original sin?

[Rachel]

[Vlad!]

I don't think the doctrine of original sin matters much one way or another. I used to get kind of offended by it, since why should I be held accountable for another person's sin? However, I have more than enough sin of my own; whether I have an extra amount of sin imparted on me or not makes no difference. There is no way I could live a perfect life even if I were born sinless, so it doesn't matter one way or the other whether I was.

The pastor I admire most once put it this way: original sin is necessary for salvation. It's because one man's sin can damn us that one man's perfect sacrifice can save us. I don't know if this is necessarily the case or not, but it does make a poignant quotation .

[Rachel]

Well, in the respect of us living sinless lives it really doesn't matter whether the doctrine is true or not. But in shaping a theological view of man and God it really makes a difference! That's what makes me so curious about it because it leads to a different view of "created in the image of God," and the Fall, and whether dualism is true etc which in turn affect an approach to theological issues.

It's such a different line of thought that at first I thought it heretical. But if you look closely (and maybe at other literature on the subject) they have a point that is somewhat valid, although I will not go so far as to say I believe it.

Yes I really like that quotation and the whole part about that in Romans. Quite poignant indeed.

[murlough23]

I don't think the doctrine of original sin matters much one way or another. I used to get kind of offended by it, since why should I be held accountable for another person's sin? However, I have more than enough sin of my own; whether I have an extra amount of sin imparted on me or not makes no difference. There is no way I could live a perfect life even if I were born sinless, so it doesn't matter one way or the other whether I was.

It would if you died as a baby, before you were capable of being conscious of your need to repent and be saved. I guess it's that whole vague "age of accountability" question - can you sin before you're even old enough to have a clear concept of right and wrong? I don't think any of us would argue that babies sin - they don't have a freaking clue what they're doing. So whether you're born with someone else's sins as a blemish on you would appear to matter, in terms of the question of whether a baby who dies (or is aborted, whatever) would be saved or not.

Ironically, this gives a person who doesn't believe in Original Sin (or at least, doesn't believe it automatically makes you sinful) an interesting pro-abortion argument. Kill an unborn baby before it has a chance to sin and it automatically goes to Heaven. OK, so that's not very funny, but I could see some wacko thinking that.

NP: "Crystal Clear", Jaci Velasquez

[brenton]

I suppose I've never bought the argument for Original Sin as it is laid out. I think everyone is born with a sinful potential that never fails to actualize if the person grows old enough. Children are bent toward selfishness as a survival instinct, like hunger or closeness. But that should not be confused with sinfulness. A child learns to hit, and learns to not hit. Parents and the community guide in growth. Ultimately, all of us are like Adam and Eve, in that we will choose at one point to sin.
Christ can save us all because God can do as God chooses.
I think Adam & Eve passed something on to us: death, perhaps damnation.