After reading your post, I read some more on the Brit Hume “incident” and on Buddhism. Here is an explanation I came across with regards to sin and redemption for those of the Buddhist faith: “Where many Westerners stumble is that Buddhists’ definition of sin — and what happens after it — differs from the Judeo-Christian tradition, as the consequences of Buddhists’ actions are a result of a person’s thoughts and deeds rather than divine punishment. Believers have to look to themselves and turn to an ethical way of life for redemption, although there are savior figures within the faith who do their best to help a Buddhist in need. There is no one, omnipotent “creator god” to bestow redemption as in Christianity. ( Robert Thurman, a professor of Tibetan studies at Columbia University.) How dismal and hopeless our state would be if we had to look to ourselves for our redemption!