Do you believe in Sin?

by AK - Jeff 28 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • AK - Jeff
    AK - Jeff

    According to this report, http://www.ptm.org/uni/resources/ptmupdate/042108/sin.html;

    Most Americans believe in sin.

    Specifically, 87% of Americans believe there are certain actions that are "almost always considered wrong, particularly from a religious or moral perspective." This is how sin was defined in a recent study by Ellison Research (a Christian research firm) of Phoenix Arizona, which sampled over a thousand American adults.

    How do you rank in the specific areas mentioned in the list? The percentage is the reported percentage of Americans that believe the action is sinful. I reproduce the list below for your consideration. How do you rank?

    Adultery81%
    Racism74%
    Using "hard" drugs, such as cocaine, heroin, meth, LSD, etc.65%
    Not saying anything if a cashier gives you too much change back63%
    Having an abortion56%
    Homosexual activity or sex52%
    Not reporting some income on your tax returns52%
    Reading or watching pornography50%
    Gossip47%
    Swearing46%
    Sex before marriage45%
    Homosexual thoughts44%
    Heterosexual thoughts about someone to whom you are not married43%
    Doing things as a consumer that harm the environment41%
    Smoking marijuana41%
    Getting drunk41%
    Not taking proper care of your body35%
    Gambling30%
    Telling a "little white lie" to avoid hurting someone's feelings29%
    Using tobacco23%
    Not attending church or religious worship services on a regular basis18%
    Playing the lottery18%
    Watching an R-rated movie18%
    Being significantly overweight17%
    Not giving 10% of your income to a church or charity16%
    Drinking any alcohol14%
    Working on Sunday / the Sabbath 14%
    Spanking your child when he/she misbehaves7%
    Making a lot of money4%
    Dancing4%

    Of the listed items [30] - although I don't use the term 'sin' much anymore, I found that I believed that only about 8 or 10 of them would be completely off-limits to my way of thinking now. And most of those would be considered less 'objectionable' in my eyes now than just a few years ago [for obvious reasons I suppose.].

    Some of them, I never would have considered 'wrong' to begin with. Others have been scrapped in my mind due to changing paradigms about religion/life.

    Thoughts?

    Jeff

  • Crumpet
    Crumpet

    The only ones I can spot that I haven't already engaged in are misfiling tax returns, adultery, abortion and spanking my child. So I guess America would consider me a sinner then.

    Its interesting that things like drink driving, child molesting, polygamy, fraudulently extracting money from the elderly and vulnerable, knowingly transmitting sexual diseases etc arent considered sins....

  • Finally-Free
    Finally-Free

    I'd like to engage in a little "sinning" this weekend.

    W

  • Crumpet
    Crumpet

    I'd like to engage in a little "sinning" this weekend.

    W

    Will Rocco be joining you? What type of sinning are we talking here?

  • NewYork44M
    NewYork44M

    How old is this survey and who were the participants? This looks like a 1950's survey given to mid-America. Certianly not Eurpean or Asian. It smacks of the puritanical culture pandemic in the US.

    I believe there are some items that are not recommended activites, but I do not believe in sin.

  • SPAZnik
    SPAZnik

    I would like to hear the stats on how many people that believe in or focus on those things as "sins" still do them anyway. LOL

  • blondie
  • alamb
    alamb

    "Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill:
    An' it harm none,
    Do what ye will.
    Blessed Be to thee
    ."

    I was struck when I ran across this. I can't find any situations this doesn't cover. And it's so simple. All our actions are either motivated by love or malice. We just have to choose which.

  • FlyingHighNow
    FlyingHighNow
    AdulterySin
    RacismSin
    Using "hard" drugs, such as cocaine, heroin, meth, LSD, etc.Sin
    Not saying anything if a cashier gives you too much change backSin
    Having an abortionSin, depending on circumstances.
    Homosexual activity or sexNo Sin
    Not reporting some income on your tax returnsDepends
    Reading or watching pornographyYes and NO
    GossipSin
    SwearingDepends
    Sex before marriageDepends
    Homosexual thoughtsNo Sin
    Heterosexual thoughts about someone to whom you are not marriedDepends
    Doing things as a consumer that harm the environmentDepends
    Smoking marijuanaSin against own health
    Getting drunkHow drunk?
    Not taking proper care of your bodyDepends
    GamblingDon't know
    Telling a "little white lie" to avoid hurting someone's feelingsDepends
    Using tobaccoSin against own health
    Not attending church or religious worship services on a regular basisNo sin
    Playing the lotteryDon't think so
    Watching an R-rated movieNo Sin
    Being significantly overweightNo sin
    Not giving 10% of your income to a church or charityNO sin
    Drinking any alcoholNo sin
    Working on Sunday / the Sabbath No sin
    Spanking your child when he/she misbehavesDepends
    Making a lot of moneyNo sin,if it's honest $$

    Dancing NO sin

  • FlyingHighNow
    FlyingHighNow

    Hurting your self, not a sin? I don't agree. YOu can cause those around you, especially those who love you a lot of deep grief and pain when you make poor decisions concerning yourself and your health. My dad smoked. He still smokes. His wife suffers everyday and night caring for him. He is oxygen dependent, wheel chair bound and helpless because of his smoking. He could have ten or more healthy robust years had he not smoked. Many years he has had emphysema and has been told to stop smoking, and he has grown weaker, meaner and more helpless.

    We all worry about our grown children when they make bad decisions. We love them. Their choices do affect us. So, while some may say, "Oh it's not a sin, it hurt only him/her." They forget those who love the person.

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