confront the reality that things are not as they ought to be. I think that if we accept that sin is a reality in this world, then our understanding of everything in it (culture, ourselves, other people, nature, science, art) must be informed by that reality. Anonymous I don't see the existence of struggle or imperfection as a sign that things are wrong. Being imperfect and making mistakes, to me, just sort of go with the whole "being a limited being" thing. I find that "people are basically good, we just make mistakes and have to train ourselves to not make those particular mistakes anymore" is better for my psychiatric health than "people are hopelessly broken and I'll never be able to improve because the world has gone WRONG." Which is kind of the thought process that original sin tends to lead to when your brain is wired to be clinically depressed. Drew I take it you have never read OR you're not a fan of OR you have cut out Romans 3 in your Bible. Anonymous I have had it memorized since I was in elementary school. However, "ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God," means "ME TOO." As Jesus constantly pointed out, it's bad form to point out the speck in your neighbors eye when you have a plank lodged in your own. As we judge others, so shall we BE judged. I also don't see how "treat gay couples with basic human dignity"