Master of Religion

Universal Life Church

To me, sin is the result of action -- the whole concept of cause and effect, actually. Sin means "choice." If we make wise choices, the consequences are positive, thus generating "good" karma for present and future. If the choice made is such as to bring about "negative" consequences, that is usually what falls into the area of "sin." To me, too, the idea of sin is the consequences that we accrue from actions taken that bring us away from Enlightenment. As a Buddhist, I believe we live in what is known as the Ten Worlds or conditions every second of every moment we live. This means we have the potential of creating everything from hell to Buddhahood each day in our life condition. Sin then means the consequences of living in the lower realms that cause us suffering and pain as opposed to living in the Higher Realms of Buddhanature (Christ-Consciousness) and that is what comprises "sin."

The idea that a God stands in judgment over us for our "sins" is anathema to me. I cannot believe in a God or a Goddess who is waiting with anticipation to punish us for "sinning" against them. First of all, since man was given free will in the Garden of Eden, doesn't that mean just that -- free will? Does not that mean we are ultimately responsible for our actions, that we reap literally what we sow? If so, we don't need a parent to stand over us with a stick, ready to strike -- our own consequences will affect our karma or our Path towards Enlightenment, thus bringing us what we have affected by our causes.

At least that is how I see the idea of "sin." It is what we do to ourselves, to our own spiritual progress. We alone decree our karmic course.

Dr. Bell

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