Sin

In religious ethics, sin is a thought, deed, or state of being that opposes prevailing moral doctrines or codes of conduct. According to the Judeo-Christian tradition, sin arises from free will, which allows an individual to choose between right and wrong or good and evil. When a person performs an evil, unjust, or immoral act, he or she is said to have committed a sin. Both Judaism and Christianity teach that all human beings are sinners but that God can forgive sins if the individual repents and makes a concerted effort to recompense for his or her actions.

Other major religions, including Islam and Hinduism, feature similar concepts. In Islam, as in Judaism and Catholicism, sin can be classified according to the gravity of the offense, with some sins carrying more serious spiritual repercussions than others. In the Hindu faith tradition, the idea of sin is expressed through the concept of karma, a kind of cause-and-effect worldview which posits that a person's negative or immoral actions upset the moral balance of the universe and that consequences will inevitably revisit the individual who committed them.

Sin in Christianity

Christianity teaches that sin originated with Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, who rebelled against God in the Garden of Eden. The sinful actions of Adam and Eve resulted in the "fall of humanity," leading to the concept of "original sin," which holds that all people are born into an inherently sinful state that can be corrected only through a rite of admission into the Christian faith known as baptism. While original sin is forgiven through baptism, subsequent unjust or immoral acts, known as "personal sins," must be reconciled through prayer and atonement.

While no universally accepted definition of sin exists in the Christian tradition, it is generally held that sin results from thoughts or deeds that contravene the expressed will of God, the best-known example of which is codified in the Ten Commandments. Furthermore, Christianity identifies seven "deadly sins": envy, gluttony, greed, lust, pride, sloth, and wrath. These seven sins, also known as the "capital vices" or "cardinal sins," illustrate humanity's inherent propensity for sinfulness and the need for deliverance through recognition of Jesus Christ as its ultimate savior.

Catholicism makes additional distinctions, classifying sins as "venial" or "mortal." Venial sins are considered minor, and while they are believed to damage the individual's relationship with God, they do not in and of themselves condemn a person to damnation. Mortal sins, on the other hand, are considered major and breach the individual's relationship with God. Without penance, mortal sins will result in the person's soul being banished to Hell after death. Examples of mortal sins traditionally include acts such as adultery, heresy, and murder.

Sins are forgiven through penance, which by definition demands that the sinner acknowledge the immorality of his or her actions and express a desire to atone for them. Prayer, charity, and personal reformation are the primary vehicles for achieving reconciliation with God; however, the amount of penance required to be forgiven for a particular sin depends on the nature and severity of the act itself. In Catholicism, an individual can reconcile with God only through the assistance of a priest, a bishop, or another credentialed member of the Catholic Church. However, in the Protestant tradition, individuals are believed to have a more direct, personal relationship with God and have the ability to atone for sins directly.

Sin in Judaism

In Judaism, as in Christianity, sin arises from violations of God's laws. The Hebrew Bible classifies sins on three different levels: cheit is a minor form of sin committed accidentally and without intent; avon is a more serious type of sin arising from emotions or desires that the individual tries but fails to control; and pesha, the most serious form of sin, is committed knowingly and intentionally, with full recognition of its immorality.

For Jews, atonement for sin traditionally involved animal sacrifices, but such practices are no longer used as widely as they were during ancient times. Most modern Jews repent for their sins through prayer and charity; the solemn Jewish "High Holy Days" of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and the ten-day in-between period known as the "Days of Awe" prescribe rites for the forgiveness of sin. In the Jewish tradition, as in Christianity, God is viewed as a merciful and just entity capable of great forgiveness, yet stern with those who do not repent for their sinful ways.

Sin in Islam

In the Qur'an, Islam's holy book, sin is described in various ways, but it is always the result of actions that defy the will of Allah (God). As in Catholicism, sins can be classified as minor or major, though there is considerable debate among Islamic scholars as to which transgressions fall into the more serious category.

According to Islamic belief, sin angers Allah, but Allah extends forgiveness to those who pray and atone for their offenses through good deeds. The Sharia, or Islamic legal system, codifies the reconciliation process for specific sins. Compensation and reparation are prominent features of Islamic penance; when possible, individuals must make up for their sins through charitable acts. When this is not possible, individuals must offer reparations; extreme examples include cutting off the hand of a thief or stoning adulterers to death.

Sin in Hinduism

In the Hindu faith tradition, papa is the concept most closely related to Judeo-Christian and Islamic ideas of sin. However, papa is viewed not as a transgression against the will of divine entities but as a disruption to the inherent moral order of the universe. Individuals who commit immoral or unjust acts, whether intentionally or unintentionally, accrue negative consequences in a universal balancing system known as karma.

Karma may be positive or negative. In other words, immoral or sinful acts lead to negative karma, which will bring negative consequences upon the individual committing them. Conversely, just, kind, and charitable acts lead to positive karma. Under this belief system, a person can atone for papa by performing as many positive acts as necessary to restore his or her karmic balance.

Bibliography

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"Sin." New World Encyclopedia. 4 Apr. 2008. Web. 29 June 2015. http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Sin

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