Discussion Jumpstarter
Study leader reference - not a definitive answer
Question 6
Clayton reframed “crime” by comparing murders with OSHA-related deaths and street theft with embezzlement that goes unreported; how does this discussion complicate the way you define “sin that’s out there,” and what kinds of wrongdoing do you personally find easiest to excuse because they look respectable?
Another way to ask: How does comparing street crime with hidden “respectable” crimes change what you think of as “sin out there”? What wrong actions do you find easiest to excuse because they look normal or successful?
Discussion Jumpstarter
Direct Answer
The transcript suggests “sin out there” is often defined by what’s visible and scary, while hidden or respectable wrongdoing can be bigger and more ignored. Clayton’s comparisons push Christians to admit that harm and injustice also happen through accepted systems and white-collar respectability.
- Clayton notes murders are “about 15,000…per year,” then asks about “deaths…in business because of violation of OSHA,” saying “that is way more.”
- He questions moral categories: “Is that also a murder?”—forcing listeners to think beyond street violence.
- On theft, he cites street theft “about $5 billion a year,” but embezzlement “about $20 billion a year.”
- He adds many don’t report white-collar crime because it makes institutions look unsafe: banks won’t report it “universally, year after year.”
- He concludes our view of safety/crime is shaped by prejudice and selective attention.