Does Original Sin Exist?

[SolomonVII]

Babies do not sin by being hungry or thirsty or wanting to be touched or loved. We are not responsible for the sin of Adam. We are only responsible for our own sin. The concept of original sin is from man and not from God.
Ezek 18:20
20 The soul who sins is the one who will die. The son will not share the guilt of the father, nor will the father share the guilt of the son.
(from New International Version)

The self-centredness of the child ineveitably leads it on a direct collision course with society, with the rights and desires of others, with right and wrong, with self-interest versus selflessness.

In the strictly legalsitic sense,I suppose, we are only responsible for our own sins, as it is our actions that condemn us.

Christianity is more than just legalism, though, and God is Father before He is judge.

So in the sense that it is the diviine cause that we make this world a better place to live in, the concept of original sin takes us beyond what we are directly responsible for and leads us to confront what it is about human nature that leads us to sin from the beginning.

 

[PaladinValer]

Original Sin exists; it is the state of our souls, broken and beyond self-repair. Yet we are not guilty of it, only Adam and Eve are.

It is washed away through Baptism.

 

[elman]

The self-centredness of the child ineveitably leads it on a direct collision course with society, with the rights and desires of others, with right and wrong, with self-interest versus selflessness.

In the strictly legalsitic sense,I suppose, we are only responsible for our own sins, as it is our actions that condemn us.

Christianity is more than just legalism, though, and God is Father before He is judge.

So in the sense that it is the diviine cause that we make this world a better place to live in, the concept of original sin takes us beyond what we are directly responsible for and leads us to confront what it is about human nature that leads us to sin from the beginning.

I am not directly or indirectly responsible for Adam's sin. I am only responsible for my own sin and Adam's sin does not kill my soul, but my sin does. We are only responsible for our own sin in a strictly legal sense and in every other sense. We are not responsible for any sin but our own sin. A Baby is not a sinner and is not able to sin. I don't need the man made concept of original sin to confront what it is about my human mature that leads me to sin. The things that lead me to sin is pride and selfishness.

 

[SolomonVII]

Original Sin exists; it is the state of our souls, broken and beyond self-repair. Yet we are not guilty of it, only Adam and Eve are.

It is washed away through Baptism.

If this is not what I said, this is what I meant. Original sin does not speak of our own personal guilt, but of our personal need for God's healing.

 

[elman]

Original Sin exists; it is the state of our souls, broken and beyond self-repair. Yet we are not guilty of it, only Adam and Eve are.

It is washed away through Baptism.

The sin that is washed away through Baptism is the sin of the one being baptised-no other sin is washed away and no other sin needs to be washed away.

 

[PaladinValer]

elman, that is not the orthodox teaching as taught since the Early Church.

 

[lilithrising]

If we believe the Adam and Eve story (which I don't), if Adam and Eve didn't committ original sin, then they would be the only people on earth.

Another story (Jewish I think) said that the first people didn't sin so God had to make more people so someone would sin.

Is Original Sin just an antiquated concept to make people fear Hell?

The story of Adam and Eve was created for the purpose of changing a society where women held positions of spiritual authority (Deborah the judge was one such example of a priestess/prophetess). All the symbols and characters in the story were known to be part of the "women's religion". Wisdom was once something to be attained, now become sinful. The snake once offered wise council, now is lowered in status as a tempter, or satan. Nakedness was once not an issue and part of religious worship, now shameful. Trees and groves were once magical places of prophecy.

Paradise was man's gift from god until a "woman" conspires with a snake under a tree to tempt man with wisdom which leads to expulsion from paradise, hard physical labor, loss of relationship with god, and painful childbirth.
Original sin is not matter of historical fact, but rhetoric and propaganda used against women for the purpose of changing the structure of a society from matrilineal to our now familiar patrilineal structure.

lilithrising

 

[SolomonVII]

The sin that is washed away through Baptism is the sin of the one being baptised-no other sin is washed away and no other sin needs to be washed away.

Does your pastor/minister teach this too, or is this your own personal view?

 

[elman]

elman, that is not the orthodox teaching as taught since the Early Church.

The church is not infallible in its teaching and never has been. However, it is not clear that original sin was taught by the Church in the early years. Jesus was very much not orthodox. I have no problem with being unorthodox.

 

[elman]

Does your pastor/minister teach this too, or is this your own personal view?

My pastor and church agree with me on this, but I would believe it anyway. I go with what I believe is truth and rely on no man, present or past. I don't agree with my pastor and church on everything. I personally believe that is the way things should be. If everyone is in agreement, then only one person is thinking and the rest are relying on him. I am wrong about some things theologically. James 3:2 As I find them I change, but will never find all of them. I don't get too worried about that. Everyone is wrong about something in their theology. Being perfect in theology is not how we connect to God and eternal life. That is done by loving your neighbor.

 

[spinningtutu]

Original sin does exist, and we are indeed guilty of it, for the Adam & Eve myth is a true myth describing all humanity. Everyone chooses to go down the wrong path...

And that is why all are in need of salvation.

 

[elman]

Original sin does exist, and we are indeed guilty of it, for the Adam & Eve myth is a true myth describing all humanity. Everyone chooses to go down the wrong path...

And that is why all are in need of salvation.

No the reason we all are in need of salvation is because we all sin and fall short of the glory of God. It has nothing to do with Adam.

 

[GreenPartyVoter]

No, I don't believe in original sin. I believe all people ahve the capacity for both good and evil.

 

[Chrysalis Kat]

No, I don't believe in original sin. I believe all people ahve the capacity for both good and evil.

Woo Hoo!!! It's high time you posted around here young lady. You've be soarly missed and gone for tooooooooooo long.

Welcome Back!

​

 

[Spherical Time]

As someone on another thread pointed out, Genesis never says that original sin leads people to hell, nor that mankind needs salvation. It wasn't until after the advent of Christ that anyone pointed out that Christians need salvation.

In fact, if I believe in original sin, I would also have to believe that it is this life that is the punishment for original sin and not some eternal next life.

In a sense, we'd already be living in purgatory, waiting to ascend after death.

 

[GreenPartyVoter]

Woo Hoo!!! It's high time you posted around here young lady. You've be soarly missed and gone for tooooooooooo long.

Welcome Back!

​

Sorry. I get so sucked into Democratic Underground that I forget to visit my other favorite boards. *hugs* But I prayed for Cindy Sheehan and co today and thought that it made sense to come here and see if anyone else was doing the same.

 

[Chrysalis Kat]

Sorry. I get so sucked into Democratic Underground that I forget to visit my other favorite boards. *hugs* But I prayed for Cindy Sheehan and co today and thought that it made sense to come here and see if anyone else was doing the same.

Funny you should mention that. I asked my husband if there was any way we could take a road trip this weekend. We're in Houston so it's not impossible. If we can arrange our work scheldules, we'll be there!
If not, I'll see you in the underground.

 

[GreenPartyVoter]

I hope you can go! Cindy is an amazing woman. I had the "pleasure" (more like heartache) of hearing her tell her story not long ago here in Maine.

Let me know if you go, ok *hugs*

 

[Chrysalis Kat]

For sure I will. I'm already there in spirit.

 

[Ave Maria]

Original sin is one of the foundational truths of Christianity.