When we were discussing Genesis, the topic came up - "What is Sin?" Nakedness was not a sin for Adam and Eve until they had the "Knowledge of good and evil," or in other words, until they became ashamed of what they were doing and felt that it was wrong. So... if we use this instance to define sin, we could say that to sin is to choose to do "evil," despite one's knowledge. Or, we could even say, to do something with "bad" or not nessecarily "good" intentions.
This outlook on sin leads me to believe that Oedipus was not guilty of sinning at all. He was always trying to do the best for his country (relieving it of a terrible plague), his family (taking action to ensure the safety of his father and dignity of his mother), and himself (moving away from home to prevent corruption). Furthermore, along with Oedipus's good intentions, he did not know that his choices were bad. He did not know that he had married his mother, or that the man he had killed was his father until way after the fact. Oedipus made his choices in complete innocence. He did not have the knowledge that his actions were evil, therefore it is not sin. How can we be held accountable for sinning when we do not know that the action we are commiting is wrong? Better yet, if we believe that our actions are in everyone's best interest?
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