Quote:
Originally Posted by Textcritic
This is a terribly over-simplistic view of things. Given that the idea of "sin" was coined in an era in which there was no distinction between "divine law" or "civic law", then the proper understanding of the term is to recognise that it is most broadly a regrettable act with undesired consequences, or transgression against any authority more generally (you will notice that even modern dictionary definitions include other such options beyond the one you quoted verbatim from an uncited internet source).
So, claiming people are "sinful" in actual fact points to the reality that people are quite naturally selfish, and frequently this persistent selfishness leads all people to make poor choices that inversely affect others, occasionally to tragic ends. If people were not "sinful", then there would be no need for laws or police to enforce them.
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Regardless of how the word "sin" was coined over 2 thousand years ago, the word is directly linked to and has religious connotations today. I do not use that word in any meaningful way in my day to day discussion with anyone outside of those who wish to use it to point out that I might end up in a fiery oblivion when I pass on. If someone is selfish or make poor choices I use those terms. I think we differ significantly in the thought that people are born with sin or selfishness, and although there certainly can be genetic or poor parenting implications that would imply these traits, without someone telling/teaching us regularly that we might be evil or we might be sinful the idea might differ significantly from how it is implied in today's culture(s).
The idea of sin differs significantly from culture to culture, race to race and person to person. What you might think as selfish or sinful another person might think as normal...and in some societies the laws and enforcement thereof differ significantly in those respects as well.
Children are taught "sin" at a very young age, and they are beheld to the standards of their applicable religion.