Richard's Bass Bag: Banana Toast.

I woke up just before 6am this morning. I looked at my phone and checked Richard's Bass Bag.* No new messages, but I saw that Rob had written a post. Nothing new from Peter, as expected. Rob showed that he doesn't know the difference between a Kindergarten and a Childcare Centre.

"Had an early call out to work yesterday. It was to help clean a creche. In RBB's day they were called by a German word...kindergarten."

Ah well, he can work out that one for himself. He tells us that he spent time, when he could have been practising, praying to an imaginary group of people. He finished up with, "Don't listen to RBB. Sin does exist." Well, I suppose that sin exists for him, thanks to his silly church.

Actually, I only practised for an hour yesterday, but I certainly didn't waste time praying. I'll make up time today. Though the practice I did yesterday WAS good practice. I worked on a Bebop piece (among other things) that uses the Rhythm Changes. I see that Evil Doctor Richard mentioned the first 8 bars of those changes in a comment on my last post. When I mention my 'last post' I'm not talking about ANZAC Day. Also, half of my practice yesterday was double bass practice. That's good.

[Bathroom visit. The banana toasted sandwich has moved on.]

SIN.

We hear quite a lot about sin around here (our blogs). I read a definition that defined the word as, "An immoral act considered to be a transgression against divine law."

Let's look at the word 'divine'. "Of or like God or a god."

So, sin is linked to some godly entity. Without a god there is no sin. Okay, we still have a sense of right and wrong. We use the word 'morals'. I've heard religious people say, "But, why worry about right or wrong if there is no sin?"

This is where they get it very wrong. Morals are decided on by what is fair, or best, for the greatest number of people. Morals give us a safer environment, when they are followed, and give us respect for how others get to live. Morals are really common sense. Don't hurt others. Don't take things that are not yours. Hopefully others apply the same 'rules' to how they treat you.

Sin is tied up with a set of rules that some imaginary entity has made, along with a set of punishments. The worst of these punishments is suffering forever. Remember that 'forever' is a VERY LONG TIME! VERY LONG!

Yes, we have designed punishments for people who don't follow morals that give the best chance of people having a happy life. Here we are working on what can make life best for everyone.

Please understand that there is a difference between morals and sin.

Well, that's just about me for today. It's nearly time to take my pills and start my practice. The new strings on my violin are sounding good and the shoulder rest is back in my strings drawer, where it will hopefully stay.

It's a wet old day in the Nui. I guess that it's wet in Thorndon and Moera too.