The Myth of Original Sin vs. the Truth of Original Wholeness

Critiquing Theological Frameworks through the Lens of New Thought

“Your true nature is not fallen, but infinite.”

For centuries, Western religion has been shaped by a concept so deeply ingrained that many take it as self-evident: the idea that we are born in sin. This doctrine, known as Original Sin, posits that humanity is inherently flawed, stained from birth by the transgression of our mythic ancestors. From this framework, salvation is not a matter of remembering who we are but of being rescued from what we are. But what if this premise is false? What if we are not broken to begin with?

New Thought philosophy challenges this ancient myth with a liberating truth: we are born not in sin but in Spirit. We are whole. We are good. We are expressions of the Infinite.

This essay critiques the old theology of Original Sin and proposes instead a framework of Original Wholeness—the recognition that we are divine beings by nature, not by exception.

The Historical Roots of a Damaging Doctrine

The idea of Original Sin traces back to St. Augustine in the 4th century, who developed it as a response to the growing influence of Pelagianism—a belief in human free will and moral responsibility. Augustine argued that humanity inherited Adam and Eve's sin, thus making every person born guilty and in need of redemption. Over time, this theological innovation became orthodoxy in Western Christianity, deeply influencing Catholicism and later Protestantism.

But more than a theological stance, Original Sin served a social function. By defining all humans as inherently sinful and requiring salvation through the church, institutional religion gained immense control over individual lives. It made obedience a virtue and doubt a vice. It transformed spiritual curiosity into moral danger.

The Psychological and Cultural Toll

The consequences of this worldview have been far-reaching. Psychologically, the belief in inherent sin fosters shame, guilt, and feelings of unworthiness. People raised in this theology often internalize the idea that they are broken, dirty, or even deserving of suffering.

Culturally, Original Sin has justified domination. If human nature is depraved, then institutions must control it. This belief has been used to validate patriarchal authority, colonial conquest, and the suppression of bodily autonomy. It distorts our relationship with our own bodies, teaching us to distrust pleasure and view sexuality with suspicion.

Worse still, it has alienated humanity from nature. If the world is a fallen place and our instincts are sinful, then the natural world becomes something to subdue rather than something to cherish. This dualism, rooted in the fall-from-grace narrative, underlies many of the ecological crises we face today.

New Thought: Reclaiming Original Wholeness

Against this backdrop, New Thought offers a radical and healing alternative. Rooted in the metaphysical traditions of the 19th century, New Thought asserts that each individual is a unique expression of the Divine Mind. We are not born sinners. We are born whole.

Ernest Holmes, founder of the Science of Mind, writes: “There is nothing to heal, only Truth to be revealed.” This idea is revolutionary. It flips the narrative from one of brokenness to one of forgetfulness. Our problem is not that we are evil, but that we have forgotten our inherent good.

Sin, in the New Thought framework, is not a moral failing or inherited defect. It is mistaken identity. It is the false belief that we are separate from God, unworthy of love, or incapable of spiritual power. When we awaken to our true nature, these illusions dissolve.

Jesus as Wayshower, Not Savior

This shift in understanding also reorients how we view spiritual teachers, particularly Jesus. In the doctrine of Original Sin, Jesus is the ultimate fixer—a savior who dies to atone for humanity’s depravity. But in New Thought, Jesus is not a ransom; he is a mirror.

He shows us what is possible when a human being fully remembers their divine origin. He does not demand worship but invites embodiment. The “Christ within” is not a metaphor. It is a reality waiting to be realized in each of us. In this view, salvation is not a transaction but a transformation—a return to awareness.

The Fruits of a Different Story

When we let go of the myth of Original Sin and embrace the truth of Original Wholeness, everything changes. Our self-image is no longer built on lack but on abundance. We begin to treat ourselves and others as sacred. We become less fearful and more free.

This awareness has practical implications. It encourages compassion rather than judgment. It supports justice rather than control. If every person is inherently divine, then oppression becomes blasphemy. Exploitation becomes spiritual ignorance. War, poverty, and prejudice become signs not of moral depravity, but of forgotten divinity.

Letting Go of the Old, Welcoming the New

As we move further into the 21st century, it is time to let go of stories that shrink the soul. The world does not need more shame. It needs more remembrance. The doctrine of Original Sin belongs to an era of hierarchy, fear, and institutional dominance. It has done its damage.

What humanity needs now is a story of Original Wholeness. One that affirms we are not fallen, but rising. Not damned, but divine. Not separate, but one.

In New Thought, this is not wishful thinking. It is spiritual realism. It is the deep and enduring truth that beneath every wound is wisdom, beneath every fear is freedom, and beneath every illusion is the light of infinite love.

Let us live from that truth. Let us teach our children that they are whole, not broken. Let us rebuild our systems on love, not fear. And let us remember what we truly are: not sinners in need of saving, but souls awakening to their original light.

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Further Reading

• The Science of Mind by Ernest Holmes

• Discover the Power Within You by Eric Butterworth

• Original Blessing by Matthew Fox

• This Thing Called You by Ernest Holmes

• The Edinburgh Lectures on Mental Science by Thomas Troward

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