Is Darwin the Devil?

[2ndRateMind]

Thanks Assyrian.

Agree with you on the perfect bit, more of that later, but it is worth pointing out Jesus death on the cross is usually described as for our sins, or for the whole world, but there is no reference to Jesus dying specifically for original sin.

Indeed, but is it not conventionally supposed that through the commission of the original sin that all the other sins came about? That all mankind was infected by Adam's rebellion and sin entered his\her nature? That Jesus' atonement for sin or sins was necessary to restore the believing Christian into a state of grace?

Original sin is said to result from the Fall of Man, when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit of a particular tree in the Garden of Eden. This first sin ("the original sin"), an action of the first human beings, is traditionally understood to be the cause of "original sin", the fallen state from which human beings can be saved only by God's grace

Wikipedia

Best, 2RM.

 

[Assyrian]

There are a number of different versions of what Original Sin is, including the idea we actually share in the guilt of Adam's sin because we were, as it were, in his loins when he committed the sin, so the guilt and consequence are passed down genetically. The doctrine dates back to Augustine and he used it in his argument against Pelagius who thought we could live godly lives all by our own effort. The problem is, the doctrine of Original Sin is found nowhere in the bible, Augustine got it from a Latin mistranslation of Romans 5:12 which rendered the verse "as by one man sin entered into this world and by sin death: and so death passed upon all men, in whom all have sinned", ie we were in Adam when he sinned. But what the verse actually says is "...death spread to all men because all sinned". In other words, we share in Adam's judgement because we sin too.

But the doctrine of Original Sin in its different forms, has deep roots in both Catholic and Protestant theology and there are plenty of Christians who who see no conflict between the existence of a literal Adam (even if he wasn't made literally of dust, or even the the forefather of the entire human race) whose sin affected every since because God had appointed him federal head of the human race.

 

[2ndRateMind]

Thank you Assyrian. A most helpful contribution.

Best wishes, 2ndRateMind

 

[2ndRateMind]

Hey ChingChang,

Here's a link to my speculations on the impact Darwin has for conventional Christianity:

http://www.christianforums.com/t7393155/

Best wishes, 2RM