Why Adam and Eve were unfairly judged by God

by BreakingAway 60 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • BreakingAway
    BreakingAway

    The argument has been made on many occasions that death and suffering are a result of Adam's sin.In fact, the BIble is so clear on this "fact" that it is one of the few things on which nearly every christian denomination will agree.

    "Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned— Romans 5:12

    However, I would like to present the case that God had, in fact, not told Adam this very thing, and consequently, Adam was unaware of what really would take place upon eating the fruit.Notice this verse:

    "But from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die." Gen.2:17

    I highlighted the word "YOU" because this is absolutely critical.Why ? Because it can be argued that Adam had only himself in mind when partaking of the fruit as NO MENTION is made of FUTURE GENERATIONS being affected by this mandate.Adam could rightly reason: "It is my life and will take the risk."

    Adam had NO reason to believe that anyone else besides those currently living, that is, he and his wife, would be affected by something called "sin". He was told he would "die" in the day he ate of it.He would once again become dust.End of story.God did NOT say:

    "In the day you eat of it you will become imperfect and this "imperfection" will be passed to all of your children and you will condemn ALL of mankind to death ! "

    No, God did NOT say that at all.Would you not agree that God had left out VERY critical information ? Information which very well could have changed the course of Adam's actions had he known that he would condemn an entire species to suffering and death.In fact, SUFFERING was NOT mentioned at all, only death was mentioned.

    Another point which I think is important is that God issued no warning to Adam and Eve regarding the fact that someone might try to deceive them ! Would a loving parent not make every effort to prepare their children for any dangers which might be present or could potentially occur ? Though Adam and Eve are said to be perfect, this does not mean that they weren't INEXPERIENCED.Eve was said to have been thoroughly deceived.Thus indicating that their inexperience was obvious.After all, why would one believe a talking snake !?!

    In the Bible God is said to have presented many warnings, this was one purpose of Prophets.It was hoped that by the proclamation of these warnings that "some could be saved".This forms the basis for the preaching of JW's today, as well as many other "evangelical' groups.Even early on in creation when Cain was angry God said to him:

    "Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it." Gen.4:6-7

    So apparently it is not out of God's nature to issue a warning.However, when the stakes were much higher, God gave absolutely no warning to Adam or Eve regarding the TRUE effects of their actions upon the ENTIRE human race and the animal kingdom.If Adam and Eve were "tricked", the evidence is clear that the one who really tricked them and acted deceptively was, in fact, God.

    I am not trying to be pointlessly controversial by bringing this up but just wanted to express something that I have been thinking about for quite some time by using the Bible's own account of how these events occurred.

  • owenfieldreams
    owenfieldreams

    Not so, if God gets to decide what is and is not fair. You cannot take God to court if he himself is the final arbitor on all matters.

  • Narkissos
    Narkissos

    BA: 'adam, in Hebrew, means "man(kind)". This might give you a clue on what the tale is really about (human condition) and what it is not (the story of a particular man, and its consequences on others).

    You cannot take God to court if he himself is the final arbitor on all matters.

    Exactly Job's point. Against God.

  • owenfieldreams
    owenfieldreams

    Nark,

    I'm not sure I get the gist of what you are saying. My point was that the Supreme Being, whatever you want to call him, has the RIGHT to set standards of right and wrong and what's fair and unfair. Whether you like it that way or not, that's the way it is...

  • Gopher
    Gopher

    The opening chapters of Genesis are filled with holes like the ones raised in the original post. A reasonable person could therefore conclude that this text is just another tribal myth. Believers sometimes fill in the gaps of logic by saying "God is almighty and he can do as he damn well pleases". Well that may be true for the gods men have invented, but it shouldn't be true of a principled, loving deity.

  • Bring_the_Light
    Bring_the_Light

    Genesis 3 - Moral of the story, Satan tells the truth, God lies.

    4 At this the serpent said to the woman: “Y OU positively will not die.(true as seen below) 5 For God knows (true, as seen below) that in the very day of YOUR eating from it YOUR eyes are bound to be opened(true as seen below) and YOU are bound to be like God, KNOWING good and bad (true by gods own admission as seen below).”

    6 Consequently the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was something to be longed for to the eyes, yes, the tree was desirable to look upon. So she began taking of its fruit and eating it. Afterward she gave some also to her husband when with her and he began eating it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them became opened (what Satan said would happen, not what god said would happen) and they began to realize that they were naked. Hence they sewed fig leaves together and made loin coverings for themselves.

    21 And Jehovah God proceeded to make long garments of skin for Adam and for his wife and to clothe them. 22 And Jehovah God went on to say: “Here the man has become like one of us (what Satan said would happen) in knowing good and bad (God admits that Satan was telling the truth) , and now in order that he may not put his hand out and actually take [fruit] also from the tree of life and eat and live to time indefinite (God lied about dying from eating from the tree, then intervenes to ensure Adam and Eve cannot become like him, like Satan said they could),—” 23 With that Jehovah God put him out of the garden of E´den to cultivate the ground from which he had been taken. 24 And so he drove the man out and posted at the east of the garden of E´den the cherubs and the flaming blade of a sword that was turning itself continually to guard the way to the tree of life.

    There you have it folks, Satan and his serpent partner have the greatest defamation suit in the history of the universe.

    I hope you enjoyed this Light.

    Bring_the_Light

  • Bring_the_Light
    Bring_the_Light
    Not so, if God gets to decide what is and is not fair. You cannot take God to court if he himself is the final arbitor on all matters.

    No he doesn't. I have free will. I can rule that God is wrong, and I do. There you have it.

  • White Dove
    White Dove

    A&E were set up to fail. (fake story, but they were set up.)

  • Homerovah the Almighty
    Homerovah the Almighty

    Yes I think it was quite of a severe penalty to endure particular for just eating someone else's apples. Funny it was never mentioned who were the ones

    were to only eat those apples.

    And gee all the other talking snakes in the garden were quite friendly.

    And should they have been put to blame since they didn't know the difference between good and evil yet

  • Bring_the_Light
    Bring_the_Light
    Yes I think it was quite of a severe penalty to endure particular for just eating someone else's apples. Funny it was never mentioned who were the ones

    I'd settle this out of court. Even if I lose my case, I owe God the depreciated value of a 6,000 year old apple. I'd generously offer $1 for the apple I didn't steal in negotiations. If god doesn't take it, he'd be a fool. Jehovah is no fool.

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