A Note form Rev. Cliff L. regarding last weeks article on 'original sin'

Barry,

Thank you for your web site. It is very stimulating and I appreciate the challenge of examining my beliefs.

I voted in your inquiry of "Do you believe in "original sin." While I do not believe in the dogma of "original sin." as it is interpreted to mean that all persons are born as depraved, sinful, corrupted individuals and need someone to "save" them, I do believe that at one time or another most of us are selfish, offend/abuse others, and do not seek the common good. Sin has often been understood as "offending God, or doing things contrary to God's will." Repentance, as understood by the first century Jews and Christians was a "turning around so that one's actions were in accordance with God's will, i.e., doing that which is right, just, and loving."

When the first Christians said that Jesus saved us from our sins, they were saying that Jesus showed us the way to be at one with God." That's a lot different from "saving" us from eternal damnation, although if one believes that being "one with God" means eternal life, which is available in the present, then I can see how Jesus saves us from eternal damnation, which would mean living in the absence of God in the present.

For me, Original Sin has the connotation that every individual is depraved, unable to know God. I do not believe that. The writers of the Bible looked around them and discovered that all people seemed to be self-serving, contrary to God's will. Therefore, early Christian theologians (I think it Augustine was the first) coined the conception "Original Sin." I believe that it is descriptive of humanity rather than a theological truth (of which there are very few, if any).

This may seem that I am riding the fence. What I am seeking to do is to understand why people of faith in the past have written about their faith and why now their words have the weight of "LAW and TRUTH." When they were writing, I think they were not writing LAW and TRUTH, but a rational for their personal faith.

Does this make any sense?

Thanks again for your willingness to explore the complexities of our faith.