Upon entering the world the soul of the human being is innocent and the relationship of this innocent soul with the world is one of of immediacy. Everything appears good and absolute, indeed, is good and absolute to the innocent soul. Confined in time and space, the soul eventually makes contact with the negative in existence, the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and reflecting from this negative the soul loses immediacy and innocence and now, in the reflective relationship with the world of relativity is tempted by the negative and becomes guilty. In order to regain lost innocence the soul must discover the presence of absolute good within the world of relativity and reflect once more to discover the redemptive power of this absolute good. With faith in this power the soul can rediscover its innocent relationship with the world, free from the illusory power of the negative. Only the paradoxical presence of the absolute within the world of relativity can trigger this double reflection, the necessary precursor to faith.
