Original Sin?

Quote: FrGamble

Jesus frees us from the guilt and shame of sin and the despair it can cause.

You only feel shame and despair because
you've been told you offended your god.
There is no god, so feeling that is a
complete waste of time and energy.
There is no god to offend, there is no
sin. Quit selling the snake oil to fix
something your religion invented to
sell more snake oil.

Quote: rxwine

It would be a slightly slumped over priest trudging up a hill with a human figure (EvenBob) strapped to his back. EB would have a rope in his hands tied to a tree down below.

Not hardly. It would be FrG with Jesus on
his back trudging up the hill, and me
throwing marbles at his feet so he constantly
almost loses his balance, and me snickering
the whole time.

Quote: FrGamble

It is so much more than an offense against God.

Nope, that's pretty much the first
and prominent definition. It's
what your savior died for, supposedly.
He certainly didn't die because you
feel badly about cheating on a test
in 8th grade. That would be ludicrous.

Quote: FrGamble

We all make mistakes, many much graver than forgetting a tip, we need help to not justify our sin or to allow it to consume us. If you don't find divine intervention needed for such a task I am curious as to how you go about it.

What I'd like to know is how something as simple as forgetting a tip requires the intervention of an all-powerful being.

Quote: Nareed

What I'd like to know is how something as simple as forgetting a tip requires the intervention of an all-powerful being.

I agree with you that forgetting a tip is not a serious matter. However, not treating fellow human beings with the kindness and respect they deserve is serious - even in small ways, which can add up.

Quote: Evenbob

You only feel shame and despair because
you've been told you offended your god.

If you cheated on your wife you would not feel shame or despair? If you bullied and beat someone up you wouldn't feel shame and despair?

Quote:

There is no god to offend, there is no
sin.

Even if there was no God to offend, there would still be sin. Surely you see that?!? Most assuredly you feel that?!?

Quote: FrGamble

I agree with you that forgetting a tip is not a serious matter. However, not treating fellow human beings with the kindness and respect they deserve is serious - even in small ways, which can add up.

That's raising the stakes, ins't it?

For me, and I bet for most people, forgetting a tip involves a cognitive hiccup. You were too focused on ordering correctly among many options, and then on paying with your app.

That's far from not treating someone with respect.

of course, if there is a complaint line for the deity, I'd really like to see it :)

Quote: Evenbob

You only feel shame and despair because you've been told you offended your god.

No. Such feelings are inherent as a consequence of an act. Even animals seem to have a sense of 'justice'. And a sense of 'forgiveness'.

Quote: Nareed

of course, if there is a complaint line for the deity, I'd really like to see it :)

God is too busy changing the line in Vegas to take complaints.

Quote: Fleastiff

No. Such feelings are inherent as a consequence of an act. Even animals seem to have a sense of 'justice'. And a sense of 'forgiveness'.

Evolutionary theory suggests an answer. Compassion for instance can be important to maintaining group cohesion in face of greater enemies.

Although nothing is true universally for all animals. Some animals just lay lots of eggs, and don't always defend the young, except later when some survive.

I say only suggest though. But even when we ask humans about emotions it's often clear people don't even understand their own emotions sometimes.

It's not clear to me that evolutionary behavior studies offer firm answers as one would like. But nothing else really does yet either.