Sevulturus wrote:I'm honestly trying to learn here, since so many of my arguments are based on what I know, I'd like to know what I'm missing.
Jeff, here's pure personal experience, all philosophy and opinion aside.
As an Air Force officer, I saw what appeared to be the goodness of mankind in the majority of those I had contact with. "Yes Sir" was the common response to most of what I had to say. Keep in mind I had authority over many of them that could make or break their careers. My superior officers also respected me and sought my opinions.
As a Self-employed Garbage man, driving one of my own trucks, for the last 9 1/2 years, I have seen the blackness of the heart of man in the VAST majority of those I come in contact with. Pure experience, nothing more. I have had a person say to me "you are what you do" and point into my truck because she forgot to bring her trash out to the road. I have had a person call me a "low life trash person" because I didn't pick up the mess from her dog-strewn garbage...untied garbage bags and all. I have had a man chase me through the countryside and try to beat me up (unsucessfully) for cutting him off for non-payment of his bill. I am now leaving this business, after 125 people paid their bill late in the month of October, and I am out of money. I have watched my business fold due to undercut pricing from out of town..pricing that won't save each customer enough for one more carton of cigarettes per year.
I could relay hundreds of examples of who man really is underneath...yes, stories of that rated videos in one bag and vacation bible scool supplies in the one next to it from the same house. I understand the well-founded scepticism of non- Christians that is based on observation of hypocritical believers. People will eventually fail, if you are watching them instead of watching God. People have failed me many, many times...God still provides.
The point is, my experience has convinced me beyond any doubt, that man is inherently evil, just like the bible says. That's why Madeline Murry O'hare was able to remove prayer from the schools. After all, what should atheists care about prayer? Nobody ever told them they had to do it, but the right to do it at the beginning of an activity (when we seek the blessing of God on that activity) has been taken from us. Guess what, it doesn't matter, because we pray anyway. You see, the concept if "civil liberty" is the biggest word game of all...freedom without accountability. Only biblical concepts are being challenged, really. Those who don't believe get pretty wound up, and so do those on religious soapboxes. There are, however, many Christians living godly lives, and doing their best to make more Christians. This is the main teaching of Christ. We are to love one another, and show the narrow way to heaven. We get nothing more for this, but a new believer is saved from eternity in Hell. God wants as many of us with him as possible, and believing is the way. Your logical breakdown is actually quite good, Jeff. You do, however, need to insert the variable of redemption, since it is part of the bible plan for salvation. Inserting the ten commandments without it, is lopsided, and will lead to confusion. Once you insert that part (you already alluded to the impossiblility of the sinless man), the way is very clear, indeed. Only a loving God would forgive us, and let us spend eternity with him, and I've see dramatic life change in sincere believers. The Christian is supposed to be concerned about the eternal salvation of others, so saving someone from a burning house would give the opportuinity to glorify God, and present the gospel, if done with the right heart. I like your intense study of this, and just hope you'll do as C.S. Lewis did...study Christ as an Aethiest, and come out of it as a Christian.
That's my experience, and some of what I believe, and why. U2u me if you want some scriptures to look at.
I wouldnt look into it too much or take offense. 
