Original Gangsta
Sin. We all do it, right?
So, what’s this business with Original Sin?
I was reading that the Emergent Church (which I didn’t even hear about until this week… where have I been, right?) is denouncing the belief in Original Sin. The website I was reading from seemed pretty upset about the whole situation, claiming that it’s Biblical and that ALL Christians should believe it too.
Well, I’m not terribly sure about the whole thing, but, having been indoctrinated (in a good way) for most of my life, I think I know what Original Sin is. It’s the idea that every single one of us is inherently sinful.
I don’t like that. To start with, I have a hard time saying that babies are immediately sinful and destined for Hell if they don’t turn their lives to Jesus as soon as possible. I don’t, personally, think God is that simple. I’m with the idea that babies all go to Heaven because any thing they may do, they have no real concept of right and wrong. (I also think that my pets are in Heaven, playing together, but I digress)
Now, I’ve been in church for a long time, so hearing the words Original Sin isn’t new to my Christianese-addicted ears, but I think this was the first time that I really thought about the whole situation. Personally, I think I’m going to have to disagree with the idea. It seems like some sort of cop-out to a bigger problem, but then again, I’m still on the fence about Predestination… So, I guess that’s where the real meat of the matter is.
I decided to look it up on Bible Gateway, and typed in “Original Sin.” No results.
So, I went back to the original place I saw this post about the Emergent Church. They sited Ephesians 2:1
” 1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.”
But, I’m not satisfied with that because it’s Paul, and for me, Paul seems a bit inconsistent. A bunch of his writings are very specific to the time and place that he was writing. Like the bit about women not speaking in the church…
Paul was about the only author sited on this website as a source for the Biblical background for Original Sin.
So, naturally, I googled it. Not too many convincing BIBLICAL references to be honest, but I’m a skeptic, so who knows. Although, it was a movie with Angelina Jolie and Antonio Banderas, and that’s interesting. I guess.
So, to recap: It’s not a sin not to believe in Original Sin… or is it?
What do you think? Have a Biblical reference to share? Do you think babies go to Heaven?
