9Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

10Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

The scriptures are clear that God expects us to live a life without sin. Sin leads to death.Eze 18:20 How can you expect to live if you’re sinning? In Romans Paul says that if you sin, you are a slave to sin, if you are a slave to sin, you are not a slave to Christ. God has given us the power to live this way, He has provided a way out of every temptation. 1Cor 10:13

Paul testifies that he was not a sinner. Acts 23:1, 1 Thess 2:10

I do believe God can help us live sin-free in our day-to-days. Even if you go to the woods, you’ll sin because YOU are going to the woods. You took your problem with you. But you’re supposed to be dead so Christ can live in you. If you were dead, you wouldn’t still be making wrong choices, you’ve be making the choices Christ makes as he lives through you.

Think about this stuff. Its life-giving. What’s the point of Christianity if you can’t change? Even demons believe.

Have you ever thought about the LDS paradox – the people who will be potentially the most judgemental about how you live your life will likely be LDS people that you fellowship with every week.

The Lord instructs and admonishes his people to be careful about how they judge others…for they will likewise be judged in the same manner. In other words, if we are often judgemental about other’s weaknesses, failure to live the commandments, we can expect that same spirit of judgement from the Lord.

Perhaps you disagree with the premise of my arguement (LDS people will judge others more than non-LDS people). It’s not because LDS people are not fundamentally great people (because they are), but rather because they have been given so many commandments, laws, and expectations, that they are expected to live to a much higher standard. “Where much is given, much is required (and expected). While I agree with this principle, the problem is that the by product of this law is an incredible amount of potential for self-righteousness (likened to the Pharisees in the Bible).

Let me cite a few harmless examples to demonstrate the point. First, if I were at a LDS activity and were drinking a Coke, some segment of that LDS audience would consider me in some respects guilty of violating some law of health. Ironically, it is ONLY this sub-set of LDS people who would judge me, as nobody else in the world would care…or think less of me.

Or take the example of how many kids I choose to have in life. From a non-LDS perspective, nobody cares how many kids I have in life (as long as I take care and provide for them). Yet in the Church there is a tremendous pressure to have many children, have them early, and in some LDS eyes whether I have 2 or 6 will be reflective of my spiritual commitment…ie my decision on how many kids will be a spiritual barometer somehow of my faith and commitment to the gospel. In other words, if I choose to have many kids not because I inherently want to but, because I am counseled to, or the expectation is I must, and so to be faithful I obey (although I inherently don’t want to). Again while a non-member doesn’t care a hoot about my decision, some in the LDS circles will think less of me if I choose to have 2 kids…somehow I am selfish or less faithful than if I would choose to have 6.

Or take the case of someone who pays more than $15,000 in tithing during the year. For most people, this is a very significant and generous contribution to a charitable organization, but if they are LDS and this contribution is less than a “full tithe” they are judged and considered not worthy.

My point is, because as a Church we have so many commandments, laws, sins of commission and ommission (not home teaching), we invariably set our selves up to be potentially a very judgemental people. I do believe that LDS people are some of the kindest, selfless people who render service and help for no other cause except for their love of God and their fellow men. However, because we have been given much (in terms of commandments and expectations), I also find some of them to be the most judgemental people you will ever meet.

That is the paradox. How do you balance the need for commandments in defining righteous and un-righteous behavior, with the risk of using these commandments as a spiritual lens that you have to live life through which causes you to view some people as “faithful or non-faithful. Think of the Pharisees who determined the actual number of steps one could take on the Sabbath…this is clearly zealotry gone awry, but in some respects the Pharisees have crept into parts of our LDS culture that has made us some within the Church to be some of the most judgemental people out there.

Some LDS people are able to rise above the self-righteous tendancy and truly judge in meekness, in love, and in charity. I find this extremely difficult to do, but for those who have risen to this spiritual plane, I salute them for this commendable example. The problem is I find many LDS people are stuck in the mire and constantly evaluating and judging others on their actions, decisions, and way of life and inwardly “counting the number of steps we are each taking on the Sabbath.”

I love the Church, but I find this judgemental attitude (within some in the Church) to be a real weakspot and manifestation of the beam in our own eye as we search to remove the mote from our neighbor.

Sincerely,

Razorfish

I think my besetting sin is the failure to love.

The next day, she decided that no matter what happened, she’d be nice. And she had a perfect day.

I’m getting my new computer this week! It’s probably a good thing I haven’t had a computer, I would so not be ready for Christmas.

I liked Jeremy’s candid admission that a monk’s life is not for a parent. Too true!

I liked the many clarifications and explanations of what monastic life really is (and isn’t). I think I was imagining something a little different than the reality.

I loved the discussion of what it means to be without sin, to become without sin, to become clean and pure. The idea of progression seems to dominate — I should worry less about having a single perfect sinless day, and more about my trajectory.

Julie, I was a bit worried discussing my own shortcomings in a public forum. (I still am — this is kind of embarrassing, though I love the discussion). And I’m happy to hear that you don’t suffer from at least a few of my own issues. Hmm, but sloth? Dang, I forgot to list that one! Also, it occurred to me that I forgot to list language — which is a recurring issue with me. (My profanity usage seems to rise when I’m tinkering with computer stuff — I seriously hope that the good karma I receive from the stand-alone symposium page outweighs the bad karma from a few outbursts that that project spawned). And then there’s gossip. And so many other issues I have to deal with as well. So it looks like I didn’t even get them all, even in my depressingly long list.

Kingsley — I feel your pain, brother, except that you left out the gossip and the profanity.

Maybe the bloggernacle can try a sin-out, like the great American smoke-out. Everybody, just quit sinning for a day, okay? Maybe January (Friday) the 13th. And then we can come back and tell each other how righteous we were!

Actually, this is quite a meaningful and beautiful post. Thank you for the many thoughts it provoked.