Question about Religion?

Question

Sometimes when I have asked about sin I have been told that since I am an atheist and accountable to no one that I can go ahead and sin.

My question is, since religious theists are accountable to God, and therefor can't sin,

why do religious people still sin?


If religious people are accountable to God, why do they still lie and cheat and steal and murder and have lust in their hearts?

If they are accountable to God, shouldn't they stop sinning?

Answer 1

look up the word excuse in the dictionary.

Atheisits are not accountable to god, but they are accountable to themselves, their mom, their dad and other people they care about.

Answer 2

Being religious does not give someone the power to not sin. And whether we are an atheist or a religious person everyone is accountable for sin. It's a birthmark. Everyone has the blotch and is born with it. But Christians who claim to have Jesus in them and walk with Him are more accountable than everyone else, because if they have God in them He convicts them of sin as soon as they try to even contemplate sin or immediately upon sinning. The power is in God to avoid and stop sinning. It is also a battle in the mind to learn to not sin. Sin is the lifestyle of this world and it's a bad habit to break. Many Christians are in the learning process. Others are only Christians in word but not in their deeds.

Answer 3

The other Christians here have answered this well, we have all fallen short. Let me add a personal example for you to illustrate:

Once you are saved, you begin the process of sanctification, which means God begins the purification process on you and you sin less and fewer times (said this way because it is both quantitative and qualitative change).

If a "bad" word comes out of my mouth in traffic, I feel guilty for hours and I pray about it and ask for forgiveness (I can see the Atheists rolling their eyes now). Back when I was a bra-burning, femi-nazi, tree-hugging liberal, cursing was just par for the course, it meant nothing to me. Now it makes me wince, especially blasphemy. See the difference? That is the process of sanctification. I still sin, but it is differently, that was just one example. You can go through the whole 10 commandments and see the difference. This also goes along with when Jesus said "you will know them by the fruits."
We can talk more about this if you're interested. Love you!

Answer 4

We have ALL sinned and fallen short of God's glory. The main thing I can say to this is, we are human. God knew we were going to sin. I will go a step further here and say that because He knew my future before I was born, He knew i would make the wrong choices, follow the wrong paths sometimes...but He still allowed it. For which, I am very grateful because I have learned so much from these mistakes, they have made me who I am today.

Technically, you could say there wouldn't be sin if Adam & Eve hadn't eaten that apple. It could have been the end for all of us, but He sent His son to take on flesh & become a model of what we should strive for. He then let His son die for our sins (and be tortured in the process). Again, He knew what His son was in for even before He gave him physical life.


It's awe-inspiring.

Also, I will leave you with this....it isn't so much about the religion as it is about the relationship (that we have with Him).

I think it's sad that you don't believe in anything.

Answer 5

That is a fair question. The problem is that despite being accountable to God's law, we still have the sin nature which is in each human being. Therefore, we are just as inclined to sin, even though we know it is wrong. Like a child who understands the rules but still makes bad choices, we let down our creator regularly.

Answer 6

Because no ones perfect if all the religous people in the world stopped sinning there would be no need to ask for forgiveness because we wouldnt sin in the first place. You have to know that we are all human and that everyone makes mistakes good or bad its just the fact of knowing that you made a miskate asking for forgiveness and moving on.

Answer 7

As an atheist I'm accountable to my own conscience and that is more uncompromising and unforgiving than the God of Christianity so perhaps many atheists have a greater unwillingness to sin than someone who is certain their sins can be forgiven by a loving God.

Answer 8

Theists can sin...they just shouldn't. ;-)

Why do religious people still sin? Because they're not perfect. But at least they're trying.... And that's what God wants.

Oh, and atheists ARE accountable...they just won't admit it.

Answer 9

~~~JD,,,, This is another reason why it was necessary to invent a Villain, the devil. So that hypocrites who cannot control their Freewill to satisfy their Ego(flesh) can escape Accountability for their actions and claim that "The devil made me do it.", as if Temptation & Gratification come from an External Source,, To your second Q, you have made an erroneous conclusion that "religious theists are accountable to god, and therefore can't sin,,," Contention=those who cannot sin are considered to be "gods". ,,,, Answer to your last Q= Simply, yes.

Answer 10

We are all accountable to God, but God gave us freedom of choice, which is why, as human beings, we sometimes make a mistake (or sin). But because God is a forgiving God, He forgives us our sins and allows us to try again.

Answer 11

If only it were as easy as being able to stop! We are by nature, since the Fall of Adam and Eve, sinful. Even after we have been brought back to life in Christ, our sinful nature remains. Therefore, we are in need of forgiveness even after Christ works faith in us.

This does not mean that we have free reign to sin as we will. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we should try to keep our sinful nature in check, but this is not entirely possible while in this life. Only after the Resurrection will we be able to live without sin, like Christ, if we believe in him now.