so". That's a shame.

Answer 10

1) Sin is a man made idea that certain things are an abomination in the eyes of a mythical God. Things such as sex before marriage - but not beating your disobedient children to death - that is sanctioned by the Bible...
2) the only people that are sinners are people that beleive in sin, and everyone around them that the "Sinner" seems to think should hold the same views as they do.
3) Neither. People become "sinners" because of some moralistic code invented by Bronze Age goat herders. In turth, Sin does not exist.
4) The only penalities that exist today are man made laws and their punishments for failing to obey the laws. However, these laws do not concern themselves with "sins". People are not prosecuted today for having sex outside of marriage. Butt they are for keeping a slave, which is condoned by the Bible.