Balance Between Original Sin and Free Will

[PeteZaHut]

Can someone explain that? We have the free will to choose between right and wrong, but we have original sin, so there is really no choice about it to some degree?

In addition, why would we inherit Adam’s original sin if we are not punished for the sins of our fathers?

I am not trying to point out error in Catholic teaching. I’m just trying to understand it better.

 

[davidv]

Can someone explain that? We have the free will to choose between right and wrong, but we have original sin, so there is really no choice about it to some degree?

In addition, why would we inherit Adam’s original sin if we are not punished for the sins of our fathers?

I am not trying to point out error in Catholic teaching. I’m just trying to understand it better.

We inherit original sin, we do not commit it. It is not a choice we are asked to make.

We also had no choice who our parents are, where and in what time period we were born. Does this also speak against free will?

 

[vickiana]

Original sin is not like a gene or chromosome that you inherit biologically from your parents, it comes along with the creation of your unique soul at your conception.

You do have free will for the choices you make, but there are some things in life you don’t have the ability to choose: you can’t choose if you born in China or not, you can’t choose if you’re a boy or a girl. But, you can choose every action you take after you’re conceived. Original sin doesn’t dictate your actions, it colors your propensity. If you allow yourself to behave in a manner that is consistent with the true nature of humans, you’ll find yourself in a bad way. You have to will yourself (freely) to act in a holy manner.

 

[ICEArmy]

Correct me if I’m mistaken but doesnt our Baptism clear us of our oringinal sin

 

[StCsDavid]

Can someone explain that? We have the free will to choose between right and wrong, but we have original sin, so there is really no choice about it to some degree?

In addition, why would we inherit Adam’s original sin if we are not punished for the sins of our fathers?

I am not trying to point out error in Catholic teaching. I’m just trying to understand it better.

Original sin is simply an accident of our fallen reality. Adam and Eve fell and changed man’s reality. Part of the new reality created by the fall was the presence of original sin.

 

[FightingFat]

Correct me if I’m mistaken but doesnt our Baptism clear us of our oringinal sin

I think it’s more that it provides the supernatural gifts (grace) through which we can overcome our basic concupiscence.

You can’t look at original sin as something that destroys your free will. Perfect choice would mean that you would be constantly aligned with the will of God–because that’s what’s best for you. Original sin clouds your judgement, because Adam chose to be like God, and so God became hidden to us and we have to chose Him with our free will.

It’s like taking drugs. It’s a bad thing, I would imagine everyone who gets themselves into a position where they’re about to inject heroine knows that, but their decision making process is clouded and instead of choosing life, the think that the inevitable repercussions will not happen to them, or that the wont become addicted or whatever. Their rationality gets in the way of the divine will–what’s obviously best for you, i.e. not to take drugs. Make any sense?

You can reflect on it in terms of the Divine will of Jesus. Jesus had a human and a Divine will, but would he have any free will if He knew the Father and thus (through the hypostatic union) knew the will of the Father? The answer is the true nature of freedom. The Pope puts it like this:-

Those who understand freedom as the radically arbitrary license to do just what they want and to have their own way are living a lie, for by his very nature man is part of a shared existence and his freedom is shared freedom. His very nature contains direction and norm, and becoming inwardly one with this direction and norm is what freedom is all about. A false autonomy thus leads to slavery: In the meantime history has taught us this all too clearly. ~Pope Benedict XVI; Jesus of Nazareth, (Bloomsbury, London, 2007) p.204.

 

[ICEArmy]

I think it’s more that it provides the supernatural gifts (grace) through which we can overcome our basic concupiscence.

You can’t look at original sin as something that destroys your free will. Perfect choice would mean that you would be constantly aligned with the will of God–because that’s what’s best for you. Original sin clouds your judgement, because Adam chose to be like God, and so God became hidden to us and we have to chose Him with our free will.

It’s like taking drugs. It’s a bad thing, I would imagine everyone who gets themselves into a position where they’re about to inject heroine knows that, but their decision making process is clouded and instead of choosing life, the think that the inevitable repercussions will not happen to them, or that the wont become addicted or whatever. Their rationality gets in the way of the divine will–what’s obviously best for you, i.e. not to take drugs. Make any sense?

You can reflect on it in terms of the Divine will of Jesus. Jesus had a human and a Divine will, but would he have any free will if He knew the Father and thus (through the hypostatic union) knew the will of the Father? The answer is the true nature of freedom. The Pope puts it like this:-

Those who understand freedom as the radically arbitrary license to do just what they want and to have their own way are living a lie, for by his very nature man is part of a shared existence and his freedom is shared freedom. His very nature contains direction and norm, and becoming inwardly one with this direction and norm is what freedom is all about. A false autonomy thus leads to slavery: In the meantime history has taught us this all too clearly. ~Pope Benedict XVI; Jesus of Nazareth, (Bloomsbury, London, 2007) p.204.

I like how you put this into words that our Original Sin clouds our judgement. Which is true for everyone. Noone is perfect and noone will ever be perfect besides God. And yet we do still have free will. We can choose watever path lies ahead of us, but we also have to take responsibility for the actions that we choose. We all make mistakes, which is caused by our original sin, but we have the free will to make those mistakes and to learn from them.