Misconceptions About Original Sin

The world has become decidedly more peaceful since the introduction of Christianity. The trend has been towards evermore compassion. Violence and torture has become less accepted. Young men don't die violent deaths nearly as often as in pre-Christian society. Yet Christianity is pointed out as the source of all sorts of evils. Confusions and misconceptions are tossed about in an effort to discredit Christianity. However, not a single critic of Christianity is ever able to come up with a credible argument against the philosophy of love preached by Jesus himself. Every attack is at the peripherals. Corrupt institutions are used as arguments against Christian philosophy, conveniently omitting the fact that the corruption itself had a secular origin. Jesus never suggested that a separate court should be set up i his name. The inquisition was a secular spin off. Corrupt priests engaging in homosexual pedophilia are not acting in accordance to Christian doctrine. They are acting in ways more reminiscent of hyper-secularists such as Epstein, Maxwell and Clinton.

When critics try to attack Christianity itself, they will generally misinterpret parts of the Bible in ways that suit them. There is a general eagerness to go for the old testament, since it contains many contradictions, absurdities, and right out weird stuff. However, Christian doctrine is not based on the old testament. It's based on the new testament, and the old testament is there primarily as context. Anything in the old testament contradicted by Jesus must be seen as context. Jesus is the ultimate source of Christian doctrine.

This leaves critics of Christianity with very few real arguments. Jesus was near perfect, even by today's standards. He was 2000 years ahead of his time, and will remain relevant for eons. There's basically nothing we can criticize him for. But there are nevertheless the occasional criticism of Jesus himself. One point that comes up every now and again is the concept of original sin. How is it that children can be born sinful? Isn't this a form of child abuse? Why didn't Jesus put an end to this idea?

This criticism sounds reasonable enough. However, it's based on a misconception of the words sin and sinful. To sin is not the same as being evil. Sin is misguided action, usually spurred on by greed, lust, sloth, or any of the other cardinal sins. Such misguided action leads to poverty, hunger, grief and other evils, which in turn can lead to a living hell where things falls apart and nothing ever works.

To be sinful is therefore not the same as being evil. It merely means that we are morally imperfect. We have a tendency to do stupid things. We seek shortcuts that land us in trouble. What the concept of original sin entails is the idea that our tendency towards sinful action is natural. We are born imperfect, and the good news is that Jesus is fine with that. Jesus doesn't expect perfection. He forgives us so that we can carry on with our lives without a constant worry about our imperfections.

Relentless rigidity and refusal to accept people as fallible is not a Christian doctrine. It's the doctrine of secularism and pre-Christian puritanism. The outrage mob that is everywhere present these days are examples of people who refuse to accept humans as fallible. They are the sort of people that ruled society back in Jesus' time. Had it not been for Jesus, and the idea of original sin, we may have remained in this state of perpetual outrage. The outrage mob would still have been in charge.

By karamveer singh - https://www.flickr.com/photos/karamveer/36329611575/in/photolist-XmjKPn-bjX29j-8b7tEy-ah7vXK-puvgD1-8iCDaR-24jfBCn-pf3BxS-mHKzaZ-UV4iUm-5o7pRM-McbMQ2-8b4cje-8YWhfx-ah7svK-9US6Zr-7H8QYX-acM5jn-8tus85-8b4dux-4ZSmk3-bnFuGa-8b7va5-22twHw-6ghqh6-8fVXUt-8YWhLa-82uv1P-8b7uH3-8b4bga-24jfvLT-8b7oZj-7sgZxV-8b48hX-8b4as4-8b7udS-8b7t8Q-amixPJ-8YWiFp-8b7sZh-8b7t1E-8b4bde-2eVHubH-8b4e16-8b7t67-8YZkUw-mmxcHS-9UQZxD-61iRui-yDaga1, CC BY 2.0, Link