Innocent people have been condemned to death for murders they did not commit. Perhaps that is one of the strongest reasons many societies reject capital punishment. They would rather a guilty person go free than an innocent person lose liberty or life. If the innocent die for the guilty, a second murder will have been committed. Instead of one murder there would now be two, 1 he actual murderer could not magically become blameless. Yet this is the pseudo logic of the Christian doctrine. Someone else suffered and died for my sins. The death of Christ is said to "cleanse us from all sins".

The Christian philosophy is an extension of the old Hebrew belief that an animal can be sacrificed for the purification of a guilty person. The ancient Hebrew sacrifice would at least have cost the guilty person the value of the animal. In that respect the guilty would have paid a small penalty which could be regarded as an act of contrition. The Christian doctrine promises free pardon for all who believe In Christ. Salvation is said to be the free gift of God. The "born again" Christian will tell you that if a person who has lived a life of crime and exploitation believes in Jesus Christ on his deathbed, all past evil sins and guilts will be magically erased, he can be assured of access to eternal bliss in heaven.

Can you imagine a modern judge's response if a person stood up in the dock and said "Yes Sir, ! freely admit that I did the crime of which I am accused, but my friend Jesus has taken responsibility for all mv sins therefore I am now free from blame and must be regarded as innocent".

I challenge the notion that righteousness can ever be justly transferred to an unworthy person. In this respect the whole basis of the Christian faith is a fantasy of simple minded pseudo-logic. The supposed vicarious death of Christ is muddled thinking. No manipulation of words, such as likening evil deeds to a monetary debt. which may be paid by a friend, can free a guilty person from personal responsibility.

It is said that Christ offered himself, of his own volition, as the "lamb of god which taketh away the sins of the world". That he was taken by force and crucified by the Romans for political reasons is thought unimportant. Of course- there are many modern Christians who do not believe that Jesus physically rose from the dead. Thev symbolise the story as a spiritual awakening. The Hebrew religion demanded a life for a life, But the fundamentalists expect one life, supposedly interrupted for only three days to atone for many millions of lives, I am sure our present day courts of law would not feel that was a just equation at all. The belief that the death of Christ can atone for the sins of the whole world mav have other symbolism to those who believe but, literally, it is unjust, irrational and wishful thinking, Sin.

To unjustly cause suffering is the only possible crime", said Robert Ingersoll. Think about that true statement. There is no such thing as a victimless crime, Some person, society or the environment always suffers from evil deeds.

Sin is a religious expression related to the non-observance of religious precepts. Among the many religious laws- the Hebrews made it a sin to work on the Sabbath dav or eat pork. Many Christians regard it a sin to "take the name of the Lord in vain". For many years the Roman Catholic church proclaimed it a sin to eat meat on Fridays. Such laws are about religious rituals. They are victimless laws, they are not crimes except in the imagination of those who are afraid of divine retribution. We were told that they are sins against god. How can a human sin against a god? Is it possible for a human act to have power over an almighty god? Can a human make an almighty God to suffer?

There is a conflict between our natural ethical senses and the imposed doctrines of religious morality, Social ethics are laws and customs established within a community for The sole benefit of that community and individuals within it. Depending on the degree of seriousness, those who disregard social ethics automatically reap disapproval or loss of friendship of their fellows. In extreme cases, they may be removed from the community. Religion creates guilts which are unrelated to social ethics.