From: Sondra Brasile (sbrasile@hotmail.com)
Date: Mon Jul 21 2003 - 11:09:54 EDT
Thomas,
I was referring to the part in the discussion where homosexuality was
(maybe) "found to be genetic", if I used the wrong term, I'm sorry. I
thought if it was "genetic" it was considered a natural inclination. What I
am referring to of course is always after "the fall", not before, of course
our perfect created selves are not born with any sinful inclinations, I
guess (except the right to choose to disobey God) hmmm this has triggered
some thoughts I need to explore, thanks.
The rest of the post was referring to certain list members that seem to
believe that if it is in a persons genetic code, it is like being black or
white, you cannot change the fact, therefore how can God condemn the 'acting
out' on who you are?
Sondra
>From: "Thomas D. Pearson" <pearson@panam.edu>
>To: asa@calvin.edu
>Subject: Re: Sin?
>Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2003 11:38:04 -0700 (PDT)
>
>Sondra Brasile <sbrasile@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>Think to yourself "what is my vice; my natural inclination?" we all have
>them, we're all born with them, can we "help" them? Sometimes we can hardly
>stop ourselves, right? Maybe it's true that 90% of the time people can't
>help themselves or even 50% of the time, but does that mean that we should
>change all laws and moral codes to allow for these inborn vices? For some
>reason you people think if you can prove it's a genetic predetermination
>then it's allowed, God somehow forgot to mention that when he was writing
>the Book that he says is his complete word (many of you don't believe this
>and my mind boggles at why you identify yourself, then by the "Christian"
>faith, you should start your own religion and stop dragging ours through
>the
>mud).
>
>
>I think we should be cautious in using the phrase "natural
>inclinations." For Thomas Aquinas, to pick just one example, our
>"natural inclinations" are wholly good; they direct us to the
>authentic human goods, chief among which is love of God. You
>apparently mean to refer, Sondra, to "desires," or "personal
>preferences," or perhaps even "tendencies to sin." But confusing
>these with "natural inclinations" winds up suggesting that our
>created being is oriented away from God, and this will make hash out
>of any notion of the imago dei, among other things.
>
>I also think we should be cautious in associating traditional
>Christianity ("mere Christianity," to some folks) with a program for
>moral improvement. The Christian doctrine of sin should alert us to
>the fact that any such program of moral improvement is doomed to be
>very short-lived.
>
>Tom Pearson
>
>___________________________________________________________________
>
>___________________________________________________________________
>
>Thomas D. Pearson
>
>Department of History & Philosophy
>
>The University of Texas-Pan American
>
>Edinburg, Texas
>
>e-mail: pearson@panam.edu
_________________________________________________________________
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