The theory behind original sin states that we humans are born "bad", or sinful, and in need of redemption. The theory behind naturalism states that we are born "good", are then tainted by the evils of society, and in need of redemption. What are your thoughts on this?
10 comments:
I don't necessarily agree with either point of view. I don't think that we are born thinking good or born thinking bad, but we are comprised of both good and bad. Rather, I believe we are just born and then influenced by our surroundings, such as family, school, and the media.
However, every good person has some bad and every bad person has some good in them and are in charge of their own life. People know what good things are and what bad things are, it's their choice whether they choose the good or bad, you can't blame your decisions on something else.
I think that us as human beings are born good and then are tainted by the evils that society is pushed upon us. Becuase for people to come from horrible families that all they see is violence and they decide that they dont want to be like that, so where does this good come from. its the good that you were born with. But i do have my own theory that i think covers both of the theories: People are grown up with choices that can alter their lifes for them to become bad or good. Every thing is revolved around choices. God put us on the earth and gave us there traits and feeling that can sometimes lead to bad thing but every little thing can be taken back to choices. We have to a choice to be good. We have a choice to be bad. But sometimes when your are little you havent destiguished right from wrong yet. This going back to what you said about your child starting to hit. I think that she just doesnt know that she is doing the wrong thing but what she does know is that she is getting your attention and that is why she does it. But the questiong is where did this bad come from? I think that it came from just our society and how it could impact her. Now moving on to redemption. I think that if God didnt have redemption then our society would be a lot worse off because people need to feel that weight that is lifted from them in order to continue living their lives. If they dont feel that then they will grieve and cry about how sorry they are. Also, some times you can learn to forgive your self for what you have done because you actually feel truly sorry. (What allie said) and if that cant happen then redemption will not suceed. Redemption is only between yourslef and no one else and if you cant forgive your self or feel that you are truly sorry and want to do the right thing the redemption is just a myth for you. So i would have to say that i am more on the side of naturalism than Original sin. Another thing i just thought of is that i dont believe that you can just be born bad like its in your blood from your parents. You have the power to change it by what choices you make. THE END!!
Patrick Carlson
I believe that we are born with original sin, but we aren't completely bad. We also are tainted as we grow, but can choose to stay away from the evils of society. I believe that we do need redemption, but it isn't as easy as just asking for it. You have to really want it and actually change yourself. You have to be better and change the bad things you are doing. Also, I think your environment has a big impact on how innocent or bad you are. However, coming from a bad environmant doesn't automatically make you bad. You can see that you don't like your environment and choose to be better than those around you. I believe that God gives you choices and will forgive you if you make the wrong choice. I don't believe you will go to Hell just for making a couple of bad choices, especially if you seek redemption. I believe in a little bit of both naturalism and original sin.
Kelli Slaven
I do not know very much about religious thoughts but from what I have heard I believe that people are born good or known as Naturalism because when they are born they do not and have not committed any sins and done bad. I also think that after they are born they are influenced by others and tempted by choices to do wrong as they grow up and learn how things work and has the power to decide for themselves. Also, the Original sin is that you are born bad and you learn good but I do not think that as soon as you are born you do bad things and your goal is to do bad. Also, naturalism is that you are born good and innocent and later on you learn of the bad from the people before you (parents, friends...) and this is how you become "evil" not by starting your life as a sinner. I also think that it is decided upon the person on what they did was good or bad and how they see it from their point of view. So overall I believe that people are born Naturalistic and later on commit sins and seek forgiveness/redemption.
Daniel Lee
Period 6
Naturalism, seems to me, as the most fair system of belief. It seems odd to me that you could be born bad, when nothing has been done in your life to prove that you are actually a bad person. We should not be punished because of adam and eve's transgressions. We have the accountability to make our own mistakes and choose the way we want to live. Everyone will sin however, so the theory that we are born "good" but then become "bad" and are in need of redemption makes sense to me. One may not be held accountable for their sins until they reach a more mature age because they simply dont know any better. Being catagorized as bad before we have even made mistakes seems simply unfair.
One thing I was wondering is that if people believed that we were born good, why would we need redemption? Also, when would we be so-called tainted by the world? I think that it all comes down to a person's own choice to do evil because even though other people influence a person's actions, the only person that can complete those actions is the person themself.
- Olivia Clements
Growing up as a Christian, I have always been taught that every human being born is sinful, or "bad". I have always gone to a nondenominational church, so I don't have as many "rules" to follow. I don't have to confess to a person. I'm Christian, but not Catholic. They are both Christian, but with differences on doing things. I can at my choice choose to talk to someone in person, but I have to ask God for my forgiveness. He is the only one that can redeem me.
When Satin was sent out of Heaven, he became all evil. Adam and Eve were made in God's image... perfect. They were tempted by evil to eat from the forbidden fruit, the apple. When they did that, sin entered the world. Their offspring can no longer be perfect, for they are not perfect anymore. The entire world is evil. It is not holy, pure, perfect, whatever. It's sinful and evil. Satin has "control" over the earth. Man. It is with choice to ask God to direct your life. Although one may still sin, if that one person believes in Jesus Christ as their savior, they will choose to ask for forgiveness. No one can be perfect on earth. When one is born into the world. Born into evil. sin. They are sinful, there for "bad". One can be an amazingly good person... as in do good works, but doing good works won't help you in the end. You are still sinful, there for "bad". There is no way possible that one can do everything good. Everyone makes mistakes!
Oh and on the topic of the unforgivable sin... isn't suicide considered an unforgivable sin??? I have always been taught that it is. If you kill yourself, you can't ask for forgiveness... you're dead... it's too late. The unforgivable sin thing came up in class today, but that was never mentioned.
In class today, someone asked where is it stated that killing is bad... or something like that. The Ten Commandments. Thou shalt not kill... stated very clearly I believe. But God is still forgiving. He will forgive you! But he will forgive those who choose to follow him. Ex. If someone killed another person, asked for forgiveness, went out and killed again, and never changing, he/she never really cared about forgiveness, but if someone killed and asked for forgiveness and tried to change, and accepted God as his Savior which is needed to enter Heaven, that person obviously really cared. It's not like someone who doesn't care is just going to randomly ask for forgiveness and not change, because if he/she really didn't care that much, they would have never asked in the first place. Everyone has a choice! You have the choice to accept it or not.
When you choose to follow Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, although you are born sinful, evil, bad, corrupt, etc. and living in the same evil world, when you die God sees you as Jesus. Because Jesus is guiding your life. Those who die and face judgment day without Christ in your life are seen as the evil person they are. He will say I don't know you. Those who face judgment day with Christ in their life have Jesus between God and yourself, so God does not see the evil and faults that are within you. So although one is born evil, they have the choice to ask for redemption from Jesus. So obviously I guess I go the original sin way....
~Katrina Welborn Period 6
I believe in the theory of original sin. However, children don't usually know that they're doing wrong, even if they are. Most people can't really think about the decisions they make until they are older. Then if they do something wrong, they know it, and that is a sin. I believe that if somebody does something wrong, but they honestly don't know that it was wrong, then it's not a sin. I believe that in a way, naturalism is correct, because children don't always know what they are doing.
One thing I'd like to respond to is the suicide comment. This is a difficult thing to judge. Most people who commit suicide are not stable mentally. Whether you are Christian, Muslim, Jew, Atheist, Agnostic, Confucian, Hindu, or undecided: especially concerning suicide, it is not for us to judge.
-Mrs. T
That's a good point on the suicide.... I have just always been told that. But whatever. I don't know that much about it.
~Katrina.
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