I figured before I left on vacation I’d be a virtual whirlwind of blogging activity, but it turned out to be precisely the opposite. There was so much traveling and family to visit with, I simply found it too difficult to seriously think about topics I wanted to explore. I’ve been pondering the concept of sin, for example, but haven’t decided on an angle and would really like to research it more in depth. To merely observe that every religion has a different view of it, an inexplicable circumstance under the theory of some divinely engraved natural moral law, is trite. What I’m curious about is what makes it so useful to religion, why it plays so prominent a part. It seems to me it is partly a useful tool for community control and the strenghtening (or enforcement) of group identity. But why do some behaviors become intolerable sins (e.g., slavery), while others are increasingly tolerated (e.g., divorce, homosexuality, adultery)? Why do some people feel strongly about sin, their own and others’, while others do not?
Sin is clearly a complex subject from a sociological, psychological, and even religious standpoint. And the more I think about it, the more I realize how little I understand it. Perhaps spending a little time playing a new game I picked up, Sins of a Solar Empire, will clarify things a bit… 
It is often said that two things should never be discussed in a family setting: religion and politics. It’s a rule generally not observed in my family, at least when I’m around, and the recent visit was no exception. There may be a few reasons why. First, I probably know more about both topics than anyone else in my family, so members like to ask what I think. Also, I approach discussions more informatively rather than argumentatively. If I sense someone feels strongly emotional about a topic, I’ll begin to clam up. I also avoid “proselytizing”. Most everyone knows me (and one of my sisters) is an atheist, but I don’t make it a point to remind everyone of the fact. No one is strongly religious, but I figure if they’re interested why I’m an atheist, they’ll raise the subject.
But vacation is over now, so time to get back to our regularly scheduled program!
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Welcome back, good to see you again, you old heretic!
Sin is a pretty interesting topic from a sociological standpoint; I’m exited to hear what you have to say about it.