septembern :

"If Glenn's statement is true, then, that a baby that dies in the first few weeks after birth should be condemned to hell, because they are "evil"... This itself cannot be true in the sense that the baby does not have any real conscience that guides it to help it know right and wrong..."

Actually, that is the reason why a child would not be going to hell...because they are not capable in making those decisions (Look up Age of Accountability). Look at the story of David's son dying.

"His servants asked him, “Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!” He answered, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, ‘Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live.’ But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.” (2 Samuel 12:21-23)

They still do wrong, and some of that knowledge is not gained from their parents. It is the from their nature.

play4fun :

Can you truthfully say that babies are born evil?

Really I cannot believe that babies are born sinners... They have done nothing wrong yet and do not know better...

To be ignorant is not to be evil, or we are all evil, because we all are ignorant in many matters. When we do the best we can, then we are considered good. Likewise, a baby's best can't be considered evil, because they do not know anything yet...

septembern : Born evil does not mean you can only do evil. From the fall of Man, sin has corrupted everything in our mind, will, and actions since birth. As we grow older, and start to know how to do more things physically, our actions reveal more of our sinful thoughts.

Personally, I think Nurture (parents/peers/environment) would either intensify the sinfulness or holding back from it. But no matter what, our actions and our thought life would still be corrupted by sin from the beginning.

Do you have to teach a child to lie in order for a child to lie? Do you have to teach a child to be self-centered? Do you have to teach a child to be selfish? Think about what happens if you do not discipline a child. What would that produce? I would say that if the nurture part does not try to point in the right direction, the child will be a monster.

Study the concept of Total Depravity.

I thought there was a age limit, like if your around 8 years old you can now goto hell. It makes me laugh too.

I think that we are born a clean slate and only through our upbringing and things that happen in our lives make us "good" or "evil."

I better rephrase what I said. As a christian, I believe that we are born with a sin nature.

All people are born neutral, they are morphed into good people or bad people by who they are influenced and taught by, mainly their parents. Teachers also have some influence but it's the people who raise you that have the ultimate influence on who you are going to be.