So I wasn’t born in sin?

The band The Lumineers tell us to “forget what Father Brennan said.” I agree: we were not born in sin.

There are a handful of both secular and non-secular things for which I just can’t see the perspective—the doctrine of original sin is one of them. The idea that we were born sinners and never had a chance feels absolutely impossible to me.

Is this another foundational piece for moving from fear to love?

In this third blog post, I had intended to share my thoughts on the law of oneness. In this series about moving from a place of fear to a place of love, I first shared the idea that we are eternal and infinite, and then my second post talked about the law of divine order, so the law of oneness made sense for the next installment in our foundation. But today as I write this, it’s Holy Thursday, a very important day in the Christian faith, and this inspired me to change course.

Last night I went a Passion Play at a church in my town. It’s an amazing production. This church has been performing this play for forty-seven years! My parents took me as a kid. It’s a beautiful and moving showcase of the very rare heart, dedication and passion of every person involved. Each year as I watch, I keep thinking how deeply I honor every person and their efforts and passion to share their understanding of God and Jesus. I want to hug every one of them. The kids in the play blow me away with their energy and light. But I don’t agree with many of the portrayals and messages—and this is what makes the world go around.

So yes, the truth that we are not born in sin is another very important foundational piece to help us move away from fear and into love.

Babies? Sinners? Huh?

If you have children, then you were part of the miracle of bringing them into the world. If you don’t (children are not part of everyone’s path), you’ve almost certainly held a baby or played with a baby. For those that do have children, what were you thinking at the moment your child entered the world? “You imperfect, flawed, defective, guilty sinner—hang in there until I can get you baptized.” Of course not.

As you held them tight and watched them sleep peacefully, and then as the days passed and they cooed, and then eventually smiled and then laughed, and then belly laughed, and then did that thing where they kick their arms and legs in pure and joyful exuberance, freedom and happiness, did you think to yourself, “well, thankfully you’ll eventually you’ll be old enough to ask Jesus for forgiveness for your inherent sinful nature.” Of course not.

A teaching that states you don’t have a chance right from the start, that you’re literally born corrupt and morally evil, feels a lot like doctrine to control through guilt and shame—in other words, obedience and submission through fear.

Eternal, Infinite and Perfect…

Thankfully, all of us were born eternal, infinite and perfect. Phew. That should provide some deep relief. All major religions seem to agree that God is perfection,  so why would God possibly create any “thing” less than perfect? If God wanted everyone to be obedient and subservient, God would have created us that way. God wouldn’t have given us the gift of free-will because God is all-knowing, which means God would know we all would use our free-will and subsequently not be obedient and submissive.

Does this scenario make sense to you?

“I want you to obey me, submit to me and meet my needs, but I’m giving you free-will, and as I give it to you, I know absolutely that you will use this free-will to disobey me, not submit to me, and not meet my supposed needs (largely because the criteria that I have supposedly set are impossible to obey, submit to and meet in the human condition), so ultimately, you will have no chance to succeed—but I’m giving you free-will anyway.”

It makes no sense to me.

Just for starters… the creator of every single thing that is, has been, and ever will be (down to every single subatomic particle and electromagnetic and mechanical wave), cannot possibly have needs that need to be met by all of Its own creations that are, have been, and ever will be.

Easter is a time for new beginnings

It feels like time to start questioning things that we’ve always been told, and look at everything from a new perspective. How can we do this with Easter? Instead of celebrating Easter as a redemption from the flawed and failing creations that we’ve been told that we are, maybe Easter can be a joyful, hope-filled celebration of the peace and love that Jesus embodied. It can also be an opportunity to follow the lead of the natural world and the spring season, and use this energy and these moments as a new beginning in whatever way you choose.

I encourage you to hold a baby this Easter. And if you don’t have any babies in your life right now, watch some YouTube videos of babies laughing and making others laugh, and consider that if this doctrine of being born a sinner isn’t true and accurate, what else that we’ve been told that isn’t true and accurate?

Forget what Father Brennan said.

Wishing you a very blessed, joyful and hopeful Easter.

—DC