Corruption: God or Original Sin?

[TheNeutral]

Individuals can take one look around in the world and notice that there are some people born… less capable than others. This has been a major curiosity for me during my walk in the faith. Whenever I ask Christians why some humans are born with either mental or physical impairments, one of two responses will be heard: “It was God’s will”, or “It is Original Sin”. Those who argue the former contest the latter by arguing that God is sovereign and doesn’t need to “adapt” to unwanted changes caused by our fall, while supporters of the latter argue that God allows certain things to happen–including corruption, since it’s the price of Adam and Eve’s fall.

Is there an official Church stance on what’s responsible for creating such impairments? If not, what are your individual thoughts on the matter? If there is an official statement however, that lacks explanation–feel free to share why God has moved through this way in your own opinion.

 

[Vico]

…

Is there an official Church stance on what’s responsible for creating such impairments? If not, what are your individual thoughts on the matter? If there is an official statement however, that lacks explanation–feel free to share why God has moved through this way in your own opinion.

Catholic Enclopedia

With regard to the nature of evil, it should be observed that evil is of three kinds – physical, moral, and metaphysical. Physical evil includes all that causes harm to man …
By moral evil are understood the deviation of human volition from the prescriptions of the moral order and the action which results from that deviation. …
Metaphysical evil is the limitation by one another of various component parts of the natural world. …

Again, if God is absolutely good, and also omnipotent, how can He permit the existence of moral evil? We have to enquire, that is to say, how evil has come to exist, and what is its special relation to the Creator of the universe. …
The solution of the problem has been attempted by three different methods.

Christian philosophy has, like the Hebrew, uniformly attributed moral and physical evil to the action of created free will. …
The evil from which man suffers is, however, the condition of good, for the sake of which it is permitted. Thus, “God judged it better to bring good out of evil than to suffer no evil to exist” (St. Aug., Enchirid., xxvii). Evil contributes to the perfection of the universe, as shadows to the perfection of a picture, or harmony to that of music (City of God 11). …

Sharpe, A. (1909). Evil. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05649a.htm

 

[Peter_M]

What you say is quite correct, however, I would say that the OP has nothing to do with the “freedom of his creatures” if someone suffers from an deprivation of good by birth, by circumstances, family, nation, and so on, it is not related to freedom. Would it not make more sense to say it is a kind of bondage? That would relate it to original sin.

Unfortunately, as an intellectual exercise, these answers leave me unsatisfied. Explaining it is not easy, perhaps even harmful… it’s better to trust God than attempt to unravel the mystery. That might be as much of a cop out as anything; but it doesn’t have to be. Pope Francis makes a special effort to comfort those suffering under the deprivation of the good. We’ve probably all experienced this to some degree in our lives. God does not love us less for it. I’ve come to believe that our relationship to him and to each other is far more important than things that will pass away with us.

With the man born blind (John 9), the gospel relates a symbolic story, to show how Jesus is the light of the world. “That the works of God might be manifested in him…” in the gospel takes on this meaning.

 

[KevinK]

That can’t be right. Satan existed prior to original sin and therefore evil cannot be due to original sin.

 

[Roseeurekacross]

Kevin, that’s right, and given Jesus was before creation, and we were in His thoughts, God’s thoughts , and plan, before creation, Jesus would still have come into this world as our Saviour, without the incident in the garden.

I learnt this very recently. Awesome that we were God’s plan before creation. We are so weak willed though. Adam and Eve walked with God and were still swayed and tempted by fallen angels.

 

[Francis]

@TheNeutral

Sin has consequences, so those of less capable ,either mental or physical impairment as you mentioned ,but still God’s love them and shows mercy,they need that purification ,ultimately their’s souls are saved, which is more important.John 6:63 It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

Psalms 107:10 Some sat in darkness and in gloom,prisoners in misery and in irons,11 for they had rebelled against the words of God,and spurned the counsel of the Most High.12 Their hearts were bowed down with hard labor;they fell down, with no one to help.17 Some were sick through their sinful ways,and because of their iniquities endured affliction;18 they loathed any kind of food,and they drew near to the gates of death.19 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,and he saved them from their distress;20 he sent out his word and healed them,and delivered them from destruction.21 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to humankind

2 Thessalonians 2:13 But we must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the first fruits for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth.

 

[Jaaye]

In John Chap 9 Jesus heals a man blind since birth and his disciples asked Jesus … who has sinned, the man or his parents? Have you read this account and do you think its message is applicable to your question?