Wow, what amazing confusion.
Not being a dualist it seems like a poor substitute for real thinking, this relying on 2000 year old 'wisdom'. Seems like if you want your version of religion accepted you just need to bribe the right authority! (nothing changes, witness the press over the last 10 years)
If it worked I'd be all for it, but it doesn't.
Denying evolution is a laugh in this day and age. Its a bit like denying combustion, or gravity or electromagnetism.

Remember the original bonus from the Jesus cult was the act of loving despite tribal affilliations. These days we tend to see more of is the Runner-style "respect my authority!!", with the Bush style "God made me rich so suffer!" out of Christianity.
The only difference between superstition and religion is the authority factor. Superstitious people make me nervous...so sure, yet so ignorant. I wouldn't mind except for the *aggression* they bring in the name of love!
(Hence my little rants against Goddy folks)

Christian sources connect Augustine with Original Sin. I did not consult the “New Dictionary of Theology” when I wrote the article, but it contains the following on page 642:

“On the basis of Ps. 51:5, Augustine defined original sin as inherited sin; he considered that the fallen nature of Adam was transmitted biologically through sexual procreation.”

In its discussion of sin the “New Dictionary of Theology” mentioned Calvin, Barth, Luther and Thomas Aquinas but not Paul.

The New Dictionary of Theology is a publication of the International Bible Society. The IBS is an evangelical Protestant organisation that has been translating and distributing Bibles for 200 years.

Religions do not spring from nothing. They have histories of the adoption of various ideas and scriptures. When a Christian body adopts a doctrine or canonises scripture it becomes Christian regardless of its antecedents. A Jewish council at Yavneh canonised the Jewish Bible in 90 CE. Various Christian councils adopted a somewhat modified Jewish Bible into their scriptures and called it the Old Testament. At that point it became Christian scripture.

In like manner the idea of Original Sin had been around for a while in the pagan and Christian worlds. However, it was not until the Council at Carthage in 418 that Original Sin was adopted as Christian Doctrine. It is a matter of historical record that Augustine argued for its adoption, and Pelagius argued against its adoption.

I was inspired to write my essay when I read “It is clear that the concept of original sin is not confined to the so called “people of the book” (Jews, Christians and Muslims) ….” in “A Perspective on Evil”. The main point I wished to make is that Original Sin is Christian and not Jewish or Muslim.

Although Paul was a Jew and Augustine was a Manichee before they abandoned their faiths they both were knowledgeable in the tradition of Platonism. Augustine was a lecturer in philosophy before he became a Christian. Paul was a Roman citizen, and Platonic ideas were common in the Roman Empire.

Goodness Gibo, I take it that you consider global-warming a good thing given the content of your post. And the Earth is also flat I presume, with the Sun rotating around it??

Making the point that children need correcting so that is evidence of Creation and original sin is fallacious. Yes children need correcting as do the young of most animals - watch a cat or dog with a bunch of young ones, or a pride of lions. Does the fact that older animals correct the younger ones mean that they are full of original sin too? Or is it proof that we are indeed like animals and thus lessen the likelihood of creationism (as explained by the bible) being exactly true.

If in fact there is such a thing as Original Sin, then surely it cant come from the disobedience of Adam - he would have had to be sinful in the first place to be disobedient. That doesnt disprove the doctrine, but does refute the basis for it that has been put forward in other posts on this thread.

Adam got a bad rap. He was condemned for eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge. Before he had eaten of the fruit how would he have known it was wrong to disobey the words of God? It's like telling a cat not to get on the sofa.

God was unfair as he was in many places. Maybe there is a God. If there is I hope he is more reasonable than the unreasonable deity in the Bible.

You need to read the full Genesis account Country Gal.

Genesis 2:19 says that The Lord God formed all of the animals and the birds out of the ground then brought them to Adam to name (friendly contact between man and animals. No animals eating man/no animals fighting amongst themselves at this time).

Later in Genesis chapter 3 we see the "fall of mankind" and Adam expelled from the Garden and the "curse of the fall" going over to all of the animals because all of the animals were under mans' authority...(Genesis 3:14)

Paradise lost:(

All of this is Confirmed as TRUTH by The holy Spirit who lives in the born agian Christian.
I have never found a single thing out of place in The Holy Bible in 26years. Its great!

As for modern man?
Well...I really believe that most modern folks, despite their struggles with The Word, is it true/is it not?... really believe in the secret recesses of their hearts... that The Bible is true.

They just havent come to the point of making the right decision about sin... and the need for a Redeemer...i.e. Jesus Christ...to save them from it.

We should also consider...and its a fair and just consideration...that despite all of the theories in the world and all of the prominent men and women preaching against Gods Holy Bible...

THERE IS NO EVIDENCE, WHATSOEVER, THAT THE HOLY BIBLE IS NOT TRUE.

The Genesis account is spot on!