Are you a Sinner or a Saint?
Good vs evil, right or wrong, sinner or saint. The concept of sin differs among the religions of man but can be defined as: an action or offense against religious or moral law. Human beings are complex, multifaceted creatures with varying layers of awareness, understanding and levels of consciousness. We now live in large groups, communities and cities, it’s much easier to travel and move around over vast distances, we manage a much larger number of human relationships than ever before. Our interactions with other people, animals and the world around us requires guidance to know how to engage with others and what is acceptable behavior and what is not. What is important for us to realize though before analyzing, interpreting or judging any behavior (ours’ or others’) is that we are not perfect, and we make mistakes. As an individual, it is also necessary to realize one’s ability to commit evil, as it is to do good, to know your “dark side” so to speak. So what is it that guides you? When you are forced to look into the eye of adversity, or you’re faced with an inconceivable choice or situation, how will you respond?
The roots of ethics and morality
Morality is not simply born of social constructs or religion, it also results from a complex interaction of genes, neural processes, and social interactions. All organisms have genes that enable them to survive and reproduce, but mammals also have genes to produce the chemical oxytocin and vasopressin, which prompt them to care for their young. In some mammals like humans, the same chemicals encourage animals to form long-term relationships and to care for each other. Since humans evolved from living in small groups of about 100 hunting & gathering, ethical theories were eventually formed based on the rights of all people and their biological (food, water, shelter) and psychological (autonomy, relatedness, competence) needs. Some of these ethics and morals became part of religions, a set of guidelines to hold ourselves accountable, bringing a sense of order and balance to society.
The poisonous apples of sin
When our actions are not aligned to our moral compass it results in sin, a separation from God, actions that hurt others. Lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy, pride, the 7 cardinal sins in Christianity, are part of life as man is not perfect. The 7 heavenly virtues: humility, charity, chastity, gratitude, temperance, patience, diligence are the qualities to cultivate to counter these negative attributes. Islam teaches that sin is an act and not a state of being, and on the Day of Judgement God punishes those individuals whose evil deeds outweigh their good deeds, and some sins are more punishable than others in the hereafter. In Buddhism, Hindu, Yogic philosophy, the concept of sin is seen slightly differently. Kleshas are mental states/poisons that cloud the mind and manifest in unwholesome actions. They are: Avidya/ignorance, Asmita/attachment to ego, Raga/attachment or desire, Dvesa/aversion, Abhinivesah/fear of death. The good news is we can transcend these mental states and ease our suffering with Yoga, the method or path to overcome these afflictions.
A few words from Alan Watts about human behavior…
That, in other words, human behavior—its ups and its downs—is no different in principle from the behavior of clouds, or of the wind, or of dancing flames in the fireplace. As you watch the pattern of the dancing flames they never do anything vulgar. Their artistry is always perfect. Ultimately, it is the same with human beings. We are just as much a part of the natural order as flames in the fire or stars in the sky. But this is only apparent to the person who is honest in the sense in which I have spoken. In other words, the person who is tied up with trying to pretend that his feelings are other than what they actually are—he can never see this, and he’s always a troublemaker. He is the original hypocrite. The person who is unbelievably destructive is the person who pretends that he is a model of love and rectitude and justice, and, in fact, isn’t. Because nobody really can be. But then, superior altogether is the kind of person I would call the ‘loving cynic’ who knows, of course, that everybody has his weakness and his price and so on, but isn’t contemptuous for that reason.
Who’s rules to follow?...
Beyond the seriousness of ethics, morals, rules and regulations, customs and traditions… We could look at the unfolding of our reality as being quite simply, absurd! Miraculous, astounding really, that we are 8 billion humans on an unfathomably complex planet, a giant rock ball floating around the galaxy! It seems to be the nature of the Universe (and consciousness or perceived reality?) to be in constant flux between order and chaos. As the saying goes, what comes first, the chicken or the egg? The bee or the flower? There is no light without the dark. So whatever we make of this strange yet profound human experience, is to remember that our actions have re-actions, our bodies will disappear eventually, but while we are here, we may as well make the absolute best of it, give it all you’ve got! Treat others’ well, be kind, patient, help where you can.
The Greek philosopher Plato believed that human beings have a tripartite human soul consisting of three parts: the rational part (that seeks knowledge and truth), the spirited part (embodies courage and honor), and the appetitive part (driven by desires). He argued that true happiness and fulfillment could only be achieved when these three parts were in harmony with each other. He placed emphasis on seeking wisdom and living a virtuous life, while recognizing the importance of cultivating courage and moderation as essential virtues for achieving harmony within oneself and society.
Manners maketh the man
How do you live your life? How do you hold and present yourself? You can absolutely behave however you like (but there are consequences) but I believe it’s far more pleasant to live in a world where “please” and “thank you”, and “let me get that for you” is commonplace, I’d like to believe that chivalry is not dead. Think about how you feel when people pump music from their car for the whole neighborhood to hear, and when people insist on using speakerphone in the grocery store so that everyone can hear the conversation, or when someone coughs and sneezes without trying to cover their mouth. Friendliness and a smile goes a long way.
Really, at the root of it all, we shouldn’t need a church, organization, governing body or club to advise us how to behave or treat our fellow humans, we all know. We have no control over others, but we can guide ourselves daily towards the things that we know we ought to do and hold ourselves accountable. We can only work on ourselves, do things like practice yoga & meditation, paying attention to the things we say, volunteer at a community center or raise funds for a worthy cause, practice daily gratitude, do our little bit for the planet, share knowledge, work, be creative, love, live. You come from stardust, and you will return to the dust of the Earth one day, but how will you use this precious human life? What will you leave behind? What will be the memory of you?
References:
https://www.christianity.com/wiki/sin/what-are-the-seven-deadly-sins.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_deadly_sins
https://www.yogapedia.com/what-are-kleshas/7/9470
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleshas_(Hinduism)
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/hot-thought/201311/the-origins-morality
https://platointelligence.com/what-is-good-and-bad-plato/
https://www.organism.earth/library/document/mysticism-and-morality
https://www.learnreligions.com/sin-in-islam-2004092
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/plato-ethics/
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