Did God create humans "perfect"?

Did God originally make humans perfect?

Statement:
"Religion can never reform a man because religion is slavery" - Robert Ingersoll

World Religion focuses on outward appearances and a form of moralism while the inner person loves and is enslaved to sin. Unlike Christianity where God changes a person through faith in Christ - He converts the inner man to love righteousness, frees them from sins chains, (as well as makes them right with God and gives them the gift of eternal life) 😊.

But note, man is either trapped as a slave to sin and evil, or is a slave to righteousness and holiness through freedom in Christ. He frees us from the curse and bondage of sin, (with its traps, and damnation for those who die in it), so we can live rightly.

The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus. Romans 6:23

Atheist reply: your OT "Creation" story seems to state that YHWH intentionally created humans with inferior capabilities to himself. And that later he apparently punishes them for a mistake that HE HIMSELF MADE.

otherwise, apparently humans are tasked with correcting God's mistakes.

Christian:
no. YHWH created us perfect. We sinned in Eden... and brought the Fall. Humans Sin has been causing non stop problems, suffering and ripplimg effects since then.

Atheist:  your book does not say that he made them perfect, it does claim that "he made them in his image" but evidently they were not gods, hence inferior to himself or even the talking snake for that matter.

that was a mistake if God is expecting better behavior from them.

Christian:  no God makes all things perfect.

See points 1, 2 and 3 here for a little more clarity.

"Humanity was created in righteousness and perfect innocence - a reflection of God’s holiness. God saw all He had made (humanity included) and called it “very good” (Genesis 1:31). Our conscience or “moral compass” is a vestige of that original state. Whenever someone writes a law, recoils from evil, praises good behavior, or feels guilty, he or she is confirming the fact that we are made in God’s own image."(1)

All of what God created was good. Scripture clearly says this. Which is why after disobedience (which is sin which is rebellion) the Scriptures refer to humans as the Fallen, the world in ref to the Fall and why the rest of scripture show us that since Eden the OT tells us God is going to destroy the power of death (the wages we earn for sinning) and the NT tells us how he did it - thru Jesus. 

The entire Bible continually points to God fixing what humans messed up. And it is only because He made us to fellowship with and glorify Him, that this is being offered...unlike with the fallen angels who have no hope of redemption and are awaiting everlasting punishment in eternal Hell once Judgment Day arrives. They collectively clearly know it too per NT. 

But God has chosen mercy and grace and love and forgiveness towards us humans (who lived not in Heaven in His holy presence always, but on Earth), and that grace and mercy and forgiveness cost the perfect one the God man Jesus Christ [God being the only perfect one in existence] greatly. Only He was able to do what was required to redeem us. Another perfect Adam had to be the one to accomplish this since no "sinful" man could ever be qualified. And since he completed that mission....we should run to God in gratitude and go recieve that salvation. 

He is the only compassionate and living God (among any false gods on earth [which were only created by mens minds]) who is. And Christ is the only Savior. 

Hope that helps.

NeedGod.com

Note: through Christ's sacrifice a just and legal transaction happens and frees you from paying the penalty.  And in all of this God showed his love towards us that while we were sinners and his enemies... he still came to die for us [in our place] so we could recieve the above, which results in a restored fellowship with Him [which was severed in Eden], enabling us by His ppwer to live a right life, and gift gives us eternal life.

Note, JESUS was and is NOT RELIGION.  He is GOD.

Religion can never bring man to GOD. He is not good enough, nor can he ever be. So, he will continue in his bondage, continuing to beat his head against a wall. The answer is the SAVIOR and HIS sacrifice for our sins, legally releasing us from the curse that sin brought. At salvation he places HIS SPIRIT in our hearts WHO then truly can be our righteouness with HIMSELF. We are clothed in Christ's righteousness and awaiting  glory.

Christianity is surrendering your life to a eternal "relationship" with GOD, not attempting to vainly reach HIM in your own sinful effort through man made "religion". You can never reach Him because you are sinful. You have nothing that can help you reach him or save you from him. Your only hope is Christ. He is the only one given by God by whom man has hope and can be a refuge to save us from God's wrath against sin. All sin is in fact against God and on Judgment Day he will bring perfect justice against every single sin both great and small, if it has not been paid in full by Christ on that persons behalf.

And on the topic of Redemption... thank God he went about our redemption in this way -so we were not stuck in the sin nature status in these fallen bodies eternally, (as if zombies forever as the living dead). Instead he will give us new glorified perfect bodies at Christ's return [both to those in Heaven and on Earth who are redeemed] which will never have sin staining them [they will be eternal and perfect bodies].

Praise God.

We only deserve wrath and eternal Hell. We are unworthy of any salvation, love, blessing, relationship with Him, or eternal life and yet he offers it.

Flee to Him today. He is as a loving Father who has his arms wide open and wants to embrace you. But just like children who do wrong we need to repent and turn to him. And he will restore what was lost and broken and the relationship thru reconciliation will be restored. 

Repent and put your trust in Him today. 

Footnotes:

(1) What does "being made in Gods Image" mean? at GotQuestions.org