Sin & Depravity

Electronically Overheard:

Humans have an innate tendency to be selfish and depraved because we are sinners...

I love this phrasing: it's so phenomenologically right and so ontologically wrong.

We have this tendency because we'd perish without it.

It's only "sin" when it comes into conflict with the needs of a larger community.  Communities define sin, not the human person.  It'd be truer to say we are sinners because we have an innate tendency to be selfish [and haven't yet figured out how to get beyond that].

It's kind of weird how people talk about infants being "innocent."  What they mean is, the community has not yet imposed upon infants the mechanisms of conformity and shame.

And I'm not saying those are bad mechanisms: I actually approve of toilet training and not beating the shit out of people to take their toys away.

But "sin" is a series of habits and choices, not a condition.  It's social.

So, therefore, is depravity.