Someone please explain what Doctrine of original intent is!?

Answer 1

Whenever you are faced with a legal document -- there will be some things it covers and some things that are unclear or ambiguous -- so the issue will always arise on how those unclear or fuzzy areas should be interpreted.

The doctrine of original intent says that when you are unsure, look first to what the people who wrote the document (original) meant (intended). That guide then serves to show how you should interpret the document.

In contracts -- this is called the understanding of the parties -- and is used to fill in ambiguous areas not covered by the actual text. You ask the parties, and then go from there.

In constitutional law -- it is a model for how to interpret the current constitutional framework. The problem is -- we cannot ask people 220+ years ago what they intended.

Answer 2

We cannot ask those people directly, but the original intent of the founders was very clearly stated in the effort to convince New York to ratify the Constitution. Madison, Jay, and Hamilton published a massive series of op ed pieces now called the Federalist Papers.

Lesser known are the ANTI-Federalist papers by Patrick Henry and others, who feared a central government.

Answer 3

1. Augustine invented this doctrine around 400AD. Paul did not believe this. 2. No it is not true 3. All scriptures outside of the few that Augustine chose, out of context from Paul's writings, agree that there is no original sin. Otherwise, God is lying when he says in Jer. 31:15-16 This is what the LORD says: "A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because her children are no more." This is what the LORD says: "Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for your work will be rewarded," declares the LORD. "They will return from the land of the enemy." Because Matthew tells us that this passage was fulfilled when Herod killed all the children around Bethlehem, we know that "restrain your voice from weeping... they will return from the land of the enemy" means the parents will see their children again. Where? In heaven of course. Why? Because they had no sin -- yet. There are dozens of similar passages. 4. The idea of "Pauline" doctrines is also unbiblical. Peter says he is in complete agreement with Paul -- see 2 Peter 3:15. Also, God testifies (2 Pet. 1:20-21) that there is no opinion added to his word by the authors of the books. Finally, Psalm 51 has nothing to do with original sin. David is speaking figuratively "SURELY, I was sinful in my mother's womb...", he NEVER says he inherited original sin. In another psalm he says something like "they were liars from birth" -- no child is born speaking, let alone lying.