The Doctrine of Original Sin?

I promised I would post the notes from the lesson this evening. Here they are:

Warning: I don’t often have negative things to say about the Church, but tonight is an exception.

Much of our religion is centered on ‘why’ questions.

Can you think of a why question that we talk about?
a. Why are we here?
b. Why do we love?
c. Why does the snake slither on its belly?

Okay, why are human beings capable of evil? … Even if God is good?

Okay, why do we die?

A musician named David Bazan takes issue with Original Sin in his song, “Hard to Be.” [See Him Play it Live @ YouTube]

You’ve heard the story
You know how it goes
Once upon a garden
We were lovers with no clothes

Fresh from the soil
We were beautiful and true
In control of our emotions
‘Til we ate the poison fruit

And now it’s hard to be
Hard to be
Hard to be a decent human being

Wait just a minute
You expect me to believe
That all this misbehaving
Grew from one enchanted tree?

And helpless to fight it
We should all be satisfied
With this magical explanation
For why the living die

And why it’s hard to be
Hard to be
Hard to be a decent human being

Childbirth is painful
We toil to grow our food
Ignorance made us hungry
Information made us no good
Every burden misunderstood

So I swung my tassel
To the left side of my cap
Knowing after graduation
There would be no going back

And no congratulations
From my faithful family
Some of whom are already fasting
To intercede for me

Because it’s hard to be
Hard to be
Hard to be a decent human being

I don’t like the answers Christianity has given us for this.

I think Winnie the Pooh has given a better answer for me. – Read. The Tao of Pooh

A fly can’t bird, but a bird can fly – Things just have a natural place and function.
A fish can’t whistle and neither can I – I just have limitations.
Why does a chicken, I don’t know why. – Things just are as they are.

Notes:

“The purpose of an open mind is to close it, on particular subjects. If you never do — you’ve simply abdicated the responsibility to think.” – William F. Buckley

Relevant Bible Verses:

Romans 5:12-21
1 Corinthians 15:22
Psalm 51:5, 58:3