In the Eyes of the Beholder
by Candace Martindale
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sin (sin) n. 1. The breaking of religious law or moral principle, esp. through a willful act. 2. To commit an offense or fault of any kind.
“Wink at small faults; remember thou has great ones” -- Benjamin Franklin
Where do we draw the line? What is sin and what is just a bad decision? What about what others view as sin? There are many different answers to the age old question: What is sin? Many look to religion for the answer, while others turn inward to find out through their own experiences. I believe that the true definition of sin lies within us; a culmination of the whole human experience -- religious, personal, or otherwise -- contained in one truth. That truth, however, and what it is defined as, is quite tough to put a finger on. |
Most are familiar with the major topics that fall into the category of sin: murder, theft, violence, infidelity, but when it comes to the little things in life, how does one tell? Come judgment day, will I be damned for cutting in line? This is when personal viewpoints become important. Personally, I’ve found that the difference between something I classify as a sin and an act that I wouldn’t is whether or not I can learn from my mistake and mend my ways. Mind you, this is not a free pass to do anything you feel like once, just for the heck of it, without consequence, if you promise never to do it again. There is a difference between making a mistake and pretending, my friends. The point is to do your best and learn when you fall.
I know I’ve done things I regret and will never do again, yet I still continue struggle with new challenges every day. If we never improve ourselves, can we ever really grow and say we’ve accomplished anything at all in our lives? Other people’s views can also have a strong influence on what we see as sinful. Different cultures have varying definitions of sin, especially within the realm of religion and daily life. Even though our complex world tends to make a clear-cut answer to this question a bit muddled, I believe we have the power to know which decision is the right way to go if we just take a look inside ourselves.
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Sin has certainly changed a lot since I was born and will continue to
change long after I kick the bucket. The world will continue to turn
and life will always change for those here on earth. I would say the
most important goal in the short life we have is to gain a bit of
knowledge about who we really are as a person and to overcome our own
sins, whatever they may be and however we may choose to define them. |