Monday, December 11, 2006
Sin as Shame
Lots of times we think of sin in terms of guilt: doing something wrong. However, one way that sin is coming to be understood by our culture is in terms of shame. For some, guilt does not convey the deep issues of sin as much as shame does because what is wrong in their lives is not so much what they've done but who they are. For the person who understands sin as shame, the phrase, "God loves the sinner, but hates the sin," doesn't mean anything because the sin they know is being who they are. If God hates sin, then God hates them. It's that simple. Of course, that is false! Unfortunately, the result is often isolation--if not physical isolation (like a hermit), then emotional and forms of social isolation. Yesterday I stayed home from church not because I had done anything wrong, but because I was sick. That can be the experience of sin for some: They stay away not because they've done something wrong, but because they are sick. As Christians it is our responsibility to think about the ways that we live out the good news that God heals all our diseases--even the disease of shame.
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4 comments:
I think your observation is very insightful. We easily say "God loves the sinner, but hates the sin" and yet have trouble reaching our friends and family with the Good News if we don't understand how they see themselves.
Jay Bakker, son of Jim & Tammy Bakker, says about his new ministry in an article in today's paper.... "God loves us for who we are....Grace... God's love for all people, and his undconditional love. God isn't counting our sins against us. Yeah, we'll have to pay the consequences; life has consequences. But God isn't keeping a record. 'You better watch out, you better not cry'-- that's not God. That's Santa Claus!"
Ha! THanks Marcia. Fortunately, that's not even Santa Claus--the real Saint Nicholas, a Bishop in Turkey, who gave his inheritance to the poor and bought children out of slavery. Instead of warning against crying, that Saint--Santa--heard their cries and loved tangibly.
The "love the sinner hate the sin" approach breaks down any reasonable discussion with those dealing with sexual identity issues, such as homosexuality, because our sexuality is so intimately a part of us. It vcan be separated. Also, because the feelings have been around "as long as I can remember", it is easy to believe we were created that way. That's why its necessary to encourage intelligent, compassionate dialogue on issues of sexual identity, and emphasize that change is possible.
Thanks, Melissa. (I see you figured out how to comment!) I took a class on neuroscience and the human person in seminary. Learning that the brain is malleable and changeable has always left me with hope that change is possible.
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