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This-essay is a7712213.htm which is available at the web-site www.essayz.com. See more notes at the bottom. Previous-Essay <== This-Essay ==> Following-Essay By-Months By-Years By-Words Webs of Like-&-Un-Like ESSAYS <==> Like-&-UN-Like This-One ========================================================== %NATURE OF SIN 771221 Our response to sin is occasioned by our conception of its nature. If sin is substantive and resident upon or within people --- we are likely to try to minimize its production and/or dispose of it---like poisons, wastes, entropy, debts, bad reputations, etc. If we regard sin as substantive we tend to develop a technology for coping with sin: neutralizing its poisonous nature, disposing of its messy substance, reordering its degenerate character, redeeming its obligation, clearing bad reputations, etc. If sin in substantive in the manner of an economic or proprietary right --- we are likely to develop a technology for computing the extent of debits and credits relating to specific sins, with guilt being felt for unpaid debts, and procedures provided for paying debts. If sin is regarded as substantive we are likely to presume that there are specialists in sin, just as there are specialists in other substantive concerns. Presumably the specialists in sin will be the leaders of sinners, those who occasion sins. If we wish to reduce sin we must then undermine the leadership of the specialists in the substantive aspects of sin. Their power to lead in sin must be taken away from them by whatever means is necessary. Their followers must be alienated from them lest they follow their leaders into further sin. Thus the conception of sin as substantive may occasion self- righteous people to promote alienation as a for of eliminating sin. The above world view gets "turned upside down" if sin is regarded as having to do with alienation, rather than as substantive. In the "upside down" view sin is occasioned by the efforts of those who regard sin as substantive and who try to eliminate substantive sins through excommunication of sinners. The consequences of sins are to be found very much in the conception that people have of the nature of sin. If sin is regarded as substantive then ignorance, poor judgements, misunderstandings, blunders, and misfortunes occasion "sins" which are "treated" with excommunication --- thereby promoting the condition of alienation which promotes more ignorance poor judgment, misunderstandings, blunders, and misfortunes. The substantive view of sin is self-defeating, it defeats selves. (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in www.essayz.com Search for Integrity and Honesty (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy) ==========================================================
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This-essay is a7712213.htm which is available at the web-site www.essayz.com. These 5 lines echo top lines. Previous-Essay <== This-Essay ==> Following-Essay By-Months By-Years By-Words Webs of Like-&-Un-Like ESSAYS <==> Like-&-UN-Like This-One