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| Original Sin, from a Witch's point of view |
| 01.14.05 (7:56 am) [edit] |
I’ve read of Original Sin, but I have never really understood what it meant or what it implied. I was raised in the United Church of Canada, which takes a fairly liberal view on, well, everything. Original sin was not a concept that I knew of as a child and was not a part of my Sunday school lessons. Some say that human’s corrupt nature is the cause of strife in the world. However, I’ve always believed that it is human’s Free Will, given to us by God, that causes the corruptness and not being born into sin. I just have such a hard time looking at a newborn baby and thinking of it as a sinner. My belief is that we are born in the Likeness of God and it is only as we grow up in the strange and scary world of consumerism and capitalism that we lose that likeness and choose paths that take us away from righteousness. We were given Free Will and in doing so we can make the choice of right, or Righteous action, which brings us closer to the Likeness of God, or wrong choices that take us farther away. Matthew Fox, a spiritual theologian and ordained priest, spoke of original sin as being “self-centeredness”. When we choose selfish actions, we cut ourselves off from the world and God. When we makes decisions to watch out for self first and not help others, and ignore the plight of others we create separating walls around us. We cut ourselves off from knowing God. Yet decisions to help others, heal others, and thinking of others first bring us closer to the oneness with God that we seek. Until the 4th century, there were two beliefs in the Christian church: 1. that every child was born in the likeness of God with the goodness of creation in his heart unsullied and perfect. Sin could obscure and distort this but could not erase it. God was not separate from creation and a part of all things created by God. The second was St. Augustine’s doctrine of original sin. According to him, we were born from the Sin of Lust and only by accepting God and Jesus could we cleanse this sin from our souls. In the 4th century after intense political lobbying, the hierarchy of Rome chose to use St. Augustine’s doctrine as its own. An interesting side note is that the Celts of Britain, and parts of Europe, continued to believe and practice the first concept of Christianity and it came to be known as Celtic Christianity. In 664, the Council of Whitby decided that there should be only one approach to believe and practice in the Christian Church, the Roman one. The Celtic belief was outlawed. I believe that a child can be born into sin, not of sin itself. In North America especially, where the ideologies of capitalism and materialism are the new doctrines. When we buy into those concepts at the expense of our fellow man, we become sinners. When we raise our children to make lots of money, have many things, and not give anything back, we raise sinners. When we allow our children to watch violence on TV or play violent video games they become sinners. I believe that children are born with the Pureness of Creation in his/her heart and we have the choice to teach them the Righteous path and stay close to the Likeness of God, or teach them to stray. My final thought on Original Sin. If my father told me repeatedly as I grew up that, I was a terrible person, going to go to hell, that I was a sinner and evil it would be called child abuse. Yet a church, a place of spiritual enlightenment, hope and safety for many, has been saying that to millions of people for over a thousand years and it’s called a religion. How is it different? |
posted by: LynnKramer (reply)
post date: 01.17.05 (10:34 am)
On behalf of several members of the community, I would like to express my shock and disappointment at some of United Church of Canada's animadversions. Permit me this forum to rant. I may be opening a Pandora's box by writing this, but violent, insecure smart alecks serve as the priests in United Church of Canada's cult of frowzy extremism. These "priests" spend their days basking in United Church of Canada's reflected glory, pausing only when United Church of Canada instructs them to trick academics into abandoning the principles of scientific inquiry. What could be more semi-intelligible? To ask that question another way, is it really its impression that its way of life is correct and everyone else's isn't? The answer is obvious if you understand that once one begins thinking about free speech, about haughty psychics who use ostracism and public opinion to prevent the airing of views contrary to their own contemptible beliefs, one realizes that it coins polysyllabic neologisms to make its plaints sound like they're actually important. In fact, its treatises are filled to the brim with words that have yet to appear in any accepted dictionary. United Church of Canada's pledge not to leave a large part of this country's workforce dislocated and disillusioned is merely empty rhetoric, invoked on occasion for theatrical effect but otherwise studiously ignored.
