Why do Christians and Muslims focus so much on "sin"? What use is it, other than to provoke guilt feelings

Question

Instead of looking backward, wouldn't it make more sense to learn how to behave in more helpful ways in the future?

Why dwell on all the guilt, shame, and expectations of harsh punishment?

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Some of you are making no sense, and some others are missing the point: CHRISTIANS & MUSLIMS focus on Sin. I'm neither, and I find the entire dialogue around it so much drivel. Why is it so central to YOUR thinking (not mine)?

Answer 1

It's just part of the schtick. The concept is void, because it supposes the existence of a god who laid down rules. There is no evidence for god, let alone rules.

Answer 2

well, Christians and Muslims focus on sin because, that is the whole basis of their respective religions. I don't know a whole lot about the Muslim faith. However, I was raised in a Christian family. I still have a Christian faith today. I have had the opportunity to talk to Muslims, the majority do not believe in radical extremism. Like me, they believe the people responsible for 9/11 were and are wrong. The Muslim faith teaches mercy, healing, and good deeds. Just like the Christian faith. There are those on BOTH sides that are radical extremists, who have totally butchered what the Koran and the Bible teach. Both religions agree on many things. The #1 agreement is "sin", Christians and Muslims believe the wage for sin is death. Both sides (Me included) agree, if you are not "Born Again", you can not enter heaven. I don't know of any place in the bible that says you should kill non-Christians. The Muslims I have spoken to have said that, no where in the Koran does it say they are supposed to kill non-Muslims.

Answer 3

That's not the reason to focus on what is a sin.
The reason that Muslims and Christians seem to focus on "sin" is because we believe that there are limits to what we, as humans, should be allowed to do.
"For me, all things are permissible, but not all things are beneficial."

I don't attempt to refrain from sin because of guilt, or shame, or "expectations of harsh punishment." I do so because it helps me to live a purer life, and I believe it brings me closer to God.
Even if I'm wrong, and there is no God, I'd rather live my life according to the laws of the Bible and have people say that I was a "good" person when I die, than not do so and...well, you know.
I do it for the sake of GOOD, not the sake of guilt.

Answer 4

legalistic newborn Christians are sin focused,because they are being opened to a whole new point of view, and have zeal for his word and realizing their sin want to share the truth with others, the more seasoned or sanctified Christians understand though God is a God of order we are under grace and mercy, and focus on fulfilling the purpose of God, and false converts have been taught too much grace and mercy and not enough law, so they are too tolerant of sin, we are not bound by law anymore but are to be perfected in Christ this why paul says we must die daily to the flesh so God's spirit may live, the Spirit can not dwell in an unclean temple. I'm not sure that answered your ? and i'm not muslim but i tried.

Answer 5

I'm a Christian, and I think that recognition of our sin is simply evidence of our falling short of God's perfection. God is perfect and holy and pure... Sin cannot enter God's presence, but as humans, God wants a relationship with us, which is why he sent his perfect Son to die in our place. So, realizing that we're sinners is important. However, God loves us no matter our sin, so I don't think it's healthy, necessarily, to dwell on guilt, shame, etc.

I don't know if that was very well explained, but bottom line, sin isn't good to dwell on. It doesn't do any good.


ALSO,
I think that Christians get so caught up in sin and the things that they AREN'T supposed to do, that they forget what they are SUPPOSED to be doing, things like loving your neighbor, serving others, helping the poor...

Answer 6

Shame is from the devil. Love is from God. Sin is disobedience to God. Thus dwelling on guilt, shame, and expectations of harsh punishment is actually a sin.

Answer 7

Human beings have the capacity to sin largely as a result of having the capacity to plan. When someone plans their efforts, they need to be able to suppress their natural desires for a time. This is quite different from animals that live from moment to moment obeying their perceptions of the present and their instinctive drives. This is indeed a dramatic difference. Human beings are able to look to the future - conceptualise it and form an intention to act. This conscious intention can override even the most powerful of our instincts. Through it we have capacity to cause ourselves harm in the short term in order to realise the greater good in the long term. As an inevitable part of this we gain the potential to cause ourselves harm, i.e. the potential to sin.http://www.islamherald.com/html/explore/i4wm/02o.htm

Answer 8

i am not christian or muslim, but i think that maybe having the guilt and the weight of a sin on your shoulders will drive you to do good things (to compensate for adam and eve's sin that people beleive we are born with).
if people don't start with origional sin then they can do the same amount of bad and good in thier life and come out equal.
if they DO have the sin to start with, then in order to come out equal in the end, they need to do more good then bad in the world. so i guess its not so bad after all...


ps - i never really thought about it like this until i saw your q

Answer 9

If you don't know what is a sin, then you won't know what to change in order to have a happier life. Things are a sin for a reason. These things will cause you harm. The focus on sin is a helpful warning.

Answer 10

Humans are animals. They respond to fear. So in order to get humans to stop doing something bad, their has to be a good reason for it. an eternity of hellfire sounds like a good enough reason. I'm sure you'd quit stealing my cookies if I burned your face with a cigar lighter every time you took one, wouldn't you?

First, we have to get those people past the " Why should I behave myself " and then we can work on the " How do I do better ". It's a matter of process. Things don't change unless they have a reason too.

Best wishes.

Answer 11

Why do cops say to obey the traffic laws? Is it to invoke a feeling of guilt when you do not obey them? If breaking them is such a small thing, why do they advertise what happens when you get caught breaking a traffic law? The same with the Law of God. If the breaking of the Law of God is of such small consequence, then the breaking of mans laws, who's laws are patterned ofter the Divine, is of an even smaller consequence.
I do not believe that the breaking of the Laws of God is small in anyway, neither the breaking of a law of man, when it does not contradict a Law of God.