Message #971

[Martin]

Yep - though a baby that cries a lot (for reasons other than colic etc) could have a condition or a chemical imbalance in the brain even which causes the baby to be stressed. Our own brain chemistry can (and does) influence how we behave any time in life.

Quite so.  But this, coupled with other research, starts to build up a picture of human behaviour which doesn't revolve around 'choices to disobey God' or 'our own deliberate fault'  but much more around the random chances which formed our genes, or the luck (or lack of it) of our environment and nurture.  As JJ keeps saying, the human condition is not a product of 'original sin' -  All of us born pre-infected with sin, brought about by 'the first sin'. 

It is wrong, and potentially damaging, to see a baby as 'inately sinful' someone who is already 'against God' before the baby has any concept of right or wrong.  Rather, the human condition is the product of a series of chances and a cause-and-effect process in an imperfect world where circumstances beyond our control cause imperfect development.  Children should not be seen as instruments of some dark, chaotic force, in need of measures and interventions, to conform their corrupt minds to 'right-thinking', but rather should be known as creatures in whom Love, compassion, mercy, forgiveness, empathy, kindness and generosity are inbuilt characteristics and will naturally develop given the right conditions.  How we see children, positive or negative, makes a huge difference to how we treat them.