Does a thing being "right" or "wrong" have anything to do with it being considered a sin?
Yes
Side Score: 12
|
 |
No
Side Score: 13
|
|
|
|
|
First of all, we need to take a step back and realize that "right" and "wrong" are human constructs. For example, killer whales capture baby seals on the beach, take them out to sea and toss them around until they're dead. Then they eat them. To humans this might seem "wrong" as it increases or prolongs the amount of pain and suffering for the seal. Why don't the whales do the "right" thing and eat them immediately? Well, the answer is obviously because the whale doesn't consider the act as a sin. Moral constructs are human undertakings that usually aim to minimize human pain and suffering. If more humans suffer then it is probably a sin. If human suffering is decreased by an act then it is probably "right". This has to do with the philosophical argument of the greatest happiness principal which says if a happiness among us is increased then it is a good "right" thing. And, vice versa. As far as "sin" goes, it IS a concept related to the "wrong" course of action, that is, one that increases human suffering and/or pain. However, there is a large gray area in this argument. Some "sins" may be viewed as increasing the overall happiness of people. For example, sex out of wedlock is considered as a "sin" by many religions but no real harm (discarding unwanted pregnancies) comes from it. In fact, it may increase the overall happiness of both individuals. This category, "sins of the flesh" among others encounter much debate. Therefore, it can be concluded that sin is a matter of personal opinion not facts that distinguish whether an act is "right" or "wrong", or in the words of Andre 3000 "Sin all depends on what you['re] believing in, faith is what you make it..." My argument is posted as being in agreement with the "yes" side of the debate but, I would have placed it in the "other" category if there was one. Side: Yes
It depends on one's religious beliefs. If one is a Christian then an action being 'right' or 'wrong' does have something to do with whether or not it is a sin. Christianly speaking all sins are 'wrong' and thus the set of actions that are sins is a subset of the set of actions that are 'wrong'. Side: Yes
yes. a preface of acknowledgement: the question is fallible. the ambiguity of subject and the author’s failure to distinctly define terms allows for a multitude of arguments that will not necessarily correlate to one another. what we have here is a faulty foundation for any true debate to flourish, whereas rather than reasoning for or against substantial values, contenders instead waste time cross-examining on terminology and realms of judgment, as you can observe in the previous posts. since the author refuses to restate and clarify the question, i am forced to respond based on its simple phraseology. in this case, there is only one correct answer. “does a thing being right or wrong have anything to do with it being a sin?” several others have already provided various definitions of "right," "wrong," and "sin," and have argued that the answer is dependent on one’s religious beliefs and view of "sin," which is primarily a Christian term. however, above all terminology and belief systems, i argue that the key to answering the question is the phrase: "have anything to do with." insert every possible definition in place of "right," "wrong," and "sin," in regards to any religious denomination or secular school, and the answer to the question remains the same in all senses: “does a thing being right or wrong 'have anything to do with' it being a sin?” obviously, yes. the "rightness" and "wrongness" of things (actions, thoughts, existences, what have you) are directly involved in the evaluation of their "sinfulness," regardless of one’s views of "sin" or one’s belief systems, religious or secular. "right" and "wrong" indeed have "something" to do with "sin." call this a cop-out or a PoMo answer; with the given phrasing of the question, this is correct. had the author re-phrased the question to ask, “is 'wrong' morally/ethically synonymous with 'sin'?” or “if an action is deemed wrong, is it consequentially a sin as well?”, the potential array of answers would have been much more interesting. Side: Yes
|
2
points
"Sin" is having to do with "Divine Law" as it pertains "His" providence (e.g: God). Divine Law and the Law of the Land, while if superimposed as an arbitrary excercise may intersect, in their natural courses do not intersect save for in an arbitrary manner. As such one's feelings about right and wrong have nothing to do with the dominion of God and his definitions of what is and is not a Sin. Side: No
Webster: Main Entry: 1sin Listen to the pronunciation of 1sin Pronunciation: \ˈsin\ Function: noun Etymology: Middle English sinne, from Old English synn; akin to Old High German sunta sin and probably to Latin sont-, sons guilty, est is — more at is Date: before 12th century 1 a: an offense against religious or moral law b: an action that is or is felt to be highly reprehensible c: an often serious shortcoming : fault2 a: transgression of the law of God b: a vitiated state of human nature in which the self is estranged from God Side: Yes
Agreed. This is a great follow-up debate on the homo debate because I think it points out a critical flaw in the way that debate was set up. Of course homosexuality is a sin, as defined by many religions. The better question would have been about its morality or legality. Side: No
I favored your arguement because I agree that the question was ill-posed; however, I think the "should" in the question makes the questioner's intent pretty clear, even though the word "sin" muddles up the debate. "Sin" is commonly used in reference to religion, but it is also commonly used in reference to any immoral or "wrong" act. Dictionary.com includes this definition: 3. any reprehensible or regrettable action, behavior, lapse, etc.; great fault or offense: It's a sin to waste time. I would argue that this definition matches the spirit of the question, wouldnt you? Side: No
|
