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Are Individuals Guilty of the Collective Sins of the Group(s) With Which They Are Identified?

Is an individual Christian guilty of all the sins committed by professing Christians?

Brian Tubbs
3 min readOct 18, 2024
Photo by Melanie Wasser on Unsplash

Growing up, I was taught that I was responsible for my mistakes, bad choices, and transgressions. I was responsible for my sin.

It seems, however, that there is an increasing belief in group guilt.

According to this “group guilt” mindset, I’m not just responsible for the sins I commit, I’m responsible for all the sins committed by the groups with which I’m identified.

For example, I’m a Christian. Not only have I written about my faith on this platform, I’ve posted a few things on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, etc. And I often find myself on the receiving end of attacks — not specifically against me but against Christians in general. I’m an avatar upon which people see an opportunity to vent their frustrations or spew their anger.

I’ve been accused of things that I’ve never even thought of doing and things I’ve never even had an opportunity to do (even if I wanted to to do them). Doesn’t matter. Other people who are professing Christians have done some of these things, therefore, I’m guilty.

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Brian Tubbs
Brian Tubbs

Written by Brian Tubbs

Sharing thoughts and insights about faith, history, and personal growth. Hoping to inspire more faith, hope, and love in a world that needs it.

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