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The unforgivable / eternal / unpardonable sin

What is the unforgivable sin?
Interpretations 25 to 33; all different.

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bullet25: Not forgiving others: David Miano, writing for the American Unitarian Conference refers to Matthew 6:14-15:
"For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

Miano concludes:

"For if you forgive people their wrongdoing, your heavenly Father will forgive you as well. But if you don't forgive people, your Father will not forgive you your wrongdoing." 1

bullet26: Committing suicide: Ben Beilharz posed the question whether suicide is the unforgivable sin. He cites two references:
bulletSt. Augustine (354-430 CE) taught that suicide was a terrible sin.
 
bulletSt. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) taught that suicide is a mortal sin. A person who committed suicide would have no opportunity to repent of the sin. Thus, they could not be forgiven, and would go to Hell. 2
bullet27: Claiming to be free of sin: "Valinors_sorrow" responded to a forum on The Unforgiven Sin at AskMeHelpDesk.com. He wrote:

"I read somewhere that the only unforgivable sin was to claim a state of sinless (which is often the theme of ultimate evil in literature and history) and although it seemed pretty lame at first, later after I had turned it over and over in my mind, I realized it was a pretty good checkmate to blocking out any sunlight of the spirit. ..." 3

bullet28: Denying the Trinity on Judgment Day: "Aqua@home" responded to the same forum, writing:

"... the unforgivable sin is plain and simple, rejection. I think it is final on Judgment Day when everything is before you, God, Jesus and the Holy Ghost and you still deny them. I think that is the unforgivable sin. Until then as long as we are sincere, all can be forgiven. 3

bullet29 to 31: Other sins: Kyle Butt of Apologetics Press lists other candidates for the unforgivable sin that have been proposed: murder, adultery, "postponement of obedience until death." He rejects them all, writing:
"... we cannot arbitrarily decide which sins we think are heinous, and then simply attribute to them the property of being unpardonable ..." 4
bullet32 & 33: Other sins: Jason Boyett, author of the Pocket Guide to the Afterlife wrote:

"There's some confusion over what an unpardonable sin would actually entail. Some think it's murder. Others think it's a second round of adultery after you've already played your first 'it was just a stupid mistake and won't happen again' card. Most Mormons think the unpardonable sin involves having your eyes opened to the truth of salvation  -- that is, getting the chance, even in hell, to choose faith -- but denying it anyway. Cold. That's blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, and it earns you eternity in fire and brimstone."

References:

The following information sources were used to prepare and update the above essay. The hyperlinks are not necessarily still active today.

  1. David Miano, "The Unforgivable Sins," American Unitarian Conference, at: http://www.americanunitarian.org/
  2. Ben Beilharz, "Suicide: The Unforgivable Sin?, at: http://hippocampusextensions.com/
  3. "The Unforgiven Sin," Ask Me Help Desk, 2006-APR, at: http://www.askmehelpdesk.com/
  4. Kyle Butt, "Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit?The 'Unpardonable Sin'," Apologetics Press, at: http://www.apologeticspress.org/

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Copyright © 2006 to 2009 Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
Posted: 2006-OCT-24
Latest update: 2009-AUG-30

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