From: Segal@yabbs
To: Badger01@yabbs
Subject: re: Just a thought
Date: Fri Jul 29 22:07:41 1994
I think you misunderstand the concept of original sin.  It does not 
condemn you to inherent sinfulness.  When man committed the first sin, ie. 
eating from the Tree of Knowledge, he separated himself from God.  There 
was a spiritual death which the Lord warned of and the eventual physsical 
death that later occured.  As a result of this sin, all mankind born of 
Adam's seed are born into that sin.  Paul said that "We are born in sin 
and shaped in iniquity."

However, you are missing a point.  It is not whether or not we are sinful 
that is of argument...It is whether we are evil.  Evil is a concept that 
not only intails committing sin but also being malicious and destructive 
in committing those sins.  In reality most people committ sins
 without knowing that they are being sinful.  I refuse to believe that all 
mankind is evil.  Sinful, I can agree with...but Evil denies the presence 
of good and therefore there is no hope for freedom because there is an 
absence of the ability to comprehend good.

So...I will revise your statement and say  "Mankind is Inherently sinful."
I believe that humans have a great capacity for evil but have an equally 
great capacity for good.

My $0.02

-Segal