Solomon Kane
Inactive
I am also a Christian and understand that we are all born into sin. But I don't see how that affects children in a way that makes them predisposed to evil actions. Evil, like good is a part of us all. What brings out either side is as three five seven put it, positive or negative parenting. Garbage in, garbage out. Although I certainly don't believe that in every bad kid is a good kid waiting to come out. Once a kid has been taught things one way or another, it's practically impossible to unlearn him/her from those things.
I seem to remember that our justice system was much more harsher on parents when their kids under 18 broke laws than it is today. Presumably the reasoning was a common sense one. If the kid is bad, it is due to bad parenting, therefore the parents have to suffer the price. Nowadays though I notice more and more kids being tried as adults even under the age of 18. Does this mean the laws have changed?
According to Christian theology (which I hold to), we are born totally depraved. We are not good in any way. This is a genetic trait, if you will, passed on by Adam (which is why Christ could not have an earthly father). To simply say we are born in sin, but then say we are partly good is to contradict yourself.
To this day I can remember the first time I ever lied. I pushed my sister down a flight of stairs (something no one taught me to do) and when I asked if I had done it, I said, "No." Cruelty and deceit, these are not vices I was taught. They came naturally to me. By God's grace alone, can I hope to overcome them.
To put the sole blame on parenting is also wrong. I have seen many good families produce a bad kid. I have seen one brother in a good family go bad, while the rest became honorable salt of the earth type folk. I've also seen good kids come from situations where they had no coming out as good kids. Parenting plays a large part, but it is not the only answer to our dilemna.