Without Sin there is no Hope

Sin. There is probably no other word as useful and necessary that has so completely escaped the lexicon of Western culture. The traditional vernacular of sin and morality has been rejected as a relic of the past by popular culture and elitist-intellectualism. The concept of sin was once used by believers and non-believers alike, but now the mention of the word is cause for suspicion.
On Holy Week, two billion Christians around the world are called to commemorate the passion, crucifixion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ at Golgotha. In order to understand the significance of Jesus’ death and resurrection, Christians are also called to contemplate the meanings of sin, love of God, and moral redemption. These ideas are framed in a language that is, emotionally and intellectually, almost entirely inaccessible to those socialized in a society that is openly hostile to such concepts.
However, it is painfully clear that we are abandoning the notion of moral agency at our own peril. For example, the abandonment of “sin” has also meant the abandonment of “guilt”. Medical and theoretical explanations can wash away any sense of guilt behind the most atrocious criminal acts and the most harmful, and high-risk lifestyles. Responsibility for selfish acts and irresponsible decisions are deflected by blaming society, blaming the media, blaming ones parents, or blaming ancient history. Guilt is a very useful symptom of sin; it is a pain that informs important decisions by giving them moral implications. Removing this symptom leads to ignoring the cause. It absolves the individual from any responsibility and leaves them, and society, worse off.
Celebrities with the most damaging habits and self-inflicted vices are said to have “made a mistake” or that “it was an accident”. Perish the thought that they are callous, selfish, self-indulgent or greedy. “Making a mistake” is empty of moral implication. It does not call for introspection, repentance or forgiveness. Human failings are now some kind of disease, a disorder that is out of our control.
Modern day psychology has a degenerative effect on the individual and society as a whole. It has reached a paradoxical conclusion that as individuals we are all victims regardless of our actions, and that society is collectively guilty. Our consciences are no longer called upon to restrain our individual actions but rather to scorn what we see as a collectively predatory and evil society as a whole.
The absurdity of this is clear in the political sphere. In America Barack Obama is selling “hope” to all the grieving masses of his country. All it costs is one vote to redeem the historical damages done by, in the words of his pastor, all the “rich white people”. Public apologies by politicians for collective, historical grievances are a better example. On February 13th, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd of Australia apologized on behalf of his country for the horrible treatment of the county’s aboriginal people. So who is actually sorry? Is the Prime Minister sorry? Are Mr. Smith, Mrs. Mohammed, and Dr. Vasquez truly sorry for historical crimes their ancestors may not have even been there to witness? The truth is that Australians cannot feel guilty or be sorry by decree just as aboriginals cannot be forced to forgive by decree.
The entire episode is embarrassingly farcical, and demonstrates how superficial the understanding of sin and moral agency is in our day. It is imperative however, to recall the importance of such a powerful concept. It is impossible to conceive of the existence of forgiveness without the existence of sin. Without forgiveness, redemption becomes an artifact of history as well. Without redemption, “hope”, is literally lost.