Re: on original sin

hmmm...  i really don't like to get involved in any kind of discussion
centering on the details and differences between religions... but.. i have to
say here that you all seem to be missing the meaning behind the concept of
"original sin".  original sin is a catholic concept, and the absolution for
it is baptism, which is the closest thing i can think of to the shahada - it
is a joining of the faith.  (in catholicism, confirmation is the commitment,
as you pass puberty, to serve god in your adult life.  maybe this is like
shahada part two.) 

the "original sin" was not disobeying god, it was disobeying god in order to
obtain that knowledge which was said to be unavailable to humans.  as far as
i know, muslims share this belief, that there is knowledge god has which is
beyond humans, and god does not permit access to it.

the punishment for that original sin was not that humans were evil, and
original sin, does not equate in any way with evil - it equates with "not in
a state of grace".  now, again, as far as i know, muslims also recognize
being in and out of states of grace - the purpose of wudu is to put one in a
state of purity/grace in order to present oneself directly before god.

we are all living the punishment for the original sin, by our existence here
on this earth.	the punishment, if you'll recall, was banishment from
paradise to earth.  now you can look at this any way you want, but the
religions are mostly consistent.  i'm not even sure what the point of
dwelling in the realm of difference is -- to me it's beside the point of a
relationship with god.