Origin of Sin, a question for TE

[VCman]

This is mainly for TE, to understand how sin entered the earth. How did sin enter the world? Wouldnt there be other "humans" (we dont really know how long ago it really was, so perhaps they weren't Homo Sapiens, but whatever) around? This may seem like an uninformed, ignorant question, so please be gentle if I am not seeing the answer. Adam and Eve couldnt be the first humans, could they? I know new species start from somewhere, but I would think there wouldnt be only 2 on the entire earth. Am I totally off track? I just think that Genesis 1-3 would HAVE to be made metaphorical for a TE, which means the fall of man would be too. How did man fall? (TE mainly, unless you have something constructive to say, please )

-VC

 

[raphael_aa]

This is mainly for TE, to understand how sin entered the earth. How did sin enter the world? Wouldnt there be other "humans" (we dont really know how long ago it really was, so perhaps they weren't Homo Sapiens, but whatever) around? This may seem like an uninformed, ignorant question, so please be gentle if I am not seeing the answer. Adam and Eve couldnt be the first humans, could they? I know new species start from somewhere, but I would think there wouldnt be only 2 on the entire earth. Am I totally off track? I just think that Genesis 1-3 would HAVE to be made metaphorical for a TE, which means the fall of man would be too. How did man fall? (TE mainly, unless you have something constructive to say, please )

-VC

Yes, I think the 'fall' is metaphorical.

Humans are capable of 'sin' because they have intention. Animals (we assume) cannot. A lion may kill its prey and it is no sin. Humans on the other hand may choose to act in ways that are incompatible with God's desires. Thus, they 'miss the mark' as an archer does, which is the root meaning of the Hebrew word for sin. This choice and the consciousness that supports it evolved over time. So I don't think there was ever a particular couple called Adam and Eve.

For me, the beauty of the Genisis story is that it stands as a mythic representation of so many things: it could be the story of the evolution of human consciousness, or it may be a metaphor for the single human life with its Eden-like infancy.

 

[TheBear]

This is mainly for TE, to understand how sin entered the earth. How did sin enter the world? Wouldnt there be other "humans" (we dont really know how long ago it really was, so perhaps they weren't Homo Sapiens, but whatever) around? This may seem like an uninformed, ignorant question, so please be gentle if I am not seeing the answer. Adam and Eve couldnt be the first humans, could they? I know new species start from somewhere, but I would think there wouldnt be only 2 on the entire earth. Am I totally off track? I just think that Genesis 1-3 would HAVE to be made metaphorical for a TE, which means the fall of man would be too. How did man fall? (TE mainly, unless you have something constructive to say, please )

-VC

Thank you for the questions.

Sin is mankind-related. It is the spiritual condition of separation from God, due to our own will. Period.

Plants don't sin against God. Fish don't sin against God. And the rest of the animal kingdom does not sin against God.

The fall is spiritual.

 

[VCman]

so, the fall occured when Mankind finally broke away from animals. Animals couldnt sin, but humans could. Where did that initial change take place? Could the other bipedal creatures that Homo Sapiens evolved from, could they sin? Were Neanderthal's capable of sin?

-VC

 

[raphael_aa]

so, the fall occured when Mankind finally broke away from animals. Animals couldnt sin, but humans could. Where did that initial change take place? Could the other bipedal creatures that Homo Sapiens evolved from, could they sin? Were Neanderthal's capable of sin?

-VC

I truly don't know. Are all humans capable of sin? What about people of low IQ? Are infants? Are coma victims? Maybe some neanderthals were, maybe not. I'm not sure if there is any way we could ever find out.

 

[TheBear]

so, the fall occured when Mankind finally broke away from animals. Animals couldnt sin, but humans could. Where did that initial change take place? Could the other bipedal creatures that Homo Sapiens evolved from, could they sin? Were Neanderthal's capable of sin?

-VC

Good questions.

It is my belief that there was a point in time in the evolutionarry process, where God breathed a soul into the first of mankind. He is named - 'Adam'.