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If an atheist doesn't believe in God?

2007-02-17 02:07:18 · 11 answers · asked by turbo speak engine ver. 12 4 in Politics & Government Law & Ethics

11 answers

God gave every one the free will to choose to believe or not to believe. Commiting a crime may not be a sin to an atheist but it is still a crime to God, whether you believe it or not.

2007-02-17 02:16:41 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

To the atheist, the concept of sin is not very meaningful; sin is generally regarded by most people as a theological concept, and atheists are by definition not followers of a theology. Non-believers may certainly regard action as being right or wrong according to their particular moral system, but they generally do not think of them as being "sinful" per se, particularly if "sinful" is taken to mean "acting against the wishes/commands of my deity."

It is, however, important to note that "atheism" is as vague a category as "theism": just as there is no universal doctrine of "theism" (apart from the mere assertion that some divine entity exists), there is no universal doctrine of "atheism" and no single view on the concept of sin.

But, looking to Merriam-Webster, we shall see what they have to say on the topic of sin:

Main Entry: 1sin
Pronunciation: 'sin
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English sinne, from Old English synn; akin to Old High German sunta sin and probably to Latin sont-, sons guilty, est is -- more at IS
1 a : an offense against religious or moral law b : an action that is or is felt to be highly reprehensible c : an often serious shortcoming : FAULT
2 a : transgression of the law of God b : a vitiated state of human nature in which the self is estranged from God

Main Entry: 2sin
Function: intransitive verb
Inflected Form(s): sinned; sin·ning
1 : to commit a sin
2 : to commit an offense or fault

Main Entry: 3sin
Pronunciation: 'sEn, 'sin
Function: noun
Etymology: Hebrew sin
: the 21st letter of the Hebrew alphabet

Main Entry: 4sin
Function: abbreviation
sine

2007-02-17 02:55:17 · answer #2 · answered by sjsosullivan 5 · 0 0

Well, all those that DO believe in g-o-d will call it a sin. He would probably just call it wrong.

Just 'cause you're atheist doesn't mean you're immoral. Not everyone needs ancient spiritual texts to tell them what's right and wrong. Some people just figure it out on their own.

2007-02-17 02:12:14 · answer #3 · answered by yodadoe 4 · 0 0

This isn't a legal question, it's a philosophical question.

The answer would be no - since an atheist doesn't believe in "god" they will not feel they have sinned. As for others perception, "judge not lest ye be judged."

2007-02-17 02:10:32 · answer #4 · answered by Enchanted 7 · 0 0

No. If I were to commit a crime, I would consider it immoral, criminal, wrong or unethical. Whichever way you look at it, as far as I am concerned, there is no mythological being in the sky (or anywhere else) and it therefore cannot be a sin.

2007-02-17 02:47:42 · answer #5 · answered by Paul The Rock Ape 4 · 0 0

By atheist standards there are no "sins" but there is immoral behavior. Doing what is right has nothing to do with God really.

By the standards of someone who is religious, they have sinned, but the standards of humanity they have acted immoral.

2007-02-17 02:11:39 · answer #6 · answered by Lori 6 · 0 0

By definition a sin is "an action that is or is felt to be highly reprehensible" and a crime is "something reprehensible, foolish, or disgraceful ". For examples in both definitions it uses " it is a sin to waste food" and "it is a crime to waste food", therefore the answer is yes.

2007-02-17 02:25:49 · answer #7 · answered by Mike M. 5 · 0 0

In the eye's of the law he has, for lack of better words. Since the law of man is what our legal system is based on, it will prevail. Call it sin, call it breaking the law, call it whatever you like, the punishment is the same!

2007-02-17 02:12:37 · answer #8 · answered by briang731/ bvincent 6 · 0 0

the first aspect that someone must be pondering is not any matter if the idea of sin is definitely authentic. If God is meant to be perfect how ought to She have made some thing or anybody that wasn't perfect. imagine about it. the idea of sin assumes particular issues about God that look really unlikely. First it assumes a God who's basically too incompetent to set up an elementary tutorial container day holiday and determine out a fashion to get each and each and every of the students domicile properly. How in all probability is this that God does no longer be smart sufficient to go back up with a plan for our salvation that is going to paintings one hundred p.c. of the time? It also assumes that God must have created us imperfect if we are sinners. One would assume that God will be in a position to create someone perfect each and every time if he chosen to. Assuming God is able to this, then it follows logically that we must be perfect creations if we are easily creations of this perfect God. till for sure you're saying that God chosen to create us imperfect. If God created us imperfect then some thing that would bypass incorrect is Gods fault, no longer ours. This looks slightly illogical at maximum ideal so i imagine that we want to assume that What God creates would must be perfect. if it is the case and Gods creations are perfect, then no longer some thing that we may be able to do ought to substitute what God created perfect and make it imperfect till we assume of that we are more beneficial effective than God is. How in all probability is it that we the creation will be more beneficial effective than the author. i in my view discover this theory quite amusing, and slightly absurd. faith tells us that God is perfect. If it is actual then it ought to no longer regularly be logically for Gods creations to be seen to be some thing decrease than perfect. if it is the case and we are perfect creations of a perfect God then no longer some thing that we may be able to ever do ought to probably substitute this perfection that God willed, till we were so effective that our alternatives ought to override and regulate the will of God. How in all probability is that???? imagine about it. Love and advantages don

2016-12-04 07:13:50 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

No you can't commit a sin or go to hell if you don't believe in it

2007-02-17 02:14:10 · answer #10 · answered by hobo 7 · 0 0

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