Since we are on the problem of evil, here is an interesting blog I read this morning, discussing theodicy and the dogma of creation ex nihilo
A lot of things are not necessary. It is not necessary to believe God exists.
Apparently you did not read what I wrote. I said that I do not believe that the first sin was sexual because the first sin (first self-destructive habit) was not eating the so called âfruit.â
Nevertheless the hints and suggestions in the story pointing to the eating of the fruit being sexual in nature are quite numerous. So once you abandon the Walt-Disney version with magical fruit and start looking for what the two obviously symbolic trees actually represent. You are going to be rather quickly led to the conclusion that the forbidden tree was something of a sexual nature. And bad parenting is right at the core of the vast majority of human problems, so as an explanation for how things went so terribly wrong it makes more sense that the alternatives which are generally rather lame.
I read what you wrote and was trying to understand.
Do you consider just the fruit and trees as being symbolic in this story?
I believe the story speaks of the human condition as creations who are less than what God intended humans to be. Sin as disobedience is a pretty good general definition. The abstract symbolism of eating the fruit of knowledge doesnât point to a particular act, but at minimum itâs giving into doubt. Premature sex as the root of all human problems⌠I donât see the hints. Extra pain in childbirth as a means to add more gravity to parenthood-- as mentioned previously, the biology of human reproduction seems to be a more natural explanation. Bigger head = greater pain.
I just donât see the certitude and obviousness of what you speak. Understanding Genesis is essential and I want to get it right.
No. The two trees are just the most obvious symbols. The talking snake is one commonly recognized as representing a angel Lucifer because of passages elsewhere especially in Revelation. But I donât consider Adam and Eve to be symbolic, for example
Yes⌠the story is about the origin of evil and thus seeks to explain the reason for human problems.
It is a VERY good definition for those seeking to use religion as a tool of power. It is not a very good definition when one is considering whether religion, the Bible, and Christianity has any positive value. That definition only supports the atheists proposition that religion, the Bible, and Christianity are evil.
- Adam and Eve cover their genitals in shame after eating the fruit.
- Pain in childbirth is one of the consequences of the fall.
- An alteration of the relationship of men and women is one of the consequences of the fall.
- The story uses the word âto knowâ as a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
- The use of the snake to represent Lucifer also connects with the rather common use of the snake in religion and mythology to represent fertility, especially in that area of the world.
- It is only AFTER (immediately after) the fall that the story speaks of Adam and Eve having offspring.
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