Ethical 102
Within a new ethical framework there would be only a weak concept of sin. Instead there would be the recognition that most people most of the time are doing what they think best. People make mistakes in one way and another (it is interesting to reflect on 'semantic inflation' in which 'making a mistake' is now typically a euphemism for having done something wrong and been found out, whereas a genuine mistake is typically referred to as 'a genuine mistake'.) If a person is acting in ways that others consider to be wrong, there is likely to be a rational reason for that behaviour. However, the person who is acting in a manner than meets with the opprobrium of others may be acting out of a lack of compassion for other people. One of the central tenets of a new ethical framework would be an explicit balancing between looking after self, and compassion for other people: neither total selfishness nor total selflessness are sufficient. Therefore the concept of sin would be largely relegated to a need for a rebalancing. Similarly, a new ethical framework would avoid generating a sense of guilt. Not only would there be no concept of original sin, but the entire framework would try to avoid opportunities for feelings of guilt. A new ethical framework would be tolerant of personal weakness (e.g. transgression and superstition).
Ethical 102 (this page)