Christians, can any of you give me an Emprical definition of the word; sin?

Question

And just to make sure we're all on the same page here, let's look up what the word "Empirical" means, shall we?
"1. derived from or guided by experience or experiment.
2. depending upon experience or observation alone, without using scientific method or theory, esp. as in medicine.
3. provable or verifiable by experience or experiment. "

So there you have it. Sin, to exist, must be verifiable. So to one person a sin MUST be the same (with the same results mind you) as the next.

So with that in mind, I await your definitions please.
(oh and for the record the Dictionary's definition of Sin is not an Empirical one, it is a subjective one based on western culture. Just so no one tries cutting and pasting from a dictionary site...)

Hope,
Ah I see that you can't stick to the subject, even for a few seconds huh?
Honestly whoever gave you the sugar should be jailed. Now, back to the skatepark with you, no need for school since it won't do you any good anyway...

"the bible says"...
Yet another moron who can't read a question completely. Back to the trailer Cletus, I think your wife wants you to help with the kids diapers...

Well, so far NONE of you have been able to answer the question.
Typical since you ALL know that sin is just a made-up word to make people ashamed of something that really isn't that big a deal.

TTC,
bite me.

Answer 1

sin = poop

Answer 2

You use a dictionary to define "empirical". Now look up the word "hypocrite" since you disallow that of us in your question.

You have left off the second entry for the definition of "empirical".

2. empirical - relying on medical quackery; "empiric treatment"

All words are made up. It is the idea behind the word that is important. I can make up a word to describe this question even. "Stupidiotic". How's that for a made up word?

But, seriously though, if you want a definition of sin which you as an atheist can understand, email me and I will answer you directly. We can discuss it at length if you wish.

Edit:
It's been all day and I see a thumbs down. Does that mean that you don't want to email me for a definition? Good thing I wasn't holding my breath.

Answer 3

Sin completely derives its meaning by virtue of its oppostion to God. We define the thing according to His standard, not a dictionary or personal opinion. It is not subjective, but objective. It is God who declares it to be, regardless of how we feel about things. The reason Christ came is seen is what could be the answer you are looking for, as stated in Scripture:
"all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
Not only does the passage let us know how pervasive sin is, but it also defines it by way of comparison.
Sin: Falling short of the glory of God
What is falling short of God's glory, you may ask? It is acting in any way contrary to His holiness and will. If this is yet difficult to grasp, one need only read through Scripture to get a feel for what sin is, how it is synonymous with "evil" and that there are some real specific examples there for those who still can't quite figure out whether such things are sin using their subjective reasoning.
Murder, for example, is sin. God declares it to be so, and it is never not sin, no matter who commits it. Cultures may declare murder legal. But that wouldn't change its true nature. It is sin for everyone. Without God and His standard, there would be nothing considered sin, and we could murder and pillage with abandon. We would be nothing more than animals, and it really wouldn't matter.

Answer 4

definition 1. "derived from or guided by experience..."

experience of us, and people who lived before us have come to a general consensus of what is "good" and what is "bad"

sin would be the act of doing the bad, or not doing the good.

"Typical since you ALL know that sin is just a made-up word to make people ashamed of something that really isn't that big a deal."
murder's a sin. is that not a big deal?


oh a since we're playing the "hey let's prove things because we can" game. prove thought. or feelings of any kind.

lost.eu/21618

Answer 5

God documented His preferences for our behavior in the Scriptures, which were combined into a single document called "The Bible" many years ago.

By studying the Bible, we see what God's preferences are.

We are furthermore instructed in the Bible to compare what we are told and our own behavior to the concepts laid out in the Bible. By doing so we gain the empirical knowledge of when we fall short of God's preferences.

Any failure to comply with what we know from understanding the Bible would therefore be categorized as "sin".

Answer 6

Anything not in harmony with, hence contrary to, God’s personality, standards, ways, and will; anything marring one’s relationship with God. It may be in word (Job 2:10; Ps 39:1), in deed (doing wrong acts [Le 20:20; 2Co 12:21] or failing to do what should be done [Nu 9:13; Jas 4:17]), or in mind or heart attitude (Pr 21:4; compare also Ro 3:9-18; 2Pe 2:12-15). Lack of faith in God is a major sin, showing, as it does, distrust of him or lack of confidence in his ability to perform. (Heb 3:12, 13, 18, 19) A consideration of the use of the original-language terms and examples associated with them illustrates this.

