In a thought-provoking episode of God: An Autobiography, The Podcast, Dr. Jerry L. Martin engages in a profound dialogue with God, diving into the intricate concept of sin.
Dr. Martin challenges traditional perspectives, suggesting that sins are not mere wrong actions but conditions of the soul in need of healing. God's response offers a transformative viewpoint on forgiveness, underscoring the significance of releasing past sins and the individual's role in attuning to the divine.
Exploring various dimensions of sin, from societal norms to personal experiences, Jerry provides a nuanced understanding that encourages listeners to contemplate their spiritual journeys. The episode concludes with a discussion on getting on the right track, rejecting the notion of individuals as irredeemable sinners and instead emphasizing the crucial but achievable task of rectifying one's path.
This insightful exploration challenges preconceived notions about sin and forgiveness, inviting listeners to reconsider their perspectives and embark on personal journeys toward spiritual growth.
God: An Autobiography, As Told To A Philosopher, is written by Dr. Jerry L. Martin, an agnostic philosopher who heard the voice of God and recorded their conversations. Dr. Jerry L. Martin was head of the National Endowment for the Humanities and of the philosophy department at the University of Colorado at Boulder and founder of Theology Without Walls.
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Scott Langdon [00:00:17] This is God: An Autobiography, The Podcast. A dramatic adaptation and continuing discussion of the book God: An Autobiography, As Told To A Philosopher by Jerry L. Martin. He was a lifelong agnostic, but one day he had an occasion to pray. To his vast surprise, God answered- in words. Being a philosopher, he had a lot of questions, and God had a lot to tell him. Episode 158.
Scott Langdon [00:01:07] Hello and welcome to God: An Autobiography, the Podcast and the sixth edition of our ongoing episode series: From God to Jerry to You. This week, Jerry's thoughts come directly from a dialogue Jerry had with God about sin, what it is, and what it is not. Jerry asks the direct question: God, what about sin? And God's response might not be what you expect. If you find something useful in these words or in any other episode of the podcast, would you mind sharing our work with your family and friends? You can find God: An Autobiography, the Podcast anywhere you get your podcasts or by going straight to godanautobiography.com/listen/dramatic adaptation. Here now is Jerry. I hope you enjoy the episode.
Dr. Jerry L. Martin [00:01:59] Sin. Sin. The very words sounds heavy, even grave, and maybe a little bit old fashioned. In fact, there are people these days who say that the idea of sin is it's an outmoded idea that we're all just dandy just as we are. And if somebody says we're not dandy, then they're being judgmental and that's not dandy. On the other hand, there is this opposite view that we are just knee deep in sinfulness, just so struck down that only the divine equivalent of a presidential pardon could help us at all. The just dandy view has some trouble facing our downside. The deep center's view can at least account for the horrors of human history, the broken lives we see around us, the people we ourselves have wronged or wounded or perhaps just let down. Does that mean we're hardened scoundrels rightly condemned to a heavenly death row? Well, not if what I'm told in prayer is right.
Dr. Jerry L. Martin [00:03:20] When I prayed about this, I asked, "Lord, what about the forgiveness of sin?" And this is what I was told. "Some are addicted to the crime and punishment model of sin. Past sins do not have to be forgiven. They have to be released. Lifted." What does that mean, Lord? "Sins are not so much wrong actions to be forgiven as conditions of the soul that have to be healed or mended. If you used to be a drunk and aren't anymore, no one, not even God, has to forgive you for that having given up drink. You feel guilty about having once been a drunk? That feeling guilty is a sin and needs to be expiated." But Lord, aren't sins something like debts we have to pay for? "Sins are not debts to be paid. They are a condition to be healed, rectified. The solution is not for me or someone else to suffer or sacrifice or otherwise pay for them. It is for each person to become more perfectly attuned to me. As soon as a person opens his soul his or her past is forgiven. It doesn't have to wait for an act of God." How do we do that, Lord? "There are many ways a person can do this. Living a brightly, lovingly, even more intuitively and appreciatively, even in a sense, more quietly. Some hear my voice clearly. Some just walk with me through the travails of life. Others love their wives and husbands, children and neighbors. Still others have a meditative or even aesthetic understanding of what life is all about, of the nature of the world. I am present in all these modes of experience, and each one moves the individual and his or her community closer to Me." But doesn't the world still need to be saved or something? "No. The world does not need to be saved from sin. Though people do a lot of sinning, of falling away in different ways and they need a lot of saving in the sense of getting on the right track.".
Dr. Jerry L. Martin [00:06:17] So, those two words getting on the right track meant a lot to me. Okay. The message seems to be we're big centers, okay? We know that if we didn't know it, we probably wouldn't have to run around saying there is no such thing as sin. But it seems that being a sinner is, in a way, not that big a deal. I mean, it's important to rectify. It's even vital. But it isn't as if there's a wanted dead or alive poster on us, and we aren't so bad that we have to have some kind of blanket prosecutorial immunity. We just need to cut out the sinning. We know what that involves and get ourselves on the right track. Thankfully. There are lots of ways to get on the right track. Whatever track God has in mind for each of us and-- if we can get our own clutter out of the way and lean Godward, we may find that the right track is right under our feet. Try it and see. If this speaks to you, please subscribe. And like. And share it with your friends. It might be just what they need to hear today.
Scott Langdon [00:07:56] Thank you for listening to God: An Autobiography, The Podcast. Subscribe for free today wherever you listen to your podcasts and hear a new episode every week. You can hear the complete dramatic adaptation of God: An Autobiography, As Told To A Philosopher by Jerry L. Martin by beginning with episode one of our podcast and listening through its conclusion with Episode 44. You can read the original true story in the book from which this podcast is adapted, God: An Autobiography, As Told to a Philosopher, available now at amazon.com, and always at godanautobiography.com. Pick up your own copy
today. If you have any questions about this or any other episode, please email us at questions@godanautobiography.com, and experience the
world from God's perspective as it was told to a philosopher. This is Scott Langdon. I'll see you next time.
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