According to all scientific knowledge humans evolved several hundred thousand years ago from pre-human ancestors. There is no evidence to support the claim that Adam and Eve as described in the Book of Genesis ever actually existed. If we accept that they did not exist, then where did original sin come from?
As a side note, this is not meant to be a question about creationism/evolution. I am asking about original sin, so please stick to that topic in accordance with the ban on evolution threads. Thanks!
This is an attempt to clarify the understanding of what original sin is it terms commensurate with the idea that A&E were symbolic at best. That likely means that “original sin” as well is symbolic, but of what?
Here’s what makes sense to me: While there is entropy as far as the physical aspect of what is is concerned, matter seems to be organized in increasingly complex patterns which in the three kingdoms, mineral, vegetable, and animal, have attributes that incorporate greater and greater freedom of movement in space, yeilding a commensurate ability to increase choice and ability. We belive, being homocentric, that this movement has reached its peak in mankind. And indeed, so far, not knowing what else inhabits the vasteness of the cosmos at any vibratory level, it seems to hold, at least for now.
But at each differentiation in the kingdoms, with some dimensional overlaps, a fulcrum is passed that moves from, but includes the mineral, as the vegetable kingdom, and then moves past another fulcrum, which includes the vegetable and the mineral, as the animal. At this point awareness as instinct is introduced at the point near the next fulcrum.
So in the scenario I envision, there came a point where matter was organized well enough to accomodate the next step in awareness, and that is the subject/object mode that we ordinarily enjoy. That subject/object awareness (s/o) was a shift away from the innocence of instinct. It was and is the knowledge of good and evil, but more generally, the ability to distinguish opposits and contrasts, particualy as applied to self as
appearing to be a discreet individual.
Now somewhere just after this ability appeared as humans, some few of them discovered something vital and crucial in terms of integrity, however one might wish to qualify it. They discovered that the s/o part has another part behind it. That part
appeared to be blank, and yet is the substrate of everything expereincable.
So these same folks became aware that in thier own species, us, there had been a shift. That shift sepearted the sense of self from the reality of the wholeness of the interwoven world, no part of which could exist without all of the others. It was, and is, in fact, a seamless whole. The part behind the s/o understood that, and wasn’t, isn’t seperate from it. But the ordinary operational mode, the s/o part, necessary for all the material advntages and mental advantges, couldn’t see that because its job is to separate and devide as finely as possible in ordeer to gain the advantages ffered by difference. So there are two parts, one invested in difference and matter, the other with wholeness and being.
So it was seen by the few that, in order to be complete, and not unbalanced relative to the wholeness of the world, men and women could learn to see this other part. but they had a problem. In order to not be seen as weird and insane, they made up a story, many stories, depending on who discovered this other part and where, were made up to ease people int the understanding of who and what they really are behind the appearance of their person. And so religions were born, and the sun became a symbol of God, because it was the source of light, as was the part of the mind invisible to the s/o awareness we so readily use we don’t see past it. This part, the s/o one, came to be called “the adeversary” because it had to be overcome to see the invisible part.
And so it came to be that the people who accomplished seeing both parts and intigrated them came to have a special title. But in most cases, the cultures that knew of this ability to transcend and intigrate told stories about a hero who was conceived in purity, was precocious and perceptive, didn’t accept the appearnce of things as reality, who is perceived therefor as a threat, is killed, and returns to reveal that his.her death was only in appearance. So the story paralled the steps needed to see within oneslef and discover that part that is not known to be to the ordinary “waking” mind, which is why ordinary folks are said to be “asleep” by sages, even the ones walking around doing incredible things in ignorance of their other part. Those who didn’t or wouldn’t do the work to find this out about themselves always have a nagging feeling of separation, sometimes hellish. And those who did the work and found out what was always under their nose, they have an unasailable sense of unity. They know from the inside why there are the Great Commandments and the Golden Rules. It is very siimplistically put, but doesn’t it sound familiar?
