Prologue to the history of sin
Extract from Chapter Nine of "Primitive Materialism".
Sin as corruption of the Flesh is expressed as a violation of self-discipline. It is an ethical concept connected to the religious concept by the idea that if God exists, one obeys his commands by mortification of the Flesh, which is a duty to oneself. This conception says nothing directly about one’s duties to other men, or whether one is under an obligation to treat them with humanity.
Sin as trespass is expressed in violation of rules of conduct or duties between men and gods. It is connected to the religious concept by the idea that if God exists, one obeys his commands by respecting other men, and the duty to God is expressed by one’s duty to men. This conception says nothing directly about the bodily self-denial and is not primarily an ethic of the condemnation of the Flesh.
The profound difference between the two ethical conceptions illustrates the problem of the purely religious definition of sin – unless we know what God commands us to do, then we do not know whether we sin or not. Hence, the religious concept requires interpretation, and by interpreting it, we arrive at some other ethical-religious concept.
Sin as trespass is expressed in violation of rules of conduct or duties between men and gods. It is connected to the religious concept by the idea that if God exists, one obeys his commands by respecting other men, and the duty to God is expressed by one’s duty to men. This conception says nothing directly about the bodily self-denial and is not primarily an ethic of the condemnation of the Flesh.
The profound difference between the two ethical conceptions illustrates the problem of the purely religious definition of sin – unless we know what God commands us to do, then we do not know whether we sin or not. Hence, the religious concept requires interpretation, and by interpreting it, we arrive at some other ethical-religious concept.
Questions
1. Is there a distinction between (a) sin as trespass, (b) sin as failure to obey God or the gods, and (c) sin as desires of the Flesh? If so, can any one of these conceptions be logically derived from one of the others?
2. What other conceptions of sin are there?
3. Is there a history of the concept of sin?
4. Why does the mention of "sin" make some people shudder?
2. What other conceptions of sin are there?
3. Is there a history of the concept of sin?
4. Why does the mention of "sin" make some people shudder?