Sin & Virtue – A sinner & A Saint. How do they differ? A plain & simple answer is, anything which is not right is wrong. And any act, which results in ‘wrong’ is a sin , and the one who commits sin is a 'sinner'. Vice- versa for the 'saint'.
So what is right & what is wrong?
Has anyone defined these two terms?
Are these 2, distinct?
Mutually exclusive?
Are they as different as true & false?
Are they as distinct as black & white?
Or is there a shade of gray when we look at what is right & what is wrong?
According to me a – most acceptable and accommodating definition of ‘right & wrong’ is -
“It’s a perception a human has – based on assessment or interpretation of his/her mind, upon an existing reality.”
There is an existing reality ~
Yes … the material fact requires that there is an existing reality.
- Someone has been robbed ….
- Someone has been murdered …
- Someone has been betrayed of their trust…
Robbery, murder, infidelity, betrayal, rape…. Ooops ……………..bad.
- You share your good fortune with less fortunate’s …
- Spend your time & energy to benefit the most needy, with out expecting anything back
- You risk your life to save someone who is in danger … gr8888….!!
Self-sacrifice, integrity, loyalty, willingness to share & help … great.. ..Defined as right.
So a set of ‘existing realities’ around us has been categorized as right & wrong.
What’s the criterion of this classification?
I will define the right act & wrong act as follows.
- An act or action result of which is pain, anger, hatred or anything negative, to you and/or the fellow human beings or for the nature or for the environment around is bad.
- An act or action result of which is happiness, peace, prosperity or anything positive, to you and/or the fellow human beings or for the nature or for the environment around is good.
In short, the result of a reality, based on its outcome is categorized by human as right & wrong in broader sense. A generalization is made based on the nature of the act as right or wrong. In different societies & culture, the intensity of the right & wrong varies.
From what I have learned from my experience so far and based on my perception, I don’t find it right to go with the generalized perception of the society …
For instance, if a human help another with the intention of utilizing him for selfish gains ?
- Even though the act of doing ‘help’ is resulting in positive outcome, the malicious intent to utilizes the noble act for selfish gain make it a TAINTED VIRTUE.
How about this -if a person who is reasonably well to do financially; aspiring for a luxurious life, cheat or rob a fellow human being…..
- Motivation of this act is greed..
- An undeserving inconvenience, pain for the victim…(the depth & width of the same is undefined and varies from the financial-mental-circumstantial state of the victim.
- Momentary, materialistic pleasure for culprit.
I define this act as a SIN since it is wrong – as the output swayed towards the negative so the society does …
A mother, steal a piece of bread to feed her starving children, since she doesn’t have any other option to save their life.
- Stealing – sin & wrongful act according to the society laws, but a SACRED SIN for me… weighing the output from the act.
Let me get in to more controversial topics.
How about prostitution? A Woman/Man trade the act of sex for money ?
- There is an urge/demand for sexual pleasure from a fellow human being and there is someone to satisfy the same. And they trade it based on a financial consideration. From this perspective there is nothing wrong.
- The act of sex, the beautiful gift the nature has bestowed upon all the living creatures, for keeping the continuity of life….. Is it something to be traded like a commodity? Isn’t it diminishing the dignity of the act creation?. I think so.
- In this context of the above stated reason, I don’t see I drastically varies from the widely regarded status imposed on prostitution.
How about a male & female do sex out of natural instinct to enjoy the pleasure out of it ?
- Going by my logic of weighing the good & bad from the result of an act......, the immediate outcome from this act is definitely the pleasure & happiness. As long as the outcome ends with this - it’s a SACRED SIN.
- But if it can have the physical & emotional impact on any partners involved based on personal & social set up, it goes against my definition of sacred act.
In nutshell, I will define the ‘RIGHT & WRONG’ as follows…
- It’s a perception one has – based on assessment or interpretation of his/her mind, upon an existing reality.
- Interpretation - based on the outcome of the act (existing reality) & outcome weighed against the avowed & presumed - rewards
& reprimands.
With this perspective, I meet with a lot of saints, sinners; over and above, a majority of TAINTED SAINTS & SACRED SINNERS every day , everywhere …! !
Note:
An introspection. Wher do I fall in ? How about you ?
