Original Sin Jewelry Manifesto

Howdy Jewelry Fans!  What’s in a name? What’s in THIS name— Original Sin Jewelry? I’ve enjoyed chatting about this topic with many of you in my booth at art fair’s over the years, but for those of you who are just finding me, it may seem a bit of an enigma. I get it. So let’s get into it so you get it. Let me bare my authentic, conscious self to your authentic, conscious self. Who knows, we may even find a bit of Satisfaction at the end of it.  

In one simple sentence: I’m a recovered Catholic. 

Feel free to skip the rest of this Journal post if that’s enough information for you. Those with greater curiosity, read on!

Raised Catholic, I had no idea what Original Sin meant. As a young child in CCD (Catholic indoctrination programs held at parishes all across the world), we never discussed Original Sin. We learned about Mary, Mother of God, Jesus, Son of God, and God. And the Pope. I learned about confession, about Priests interceding on my behalf with God. This worked, it’s how I was raised. I found no fault in these ideas. It was the only truth.

But is there ever only ONE truth??

In college I became exposed to the Bible. The Christian word of God, truth, undiluted, no Priest required to intercede. Jesus, God incarnate, became a man that I could talk directly to in prayer. I became deeply involved with a Christian organization present at college campuses all across the US while I attended Catholic Mass just about 6 days a week during my 4 years at the United States Naval Academy. I was religiously conflicted. My past, my comfort lay with the Catholic Church, but my deeply personal relationship with deity through the word of God was without peer.

As I served my nation, I began to question why women could not serve their God? Why were there no women priests? Why did this national Christian organization have no women in positions of leadership?? Many of you must already know the answer, it’s become the heart of my personal rebellion:  Original Sin. The first act of Original Sin, committed by Eve in the Garden of Eden so stained an entire gender that for perpetuity the unclean hands of any woman could never, ever serve God without corruption. 

Woah. 

I could die for my country, but not serve my God as a leader in faith?? I had Christian classmates question my place at the United States Naval Academy. Question my calling to serve. Question my right to answer that calling based on a chapter and verse written by who really knows who, who really knows when. As Ruth served her community by becoming a Judge, why could I not answer my call to serve and defend my country with every part of my heart and soul?

Original Sin

Fast forward almost a decade, to the Baptism of my youngest son at the Navy Chapel on the Newport, Rhode Island Naval Base.  The service was performed by a Naval Chaplain. Exhausted and overwhelmed as only new mothers can be, I sat in the pew with my parents listening to the ceremony.  I listened to the Priest explain what a lovely and important day Baptism was for the newly born. I listened to him explain that up until a couple of decades ago, mother’s were not even allowed at the Baptism of their children for the fear that the stain of Original Sin within the mother could be passed onto the newly born child. The Priest explained how wonderful and progressive the Catholic Church was to allow mother’s to be present. The year was 2000, not 1950, it was the dawn of a new millennium. Wasn’t it?

I took my oldest and walked out of the chapel. My parents got up and followed me out. There it was again.

Original Sin

Religion. Politics. Gender. Power. Catholic. Lutheran. Baptist. Christian. 

Original Sin

I’ve made Original Sin mine, Jewelry Fans. I’ve decided not to be held down or back by Original Sin. I strive not to tempt or be tempted, but to be Authentic, as God made me. With my expansive whole soul I reject the subjugation of my gender due to a story in a book. Is not the serpent the manifestation of evil, and the human, well, human? When we bridge the distances between us, when we learn to live with the uncomfortable knowledge that no one person, gender or group has an innate power to rule another, then perhaps we will transcend the human condition and create something truly beautiful in this world. 

And in the mean time, Jewelry Fans, we will strive to Be Satisfied, Be Conscious, and Be Authentic.