It’s time to talk about sin. Part 2

It’s time to talk about sin

Part 2

“Sin” has a root meaning of “falling short” or “missing the target” as when an arrow misses the bullseye. So, a focus on sin also means that we have a goal of achieving a life that is true to our principles, and it’s these goals that are our true focus. I believe that this strikes a deep chord in people. We want to be people of integrity. However, we discover in ourselves an inner battle whereby, especially in times of stress and pressure, we let ourselves down. This is a straightforward understanding of sin: we don’t want to let ourselves down – or those who depend on us, and so it is right and proper to consciously set ourselves against this force of sin and in favour of all those things that are good and pure and lovely. Christians sum all this up in the calling to love God as he loves us.

This inner battle can be understood as the conflict between our evolved “reptilian” brain, which is intent only on our own needs, and our consciously adopted altruistic principles that our more highly developed brain is capable of. (See Karen Armstrong, one of the best modern writers on the nature of religion, in her book, “Twelve steps to a compassionate life”). Or we might like to see it in terms of Freud’s battle between the id, the ego and the super-ego. Or perhaps in Augustine’s terms of the divided will battling between what you truly approve of and the appeal of illusory temptations to gratify yourself. However you see it, it is a reality of the human condition. Somehow, we have to come to terms with sin: that tendency to take short-term, selfish gains rather than long-term substantial progress in well-being for all of us.