Wretched

So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. (Romans 7:21-25)

Nature v nurture. “I was born this way:” with a natural tendency to sin in whatever way it is I do, whether eating too much, lying, or homosexuality. I have a genetic predisposition to alcoholism, addiction, violence, fear, or whatever they are now claiming is genetic. I have my mother’s face and fear of spiders and my father’s stubborn. As we hear this, some people say, “Hogwash!” and others nod their heads sympathetically. They understand. I do a little of both.
         The last I heard, there is no substantiated, peer-reviewed, good evidence of genetic predispositions to any particular sin. I’m glad about this because if there were, one could test a baby in utero and determine, “This kid’s going to grow up to be a serial killer,” or “This kid’s going to grow up to be homosexual” and parents would face the decision of someone who will make the world suffer, or someone the world will make suffer into the world. Would we become like Iceland, where Down’s Syndrome has almost been eliminated, through the abortion of nearly all children who test positive for it? How horrific, but if you knew your unborn child was likely to become the next Jeffrey Dahmer, what would you do? They already promote abortion for children who have some conditions on the grounds that it spares the child a life of pain. Why not add homosexuals to the list?
          I already think our society is sick in promoting the abortion of babies just because they might have birth defects. I think this idea is abhorrent, but if we could predict such things based on genetics, I suspect there are some people who would. And if the doctor didn’t report said findings to the parents, would he not be held liable? Do we hold the parents liable if they determine to give birth to someone predisposed to violence? Liberals protest for the right of a woman over her own body, but should we sterilize children who show genetic predispositions so they don’t pass their faulty genes on. Such a genocidal society a scenario for a dystopian novel. I’m glad we don’t have that definitive proof of the genetic connection.

At the same time, we don’t tell those who claim to have a genetic predisposition for violence that it’s acceptable for them to live out that heritage. Serial killers aren’t freed and granted immunity from prosecution because they’re victims of a genetic aberration. Genetic predispositions don’t eliminate responsibilities. In fact, were they proven there would be some who would restrict the victims from circumstances that would likely trigger their predisposed traits. If you are predisposed to violence, how dare you participate in football, boxing, hunting…? There are some who apply this to those who might have a predisposition to overeating. “You’re fat! You’re gross! You need to lose weight! How dare you starve kids in Kenya so you can maintain yours super-sized self! How can you stand to impose your hideousness on our healthy eyes? Do you really think you need to eat that?” We need to lock ourselves away on a fat farm somewhere until we learn to keep our appetite under control. Then, there are other sins that not only get a reusable get out of jail free card, but society is compelled to promote as acceptable behavior. How dare we not tell them that their predisposed behavior is fine? After all, they’re victims of their genetics.

The fact is that we are genetically predisposed, perhaps not to a particular sin though I think that is a possibility. The genetic predisposition does not free us from responsibility. At least some folks are still expected to make good choices, choices that control if they cannot overcome. They understand their wretchedness. We protect others from it because “no one deserves to be that miserable” except (of course) those whose sins we can’t accept.
          In denying others the right to their wretchedness, in trying to cover it up with “it’s natural, it’s normal, there’s nothing wrong, you have every right to be what you are” are we doing harm? Is protecting people from their wretchedness because we empathize (imagine how you would feel) beneficial? If so, why do we not empathize with the serial killer? Or with the Down’s Syndrome kids in Iceland who are denied birth because Iceland has eradicated that genetic disease?
          The first step in solving a problem is recognizing that there is a problem. I’m not suggesting we should treat one another wretchedly, but putting a bandage on gangrene doesn’t help. We need to look at our wretchedness, deal with it honestly, and recognize that there is help through our Lord Jesus Christ. His help may not make the wretchedness disappear, but it leads to victory rather than the defeat of just “accepting” it.