I don’t believe in sin. I believe that each and every person has the ability to make mistakes and not be condemned for them. While anything in excess can be detrimental to our spiritual, mental, or physical health, to carry the label of ‘sin’ attached shame and guilt that is counter to all of our values as Unitarian Universalist. -JeKaren Olaoya (CLF)
How can you reject shame and guilt?
For many, definitions of sin have been openly harmful as bad theology is used to control people. The fires of hell have long been a threat for any number of things many of us reject are “sins.”
What were you taught was a sin that you have come to see as not one?
This month, as we explore the theme of Sin and Atonement, let us begin by wondering what, exactly, is sin? Different cultures, religions, and theologies have different definitions for “sin,” and some have no use for the concept entirely.
Is “sin” a useful concept to you, and if so, how do you define it?
“We honor and remember
Those who have passed into the mystery.
Their brightness lives on in our vision;
their courage lives on in our commitments;
and their love continues to bless the world through us.” -Florence Caplow
Light a candle for the ancestors today.
“I am my ancestors’ wildest dream come true, and I would not be here if it weren’t for their dreamings, their hopes, and most importantly their living. None of us would be here were it not for those who lived and won a fight that they were not meant to survive.” -from a reflection by Daniel Gregoire
What were the dreams of your ancestors?
