In the Gospel according to St. Matthew, Saint Peter asks Christ how often a person should be forgiven? “As many as seven times?” Not seven times, answers Christ, “but seventy times seven.” If one took that literally (and one shouldn’t), the 491st sin is unforgiveable.
For Conservatives, the 491st sin is an accusation of racism. It’s the last refuge of a scoundrel, but it’s also effective since no charge arouses greater opprobrium. In American politics, it’s a Grosse Bertha, a bunker-breaker which demands that the racist be shunned by all, which labels him a moral leper.
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