“When you start making deals with God to excuse your sins because they aren’t as bad as “that other guy”, you’ve already lost.”
I tell the kids in the High School Sunday School class that all sin starts with two words: “I want.” But no sin is consummated into an act without a rationalization. Then I have the kids list them:
“It’s not that bad”
“Nobody will know”
“Nobody will get hurt”
“I can handle it”
“I know what I’m doing”
“Everyone else is doing it”
“I’ll only do it once”
“I deserve it”
“They deserve it” (that one is really bad)
When the voice in your head says any of these things, run away from what you are thinking of doing; nothing good will come of it.
Sounds like what the author of this article is doing.
Let me add to the list:
“The Supreme Court said. . . “
Please emphasize “sin” regarding these rationalizations.
“I can handle it”
“I know what I’m doing”
Sometimes those rationalizations can help when confronting new challenges. Kids can take every word an adult says quite literally :-). I can’t argue the others you listed :-).