Admitting You're a Sinner

[vulcanlogician]

I don't think the passage is about repentance in the sense of the action preceding the asking of forgiveness and the acceptance of salvation. Rather it seems to be about understanding the reality you are in (we fall so short of God's holiness) after a serious contemplation and discovery of knowledge that takes time and therefore not available to the new Christian. 

I see what you mean. Either by a cheap understanding of it, or its being tossed around in a frivolous manner, I tend to refer to repentance as more superficial than the process you describe. I get it. It's a fundamental change in a person and is perhaps initiated by admission of one's faults, but as a whole encompasses much more.

The church could have no one in it and the whore would still be sweating. 

Perhaps a segment of "modern American Evangelicals". That group is quite large and contains many people with a Christ-like attitude and perspective. 

My guess would be that "Christ-like" is the exception, not the rule, but I'm going off personal experience and my own limited powers of observation. Those who truly strive to meet the ideal, however, endeavour to do something quite admirable.

I think it is describing a change in perspective not in beliefs. Heaven and hell are still core doctrines of Christianity.

Yeah. I think you're right there. A denial of Heaven/Hell was never expressed, simply a change in attitude about their ultimate significance.

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It's definitely been interesting going over this with you. You are an honest debater. Had I realized this earlier I might not have adopted such a pedantic posture at the outset.   My mind has actually been changed on the issue, although just by an increment. I can see how there might be transformative value in the process of admitting that one is a sinner. When done carefully and introspectively, such an admission could lead to dissolution of unhealthy egoism. However, if one is going to undertake such an endeavour, I would counsel them to do it meditatively, alone, and not under the supervision of some slimy religious authority.

Even as such an activity could be put to good use, it is subject to misuse (and dare I say ab-use) when facilitated by a person with confused or misguided motives. By your own admission, many Christians are not sincere in their convictions. All it takes is one sanctimonious fool with a head full of dogma to cause lasting psychological damage to another if they are influential during that person's moment of vulnerability.

Also, consider this. Some people, while not morally perfect, might really and truly need to gain in self-esteem before any other kind of growth (including moral growth) is possible. The dogmatic hand is often heavy and doltish. The problem with imposing the ABCs of Christianity as a one-size-fits-all solution, is that it fails to recognize that what is necessary for moral growth varies from person to person. Some people are egotistical assholes who never fault themselves for anything. Others come from abusive backgrounds where they are made to assume blame for the faults of others. Long story short, it's yet another thing that makes a secular approach seem more sensible to me.