Thread: would it be a sin?

According to what I've been reading of theosophy, wanting to do something evil is just as bad actually doing it. When you want do to something and you don't, the only thing holding you back is fear of consequences. If there were no consequences, you would likely go ahead and do it if that's what you really wanted.

It there were suddenly no law, there would be a lot more murderers in the world, among other things. But it wouldn't be the removal of the law that turned them evil.

Originally Posted by The Cusp

According to what I've been reading of theosophy, wanting to do something evil is just as bad actually doing it. When you want do to something and you don't, the only thing holding you back is fear of consequences. If there were no consequences, you would likely go ahead and do it if that's what you really wanted.

It there were suddenly no law, there would be a lot more murderers in the world, among other things. But it wouldn't be the removal of the law that turned them evil.

Some of this is true, but have you ever heard of the reason people have locks on their doors. "It's not to keep bad people out, but it is to keep the good people out," basically, laws are like locks, they can't truly stop people, but they remove temptation from the good people.
I'm sure that although there would be more crime and murder, many of the extra people doing so would really not be evil but tempted. Not to say that they would not be sinning, since temptation is a sin, but they would not be evil people.
Also, if there were no laws in the first place, then that means that people wouldn't be doing something wrong; their perspectives would be different from ours. To us, killing is evil, meanwhile to lawless community, it is just natural impulse.
There is no law in the dream world and no locks to hold you back, so if you just acted impulsively eventually you will get the impulse to kill someone (It happens all the time very naturally) and you would. It works the same with rape and other crimes. This is just what I believe, and if you don't agree, fine.

Originally Posted by towarmforacoat

...since temptation is a sin...

I agree with you and Cusp, for the most part. I don't really agree with the temptation = sin theory though. Your moral stature is determined by your actions, not your surroundings.