Ever wonder about the whole "fallen" nature of man? Nobody has ever really explained it. It isn't very scientific to think "sin" can be inherited, after all.
That is a huge premise, Adamic sin. I think, personally, it is a bogus concept because it comes from St.Augustine and is a primitive misunderstanding of what is inheritable.
People use to think if your mother was frightened when she was pregnant that her baby would be "marked" by the experience! Utter bilge, of course. Nonsense.
If there really once was a "perfect" man---we'd have to ask ourselves what the nature of being PERFECT actually means. If it means without "flaw" then, what kind of flaw was absent?
Adam, according to the tale, screwed up his very first test of perfection, didn't he? How does that argue for perfection? Not at all.
Further, the justice or injustice of holding UNborn children responsible for what their parents did is not only bizarre but, frankly, fiendish! Who but a very primitive writer or storyteller would think this reflected a wisdom from above?
So, just on the grounds of what is fair, just, scientifically feasible and reasonable (not to mention loving and responsible) I have to reject the Bible tale of how mankind needs saving.
Next, we might try to think of the whole "shedding of blood" scenario as the most ancient and worthless of early man's ideas. It is a barbaric notion that pouring out blood means anything other than that something had to die for a weirdo religious crackpot to do his thing.
Let us face facts. The fact is that the earth was not specially made for mankind. How do I know? Well, the remains of several million dinosaurs over a period of millions and millions of years shows they were here first. And more than that, these animals were mostly two groups: flesh-eating and ferocious predators and peaceful and innocent vegetarians that feared for their lives. What is the point of all that in god's great scheme of things? Death and destruction are everywhere in nature from the most primordial times. I see nothing of a supreme being in all that.
As far as Jesus dying for mankind....let us look at that for just a second. Jesus said: "Father, forgive them for they KNOW NOT what they do". And I ask you in return, is Jesus basing his desire for the forgiveness on :
1.Faith? No, the people who killed him showed no faith in him.
2.Accurate knowledge of god's purposes and messianic kingdom? No, they are ignorant and opposed.
3.Response to a divine plan? No. Jesus is just saying forgive them because these people don't have a clue!
So, how then, can we create a whole religious doctrine around faith, baptism, preaching, joining, believing etc if Jesus himself based forgiveness in his dying moments on the simple fact that sinners did not have a clue what they were doing?
The bible, it seems to me, based on my explorations of history and scholarly writings, is a far-fetched assemblage of crackpot ideas, wrong-headed guesses, and mystical story-telling mixed in with political and folk inspired traditions.
Keep this in mind, however, for thousands of years very very smart people have done everything they can to keep it all pasted together and looking shipshape in order to refute just such an accusation!
Religious people must have a power base. The Bible serves that purpose. If a religious group can claim special and mystical inside information UNavailable to the rank and file peon; then and only then do they have them in the palm of their hand to manipulate.
I personally don't bother trying to piece together all those old weirdo ideas and try and make logical sense out of them. Why? Because there is no "there" there. You'll get about as comprehensive a world view at the local looney bin interviewing people who think they are Napoleon.
The bible is a shadow of man's interior confusion about his own postulates and suppositions, fears and projections. When man controls and abuses other men, it is always in the name of some peculiar document. The bible is among the worst of these.
I ask that no one take what I say on face value. Feel free to think and choose what appeals to you. For my own sanity I have chosen this view. I invite anyone to read about how the bible was put together by the editors and redactors through the ages and THEN make a determination. That is what I've done.
Terry