Did I commit sin? Need help

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matjam

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There is a tradition in Northern India where on a particular day a special thread called rakhi is tied by a sister on a brothers hand. My sister in law is from North India but I am from south India. She invited me home and tied it telling its a tradition. I did not say no to not offend her. Then she applied some turmeric on my forehead. I searched about it and found that it was a Hindu and jain tradition. (but most Christians follow it in North India). Did I commit a sin? Kindly help me.
 
No, you did not commit a sin. You cannot sin unknowingly. Furthermore, I wonder if there may be a Christian symbolism behind this. Sometimes in the past, Christians have taken pagan traditions and made them Christian by applying Christian symbolism to them. I believe Christmas trees may be one instance along with Easter eggs.
 
It’s not a sin if you didn’t know. In addition, if “most Christians” are doing it, it may well be that the Catholic Church recognizes it as a cultural tradition. Ask your priest.
In the West we have many formerly pagan customs that were absorbed into the Church and are considered not sinful.
 
Surely it’s only a sin if you’re actually worshipping idols/false gods. I don’t think it’s a sin to take part in a cultural tradition that may have its origins in another religion. This isn’t really an issue for those of us who live in Europe or other parts of the western world because the only non-Christian rituals we observe are pagan ones that were absorbed into Christianity hundreds or thousands of year ago. But I guess for Christians who live in parts of the world that are not culturally predominantly Christian this issue must occur reasonably often. In China, for example, Christians celebrate the Chinese New Year. Similarly, a lot of people in the UK who are not Christians (i.e. who actually follow a different religion) still celebrate Christmas by observing all the non-religious aspects, such as eating a roast turkey lunch, putting up decorations, pulling crackers, and watching the Queen on TV.
 
If you trully had no idea that this mark is associated with their “gods”, then you commited no sin.
But as an Indian you had no clue that this mark had a religious meaning?
 
As I said it’s celebrated in North India. I thought it was more of a cultural thing.
 
Ok then.
At least next time you’ll know it.

May St.Francis Xavier pray for you.
 
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