From: danoc@earlybird.Eng.Sun.COM (Dan O'Connell [CONTRACTOR])
Newsgroups: talk.religion.misc
Subject: Re: what is the meaning of Genesis3, for real dough!
Date: 2 Sep 1992 21:32:12 GMT
Organization: Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....
NNTP-Posting-Host: earlybird

(Paul Harvey) announces:

 Genesis3 has been getting kicked around here and I thought it might be
 interesting to try and see if we can come to any modern interpretations.
 If you are a human being, you qualify as a possible interpreter, so have
 at it already. Now is your chance for fame and stardom, and maybe even
 some FREE GIFTS!

As long as it isn't gen-yoo-wine imitation vinyl-ette.
 
First of all, I have to admit, I haven't actually read
this in the bible, but of course I have an opinion on
it anyway. I do promise to read it, especially since it
doesn't seem very long ;-)

 Is the serpent the infamous Christian Devil?

Could be. I don't think so. I think the devil was
a construct to deal with christianity's big competition:
paganism.

 Can we see patriarchy trying to suppress matriarchy?

It depends on how you view the story. If god is male, then
perhaps patricarchy, if Eve were manipulating Adam or if
the serpent were female, then perhaps matriarchy, or even
if that were true it could be a patriarchal apology and/or
warning against the dangers of matriarchy.

Let's not forget that some of paganism was goddess-centered
that women were (and sometimes are) considered more in tune
with nature and mystery, etc.

 Was it a setup?

Absolutely. <Surveying the room, re-lighting pipe>
Maybe by..............the serpent.
<Stunned Silence>

 Did Adam and Eve have a choice?

No. God created them the way they were, if god is omniscient,
he knew the choice and (his) reaction in advance.

 Where they legally competent to judge the results of their actions?

In advance? No. After the fact? Yes.

 Did the serpent know more?

Apparently, the serpent knew more than god.

 Did the serpent lie?

He wouldn't be convicted in a 20th century court if it
were held that Adam & Eve were "adults", if it was held
that A&E were insufficiently capable adults, i.e., children,
then he would be culpable.

 Was the serpent duped, and he in turn duped Eve who then duped Adam?

No, it seems the serpent was the only one who really
knew what was going on, more on that in a moment.

 Were the three punished and if so how severe were their punishments?

They were punished in that they were estranged from god,
not to mention the bit about farming, menustration, and oh,
of course, death.

 Is there a trinity here?

Perhaps an artificial one.

 Is expulsion from Eden symbolic of expulsion from the uterus at birth?

Absolutely.

 What were Adam and Eve like before they had knowledge of good and bad?

As 5 year old children.

 Did they do the right thing?

It was a setup, they had no choice.

 Did they commit a sin?

The result of their actions was "sin", i.e., 
estrangement from god. The estranged themselves
from god by listening to the serpent as an equal
of god.

 Did the serpent have knowledge of good and bad?

Absolutely. This is confimed by the serpent's careful 
wording and urging of Eve to eat the apple. It would
seem to show that the serpent knew beforehand what
the consequences would be, else why try and trick
Eve?

 If you were Adam or Eve, what would you have done?

Eaten two apples. Actually, I would have done whatever
god had previously ordained.

 And what about the tree of life? Attainable or not?

Nope, not attainable: "Well, if you had been a good
boy/girl, I would have given you this present I've
been saving up for, but you blew it, so now you'll
never get it." -- It came into existence in order
to deny giving it.

 At what cost?

This is a big issue. Perhaps later I'll comment
if it seems appropriate.

 How perfect was Eden anyway if Adam and Eve had no
 knowledge of good and bad?

It was a perfect sandbox. On a perfect day, with
two perfect children. BUT, that was it - like
a still-life photograph.

 Were pre-fruit-consumption Adam and Eve even human beings?

No, more like well-developed animals. Let's face it,
if they showed up today in a major city, they would
quickly end up in a mental institution.

Here's the part I never knew before:

 Then [god] kicks them out of the garden, (symbolic of birth?),
 and says in parting, 3:22"Now that the man has become like one
                                    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 of us, knowing good and bad, what if he should stretch out his hand and
 ^^^^^
 take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever!" (23)So the
 Lord banished him from the garden of Eden, to till the soil from which
 he was taken. (24)He drove the man out, and stationed east of the garden


Like "one of us" ?????? Verrrrry interesting. Is god using the
"royal we" or are there more than one of him there?

In any event it is interesting that the serpent seems to know
more about what's going on than god does; it is almost as if
god is zeus and the serpent prometheus.

Dano