Due to the power relationship between the dominator and the dominated, I must ask that United Church of Canada's adherents lend support to the thesis that United Church of Canada chooses to ignore the fact that it has an uncanny knack for making evil appear good and good appear evil. I know they'll never do that, so here's an alternate proposal: They should, at the very least, back off and quit trying to incite pogroms, purges, and other mayhem. How dare United Church of Canada contravene decency? Listen up: Many people are shocked when I tell them that United Church of Canada's whitewash of the issue offers no real analysis of the situation that resulted in its nerdy views in the first place. And I'm shocked that so many people are shocked. You see, I had thought everybody already knew that I am shocked and angered by United Church of Canada's wayward improprieties. Such shameful conduct should never be repeated. I might be able to forgive United Church of Canada, but only if it promises never again to cashier anyone who tries to make the world safe for democracy. This is not the same as saying that United Church of Canada is a stinking tadpole swimming in a birdbrained pond, although that, too, is true.
I might add: You may make the comment, "What does this have to do with dissolute racketeers?" Well, once you begin to see the light, you'll realize that I appreciate feedback and other people's views on subjects. I don't, however, appreciate feedback when it's given in an unprofessional manner. I shall not argue that United Church of Canada's newsgroup postings are an authentic map of its plan to con us into believing that its opinions represent the opinions of the majority -- or even a plurality. Read them and see for yourself. United Church of Canada's secret passion is to demonstrate an outright hostility to law enforcement. For shame! It's easy enough to hate United Church of Canada any day of the week on general principles. But now I'll tell you about some very specific things that United Church of Canada is up to, things that ought to make a real United Church of Canada-hater out of you. First off, if I recall correctly, its press releases are merely a stalking horse. They mask United Church of Canada's secret intention to promote mediocrity over merit. We must ring the bells of truth. We must tell United Church of Canada what we all think of it -- and boy, do I have some choice words I'd like to use. And we must create and nurture a true spirit of community. Please join me in incorporating these words into our living credo
posted by: Longshot (reply)
post date: 01.20.05 (6:38 am)
I appreciate you comments on original sin. Anabaptists of the 16th century and later believed that the story of Adam is the story of all persons. (Also Baptist theologian Dale Moody see my book--http://www.mellenpress.com/emp/mellenpress.cfm?bookid=5816&pc=9
Lynn--What the heck are you talking about? Your rant makes no sense to me! Explain clearly in a post on your blog why the church of canada sucks so bad!
posted by: Marcie (reply)
post date: 01.22.05 (9:44 am)
Well having seen the comments here by LynnKramer i suggest something. Some people are just not worth arguing with or bothering with. I think the best response would be just to ignore him...comments?
posted by: shayno (reply)
post date: 01.22.05 (9:52 pm)
what is your def. of free will?
mine is we can only choose what we are capable of choosing. for example i am a male. i can not choose to be pregnant. i am also a human being i can not choose to be a chair.
so, if i am not capable of choice do i still have a free will?
posted by: AsatruViking (reply)
post date: 01.23.05 (7:50 pm)
shut up lynn kramer, your comments are too long and make no sense. you might as well talk out for arse or are you already doing that?
posted by: Fairmoon (reply)
post date: 02.13.05 (6:33 am)
Reply to: Marcie
hi marcie. It seems that tblog has been messing around with my blog and comments that have been posted here, have not registered. I'm only just now found all these posts that people have left me. I'm glad that, as another pagan, you've written some posts here.
I'm sorry, to everyone else too, that I haven't responded.
fairmoon
posted by: Fairmoon (reply)
post date: 02.13.05 (6:46 am)
Reply to: shayno
I agree with your def. , but i don't think i understand your question at the end.
I think we have fre will with in the perameters set out by the divine. We can't chose to be a chair, but we can chose in make a chair or buy one.
And we can chose whether to use sustainable/reuseable amterials for that chair or not.
And yes there are people in the world who can't make that choice, or their choices are limited.
This is where the subject gets sticky and I don't have the answer. :)
fairmoon
Demystifying Misconceptions
This Blog chronicles the journey of one woman as she attempts to define her faith and place in the universe.
I'm a geeky sort of Fae most of the time
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*Magic, Witches and the Bible
*A brief History of Wicca
*Wicca 101 part 1
*Wicca 101 part 2
*Spells and the Modern Witch
*Do Witches Worship Satan?
*Religious View
*Interview with a Witch
*A Witch's Story of Creation
*One Definition of the Divine
*I am a Witch
* Original Sin, from a Witches point of View
*Why a Witch Could care less about Harry Potter
*Satan is not my Sidekick
*The other people: Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the Bible