Note: This will probably be a few blogs. When I reference Scripture I will bracket with asterisks. This is my journey of understanding at this point in my life. :) I have learned from many great mentors and teachers so as it is said *There is nothing new under the sun.* I believe it is practical for the here and now if we let it be.
So, I started a page and blog called Not About Fire Insurance. It's a totally tongue-in-cheek critique of our popular understanding of Christianity in America, namely hell-avoidance. It is common among both Protestants and Catholics, though it is usually the primary understanding in more conservative circles while Liberal circles write it off as a myth and stay at a surface level rather than challenging personal assumptions. I am not going to get into the atonement arguments of Penal Substitution, Christus Victor, or the Scapegoat theory among others. This often pits one against the other so that we don't even seek to understand what being said. I suspect almost all theories have some truth and not one is 'The Truth'. There is quite a bit more both/and as opposed to either/or. It has a mystery to it. I do believe the message of the Gospel is far more than saving our personal butts form hell. This belief can often lead to where we are content to let the world go to hell right in front of our eyes while denying any responsibility for our collective and personal sin that contributes to the problems.
Let's dive into the foundational story of the fall of humankind. Imagine being the Creator of all for a moment. You exist as One in a single community or family of love. Father, Son and Spirit, perfectly One yet perfectly distinct from one another. You would have absolutely no need of anything and exist in perfect love. Jump ahead and in your joy you want to expand to share this love. You make a world and creatures that can think and choose and love. You tell this creature to depend on you for understanding yet this creature gets tricked by a tricky Lie *You will be like God.* and they begin to distrust their Maker. Yet after they taste of the *knowledge of good and evil* they see that they are not very godlike at all but rather frail, weak and exposed. *Who told you, you were naked?* is the echo of Original Innocence and Goodness being shattered. The Lie took root in the humans and they began the destructive path of trying to be God and believed the Lie that they were utterly alone. In terms of religion it became we must earn God's favor. As is the case in almost every ancient religion and myth on up to this day, even with many preaching 'grace'; it almost always has strings. Our perception is our reality.
This is the heart of 'Original Sin' that is more than simple rebellion. A doctrine that sounds archaic and has been used to make humanity appear evil and bring shame to our sexuality and nakedness. Most open-hearted Christians see it as the problem as they interpret it as 'original evil'. Augustine definitely sold it in that way. I am suggesting continuing to unpack it a bit. The 'Original Sin' is believing the Lie that we *can be like God* apart from God and we believe we SHOULD be like God and when we see we are not, we can deem ourselves defective. Every form of evil can spring up from this thinking. Humanity is scared of vulnerability while we are all exceedingly vulnerable. A friend of mine often says "Vulnerability is the way home." But we still fear it and cover up as if fig leaves hide anything. We become afraid and fear is great fuel for hatred, lies and murder. How this is transmitted from generalization to generation I do not know but it rings true to me. Who hasn't believed that they SHOULD be more than who they are? Or been with a friend who is racked with shame for simply existing. This isn't about honest reflection and grit, its about foundational identity. Many give up on ever measuring up and accept the despair and nihilism of our age. These people are so close for *The Lord is close to the brokenhearted*. Then others make a show of supposed greatness, arrogance, avarice and hubris. Covering up and attempting to hide how not god-like they are. It would be comical if it weren't for the damage this causes. It sounds silly to say we thing we should be like God as we all ultimately know we are not God. Yet, look at how we behave and even more look at our expectations.
The Eastern Church is much better at addressing sin as a disease in which we need healing as opposed to a demerit system of worth. All the Traditions within the Body have value and we can learn from all of them. *Surely he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases; yet we accounted him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted.*
Humanity is sick and in need of healing. Even if you are not religious or spiritual this can be seen. Humanity is also experiencing a ton of healing. Look at the life changing work of Brene Brown hitting the mainstream! Also, look at how very well the parable of The Shack by Wm.Paul Young has sold worldwide. The almost universal disdain for mass perpetration of evil. As well as the billions of people who are guided by love as opposed to fear in the trenches working with the rejected and the outcast. There are indeed the sick among us. We are called to bring the medicine and to take it ourselves daily. We are not alone and *God is with us.* *Even unto the end of the age* and *Nothing can separate us from the love of God.*
