Indeed, I was born guilty, a sinner when my mother conceived me.” vs. 5
Psalm 51:1-5
We would just as soon ignore verses like this one when we read scripture. It conjures up old teachings about original sin that have been less than helpful as we’ve battled issues of shame and guilt in our lives. It seems to be a contradiction of our innate goodness as a child of God, and more than that, it implies that somehow our sin is related to our sexuality. Sadly, some religious leaders have used this verse to make the essence of the sexual act dirty or perverse. Now it is true that human sexuality is an area where abuse and even violence is experienced by many in our society. The great intimacy of the sexual act makes us vulnerable on multiple levels, and many have a hard time expressing their sexual needs or even describing their sexual orientation. But it doesn’t make it any easier when we go to the bible for proof that our basic feelings of guilt can be traced back to the sexual act that gave us life. Perhaps the psalmist was trying to say that he had always been aware of his basic selfishness, and that even as a child he’d failed to live as God desired. Many of us could agree with that. Those who have had children see stubborn and selfish tendencies at a young age, almost as soon as a child can walk and talk. Sin does show up early in our lives, but sex is not the reason!
Thought for the Day: What did my parents teach me about sex?
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