Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: tblake@bingvaxu.cc.binghamton.edu (Thomas Blake) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Original sin of infants Message-ID: Date: 2 May 91 09:01:58 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: State University of New York at Binghamton Lines: 41 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article jclark@sdcc6.ucsd.edu (John Clark) writes: >Yes, the NT does paint a different picture. It would seem to >indicated that having no children is better. Paul seems to afford the >'weak' the ability to marry, presumably for the purpose of >procreation. I believe you're reading a bit too much into Paul, (but many people do, [even me ;-)]). Paul it seems to me thought that the second coming was right around the corner, and that Marriage would serve only as a distraction. He also made it quite clear that it was *his opinion* that people were better off to not marry. I certainly don't believe that Paul had anything against children, (as you seem to imply). >As for 'lineage' implies being in a state of 'grace'. I don't think >you can really go to far with that. The NT seems to indicated as a >'saved' person you become an party to the convants, not by the act >of being born to 'saved' parents. Furthermore the 'un-saved' are still >spiritual gentiles. I'll go along with you there. >Given the marketing aspects of religion, believing your children to >'un-saved' is not acceptable. So you reason yourself to believe >those near and dear to be saved, but would cast most of the >world, being non-believers, into hell. While I think that your comparison of Religion to Marketting is crass, I'll agree with you to an extent. I don't however feel that what an individual wants to believe and what his/her church teaches are one in the same. Personally, I can't imagine God keeping Mahatma Ghandi out of Heaven because he wasn't a Christian. He did have great respect for the teachings of Christ, and I would say he led a holy life. I'm constantly trying to get Ghandi into heaven on a technicality. Many people disagree with me, personally, I'd like a chance to meet the great soul himself, (now if I can only get *myself* into Heaven on a technicality ;-). Tom Blake SUNY-Binghamton