I don't believe in original sin. The Bible stories are basically saying that original sin is genetic. I'm not buying it.
The original sin isn't genetic, dear Heaven (peace to you!). We ALL have the exact same free will as did Adam and Eve. We all get to CHOOSE who we will serve, by showing who we obey. The resultant aging, sickness, and thus death that we carry in our flesh, however, as a result of the long garment of skin given Adam/Eve (NOT because of their sin but to cover their NAKEDNESS which was now manifest to them because their eyes WERE opened)... IS genetic. And I would wager that even science agrees with that.
Punishing all of us for something someone did thousands of years ago is illogical and unprincipled.
The Most Holy One of Israel isn't punishing us. ADAM is the one who sold us TO the one who punishes us, the one whose "agent" is a "Satan" and "Devil": Death, the last enemy. In contrast, in His abundant loving kindness, the Most Holy One of Israel, JAH of Armies, is the One who gave a ransom... HIS Son... TO Death... to repurchase us back FROM such "punishment." He didn't have to; He could have just let Adam and Eve die... without procreating at all. He did it, however, because of love. Because He LOVED the world... SO much. That He gave His Son FOR the world.
The alternative (and I say this to all, so may you all have peace!) is that none of us would be here, would we? And while some of us might believe that would have been the better lot (Jude 16), some of us are quite happy to have come into existence... and have our children... and grandchildren... some into existnce. Even some of us who live in third world countries (funny, isn't it, how the murder and suicide rate in the western world FAR, FAR outweighs that in the third world, where people's entire day, every day is spent trying to figure out how to feed their children, even eat themselves... vs. what size turkey (much of which will be thrown out) and what gifts to buy whoever... and at what price... for one particular holi-day... out of several per year...).
People in third world countries don't complain HALF as much as those of us who live in the western world... those of us who toil... and toil... and toil... when we don't even HAVE to. We do... because we CHOOSE to. We CHOOSE to do the work we do, live where and how we live. Have the children we have. Buy the things we do. We reject the "other" choice... which is to sell our belongings, give what we make from doing so to the poor... and thus throw OFF every "weight"... and simply seek the kingdom. Nope, can't do that... because, well, what would the family, neighbors, co-workers, community think?
So, we "stab ourselves all over with MANY pains"... and then weep and grind our teeth at God... for "making" us live in such a sucky world. Yet, He better not call down fire and brimstone and wipe us out, either! So cry the little children in the marketplace.
Personally, I think that if some of US spent as much time doing "good" toward others as we spend on deriding others, including those whose faith in God and Christ was NOT shipwrecked by the false teachings, false prophecies, lies and hypocrisy of some fake-butt religion that we (or our parents) fell for... particularly if we had a part in its leadership at some time... we would probably "see" God, too... and not be so skeptical that it can be done.
My faith in God and Christ remains not because I am blind but because... finally... I DO see. But it wasn't religion, religious leaders... or the Bible... that opened my eyes. It was Christ himself. Don't believe it? Okay, no problem. Free will. Don't want to see? Again, free will. So be it. But don't get yourself all hot and bothered because some take the same position as to what YOU believe (or don't believe). Otherwise, you really are in the same "boat" as those cults and others who you deride. And that makes you a hypocrite. Which, if you ask any young person (or Christ, if you hear him), is really about as bad as you can get.
Again, I bid you all peace!
A slave of Christ,
SA
