Remember that apple? The one in the story? It’s not what you think it is. Some stories say that it was from the Tree of Knowledge, but that was the greatest deception of all. It was from the Tree of Belief. The sin of man was not to know more, but to abandon faith and believe that he knows more. It is to turn away from God, and believe our own truths. It’s why we make unjustifiable rules, and write Books, and start wars, and judge others, and pull triggers, and to not take responsibility that we were there pulling the trigger, too. We made it seem like a good idea.

We believe hard, because that original sin still controls us. We Believe that our religion is superior, that homosexuality is a sin, that others are dangerous, that women are inferior, that the Bible is true, that we should be in control, that violence is an answer, that guns keep us safe, that anyone deserves to die.

Today, it is hard for me to have faith that we can move past this original sin. Do you want to see the face of God or the face of Christ? Then put your Book away. Live among people who hate you and want you to die. Feed them, anyway. Give them health care, anyway. Listen to their sadness, anyway. Welcome them to your home, anyway. Accept their inheritance as children of Creation, anyway. Pray for them, anyway.

What? Don’t have the courage for that? Not what God calls you to do? Still believe in laws and rules and Books? Then maybe there’s some apple stuck in your throat.