Admitting You're a Sinner

[Catholic_Lady]

What's up with this?

It's the first step in the ABCs of becoming a Christian (Admit, Believe, Confess) but I always saw it as a rather unhealthy way to reflect upon one's misdeeds. Personally, I think something like "I made a mistake" or "That was terrible of me to do" is a much more beneficial as it is directed toward the action itself. It doesn't make the assumption: I did a bad thing, therefore I'm a bad person. 

What does it really even mean? 

Admit that I'm capable of moral transgressions? Sure, I'll admit that. But that doesn't mean I am anything, does it? 

Does it mean admit that I've commited moral transgressions in the past? I'll admit that too. And while you're at it, I'll probably fail in my moral responsibilities in the future too. I admit it.


Theists: Have I admitted in this post that I'm a sinner? Or is there more to it than that? If so, what's the difference?

I would say so. Basically it's just acknowledging that we all have our faults and none of us are morally perfect. Acknowledging this is the first step to feeling remorse for wrong doings, not feeling superior to others, and for striving to do the difficult right thing when we feel the natural urge to do the easy wrong thing. The concept itself is the same, regardless of whether you use the word sin or not.