Most people who know who Sigmund Freud is tend to laugh at his theories. Stuff like the disturbing Oedipus complex and his obsession with libido being the driving element behind human behavior tends to put us off. From what I hear, most of Freud’s theories have been discredited (though I am not certain on this). However, a very heterodox friend of mine recently made an interesting point. Here’s the quote:

I am honestly surprised that more Christians are not accepting of the psychoanalytic tradition. It seems to me that monstrous state of our sexual drives uncovered by Sigmund Freud and the theology of original sin preached by St. Paul are quite congruent. Our modern sensibilities revolt against the idea that infants and children are sexual beings, but if we are truly born in original sin, then it is not so absurd to believe that infants and children are sexually perverse. I have always felt that psychoanalysis is the only psychology that takes original sin as a permanent feature of human existence.

Basically, according to him Freud’s ideas are a perfect match with original sin, especially in the form of total depravity, as we Calvinists believe.

What do you think? Could Freud have been a good Calvinist? Or, to put it less facetiously, do you think Freud’s ideas on psychoanalysis really make good sense in harmony with original sin?