Did you mean Empirical?........sorry

Answer 7

Well let's look at it this way...
Can you give me an empirical definition of the word rule?

I believe sin is broken rules. When the earth was first created, God gave Adam and Eve free range of everything except for the tree of knowledge. He told them that if they broke that rule, they will have sinned. Of course they did and from then on out man has remained fallen from God. Since God is absoulute perfect, pure, and holy, there is no way for him to be in the presence of sin, therefore no sinner aka man peroid, can enter heaven where Gods at. To fix this problem that sin caused, God required innocent blood to to cleanse a person of thier sins. This was done in the old testament by animal sacrifices. The only problem with this method was that it was only temporary. As soon as a person would sin again they would have to start all over and sacrifice again and again. To solve the sin problem once and for all, God sent down his son, which was man in flesh but God in spirit. Thats where it gets a little confusing for everyone. Anyways, Jesus went about his life as a normal man, he felt pain, he got hungry, he felt sad, happy, mad, etc. He was human, but at the same time this man never sinned, never had one bad thought, he always avoided temptation in every form. Thats where the innocent blood comes in to play again. For no reason the people wanted Jesus dead...of course that was God's plan in the beginning. They killed Jesus in the most brutal way imaginable, think passion of the christ, times it by 1000. They say he was beaten so bad he didn't even look like a human. Oh and he felt every bit of it belive that...any other man though would have been dead long before Jesus got to the cross. Finally that man, which was God in flesh died. Three days went by and he arose from the dead like you would arise every morning. There were several witnesses that seen Jesus alive and seen his scars. Anyways this took care of the sin problem for everyone that believes this. No matter how good of a person you are, you are a sinner. If you've ever even told a lie as a child your a sinner.

In other words sinner, means rule breaker. Theres just no way on earth you can avoid breaking one of God's commandments. Before you even knew what they were as a kid you broke them.

If you believe that this story is a true one and you confess with your mouth to God that you believe, and ask for forgiveness in prayer, your sins are banished.

Just like a kid that steals a cookie from the cookie jar, when they admit their wrong doing and ask for forgiveness there parents (in most cases) will forgive them and forget about it.

Just like for non christians, regular people all around the world, atheist, buddast, hinduist, etc. it dosn't matter, everyone, ...absoulute moral laws exist, though you can't see them and they have no emprical definition, they to have a subjective based definition.

Would most people say that raping a 4 year old girl is wrong to do?

Now cause Jimmy thinks it's wrong but Cathy thinks it's the right thing to do, does it make it right or wrong? Everyone knows it's wrong to rape 4 year old kids (unless they are mentally incapacitated), it is a universal law/moral therefore it is an absoulute moral law.

Now back to your question. Just like you can't give rules, or laws an emprical defintion, they still exist, so ... the same applies to sin. Just cause you don't believe you are a sinner dosn't mean that you aren't.

Answer 8

Your question is specious. Can you give me an empirical definition of hope, joy, sadness, faith, and ignorance? The term "empirical definition" sounds vaguely oxymoronic as well. Sin is defined differently by various people--it is what you believe to be sin and how you respond to that definition that is the most important element.

Answer 9

*laughs* This is so obviously not a question...I'll take the thumbs down and point out that you know that there is no empirical definition. Beyond that, I have yet to fathom what thought struck you and said "I know what question I'll ask!"
No, there isn't an empirical definition, and you know that. I'm curious as to what kind of answer you expect from it. Later!

Answer 10

The Bible says that sin is anything by thought, word or deed that goes against God's express commands. Also, if a person has a guilty conscience about something, then that is a sin for them if they do it. Plus, if you were to do something that caused someone else to sin, then that would be a sin for you as well.

Answer 11

So, let me get this straight: when it comes to defining the word "emperical" the dictionary is authoritve. But when it comes to defining the word "sin", it is NOT authoritive.


1Jo 3:4 ¶ Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.