Original Sin

Aiden is changing so rapidly. Last summer, he was very much a toddler. In a few ways, he was even still an infant. This summer, I saw glimmers of the little boy (and not-so-little boy) he is becoming.

Like most two-year-olds, my nephew has very definite opinions about what he does and does not like. Things he likes: ice cream, Spirit (a movie about horses), playing at the park. Things he does not like: unexpected hugs or kisses, realizing that someone he loves isn't in the room (or the house) any longer.

When I was still in the church, I would occasionally hear parents or religious leaders talk about the "original sin" that every human being is born with. Often, it would be in the context of a larger discussion about how to get a toddler or preschooler to obey their parents.

I saw many things last week. Like any other human being, Aiden was frustrated, impatient and tired at times. He did not always follow the rules his parents expected him to obey. Once or twice he threw a toy or other object., that sort of thing. He was also incredibly loving and generous. If he had food on his plate, everyone was offered a bite. If he had a toy in his hand, he would often walk around and show it to everyone. He said please and thank you much more often than many of the adults I know.

Some would view his episodes of negative behavior as evidence of the emergence of his sin nature. One could argue Aiden's spirit needs to be broken now so that he will spend the rest of his childhood doing whatever it is his parents want him to do if we assume that there is such a thing as original sin.

Everything I witnessed last week was very normal behavior for a toddler. Hell, I have customers old enough to be Aiden's great-grandparents who throw much more disruptive and disturbing tantrums in public if they think it will help them get their way.

I see many things in that little boy. The idea that Aiden must bear guilt for the sin of Adam is not one of them. Like any other human, he is capable of kindness and selfishness. But none of us are any more inherently bad than we are inherently good, or intelligent, or kind, or funny, or healthy (or anything else.) I think much of how we turn out as adults comes back to how we were treated from birth to age 5 or so. But that is a post for another day. :)