SIN

Bangkok sidewalk

Whatever happened to "sin?" 

If you use this word “sin” in public some people will look at you like you are some kind of medieval religious crazy person. Like: "Justin Bieber sinned a few days ago." Say that and you'll get accused of being "judgmental."

“Sin” is just a word. Which REFERS to something real.

•  “Sin” is a word that refers to behaviors and actions that create alienation and isolation.
• “Sin” is a word that refers to choices and non-choices that cause emotions of anger and vengeance and sadness and bitterness and bring tears and loss and grief and cries for justice and so on and on and on…
• If sin wasn’t about something very real and very dangerous and very alienating…  half the movies that are made would not be made, and many of this world's tweets would be meaningless.
• “Sin” is a big-time reality word. There are not a lot of things more real than the reality of “sin."
• The English word “sin” is just an ancient word that refers to a reality that is still with us. 
• Everyone does it. Everyone has it. If you don't have it then you can start throwing stones at the rest of us.

Sin is only meaningful if it has a reference point. The reality of sin evokes the question "In reference to what?" "Sin" falls short of something. Sin doesn't measure up. If there's no reference point then moral outrage is absurd and "sin" doesn't exist.

Everyone - me and you and you-know-who - has screwed up and landed short of the Reference Point.