Original sin: How to bring your child up in the doctrine of original sin

The doctrine of original sin is the most misused of Christian teachings. Yet, original sin is the backbone of Christianity. Without original sin, there would be no reason for a Christ. It is a myth that you have to break the will of a child in order to teach them about original sin. Children are sinners, but so are us as adults. 

We as human beings are a fallen species, and are deserving of nothing but DEATH and PUNISHMENT merely for existing in relation to God. Only a few people are saved, with the rest headed towards eternal torment. Aren't we all sinners in the hands of an angry God? We as a species have a peacekeeping past that kept children down, and thus we need to atone for our peacekeeping past. See Rom. 3:9-12.

Teaching original sin is part of proper Christian teaching. That teaching takes place in the context of a mutual submission relationship between parent and child. See Ephesians 6:1-4 KJV:

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

The Greek root word translated "obey" is υπακουο (Latin: hupakouo) and refers to secure, vulnerable rest in the love and submission of parents. This word ultimately refers to a secure attachment between parents and children in the family home. This secure attachment comes from parent submission, where parents are to submit to their children just as they would to God, from beneath yet from above, expecting absolutely nothing in return. See also Matt. 22:35-40.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to wrath" is παροργίζο (Latin: parorgizo) and refers to damages or offenses, namely the slightest or personal offense perceived by a child, including, but not limited to, the slightest of offensive touch or speech perceived by a child, stemming from entitlement. This commandment was intended by the Apostle Paul, and understood in its original context, as a moral statute prohibiting all forms of punitive parenting, including, but not limited to, any punishments, reprimands, or other controlling demeanor towards a child. In the Old Testament, punitive parents were put to death by way of bloodletting, after punishing their children one last time. The parents who punished their children were charged with kidnapping, with "kidnapping" being defined under the Law as the slightest of damages or offenses stemming from hostage-taking - child punishment was seen in biblical times as holding your child hostage merely for things that they did wrong, thereby treating your child as a quartered slave. Paul here was lifting up the Law in order to convict a group of Greek Christian parents in the parish at Ephesus who brought their pagan custom of spanking and punishing children into the church. Paul, contrary to popular legend, was anti-spanking, and opposed any and all punishment of a child in his secular writings. Paul may not have gotten along with the women of the church, but he sure loved children, and even took in a few orphaned children during his time as a deacon.

The Greek root word translated "nurture" is παιδεία (Latin: paideia) and refers to here, in this context. modeling and encouraging Christian discipline in children. The Christian standard of discipline is deserving of absolutely nothing, therefore grateful for absolutely everything, coming from a sinful nature, leading to a chastened up example for children to follow. Christian parents in the Early Church centered their entitlement in view of their children, with children then following in their parents' footsteps. Children in biblical times were caught being good, as opposed to being caught being bad. Whenever children were caught by fathers showing good traits - such as sharing, being patient, or showing self-control - they were lavishly praised and encouraged with statements such as "keep headed down the straight path". Boys were given manly praise by fathers when caught being good, whereas girls were given a kiss to the forehead by fathers when caught being good. Children also need religious instruction. The Greek root word translated "admonition" is νουθεσία (Latin: nouthesia) and refers to the instruction of the Lord. Religious instruction started out with fathers leaving out a Bible for children to discover and explore. When children were caught reading the Bible, they were given lavish praise and encouragement with statements such as "that book is good for you". From there, religious instruction came in question and answer format, based off of what children saw in the text. Children were eager to learn the facts of life, with fathers giving pointers as to the context. Religious development is a part of child development, as religion is a human need for children and adults alike. Younger children - in most cases past age 6 - start out with simplistic religious beliefs non-conforming to any religious denomination or sect. However, as children get older, they start to grow towards a specific religious denomination. It might not be the religion you would choose, but at least they have values.

Original sin is bound to come up in the religious instruction of children, with children asking questions about sin and atonement. At some point, children ask the question "why did they have to kill Jesus?". The right way to answer this question is to say "We all are sinners as human beings, and so we needed a Christ to give His life for us so that we can be forgiven". Most children will gather from that discussion that mankind is born in original sin. Most children won't be scared by that realization. Some children will need extra comfort from fathers in order to fully absorb the fact that they too are sinners.

What motivates a child to hear out the instruction of fathers? Why not start out with a secure attachment with mothers? For the first 6 years of childhood, children were in constant closeness to mothers, meaning that wherever the mother went, so did her child. For the first 2 years of childhood, children were constantly held by mothers, either in her loving arms, or on mom's back in a papoose bag when her hands were full. Between ages 2-6, children ranged next to mothers, following her from room to room, not allowing mom out of their line of sight, morbidly fearing that mom would "go away and never come back". Whenever children cried, mothers cooed at children before picking them up, and from there, she diagnosed the need and then met that need. When mothers and children under age 6 were out and about in public, children were wrapped up next to the bosom of mothers in swaddling blankets, with the swaddling blankets - and the child with them - being tucked underneath the loose-fitting, revealing dress worn by mothers. Come nightfall, children co-slept next to mothers in skin-on-skin format, with this skin-on-skin co-sleeping closeness happening every night, until the onset of puberty, which is when children wanted their own place to sleep. Children in biblical times went naked wherever they went, with mothers also going naked within the confines of the family home. This birth nudity setup helped facilitate easy skin-on-skin sustaining warmth, with skin-on-skin friction happening every time the child was picked up. 

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their children to wrath through punitive parenting will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast forever into the lake of fire and burning sulfur, which is the second death prepared for Satan and his accomplices! Let them descend into the abyss which is the ever-burning Hell of fire and torment, suffering God's Wrath day and night forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!