So, are you a Calvinist but just not on the list? ;)
I haven’t followed the entire thread so I don’t know if you posted this earlier but I was wondering what you thought about sin and the need for forgiveness. Even though you don’t believe, do you in any way feel drawn to Christianity?
No, never was.
I haven’t followed the entire thread so I don’t know if you posted this earlier but I was wondering what you thought about sin and the need for forgiveness. Even though you don’t believe, do you in any way feel drawn to Christianity?
First, thank you for asking. To me sin is makes sense only in terms what we do here on earth to other living things on it. As citizens of this planet we have the same birthright to be here and to pursue our happiness. Abrogating that right deliberately and consciously is sin as far as I am concerned. Consideration is a key factor, knowing the limits of our freedom and our space and not vioalting others'.
What does forgiveness mean? To me, forgiveness is giving someone a chance to change his or her ways, after they pay a penalty for their wrongdoing. There is no free lunch and there should be no free forgiveness for deliberate sin. When we pay for something we value it more than when it is free.
If all people conformed to the Christian ideal this would be a better world in terms of not violating our rights as citizens of this planet, in terms of being more responsible towards each other, in terms of being more compassionate and helpful as a human community, etc. That part of Christianity is attractive. The dogmatic part, fire and brim stones, the religious pride, self-ritheousness, arrogance, dividing people into those who have been granted the 'ears' and those who are destined to hell because God doesn't want them, etc. is not.