Cain and Abel..... why the disagreements?

by anti-absolutism 30 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  anti-absolutism

  When I was quite young, (about 8 years old) and I was told about the Abel being favoured by God, Cain getting jealous and killing Abel story, I couldn't help but wonder why God was so hard on Cain. I am certainly not condoning Cain killing his brother, but since God made both the animals that Abel was offering and the veggies that Cain was offering, why was Cain looked down on?

  Also, why did it seem better to God to kill an animal that Abel offered, as opposed to thinking, well at least Cain is only wasting some food.

  I know this is not just a Jw thing, about Abel being favoured, but does anybody have any information that could finally allow me to love the animal killing Abel more than the food wasting Cain?

  Thanks, Brad
• 

  joannadandy

  I have often wondered about this myself...I never got it, I still don't think I get it.

  I had a professor tell me one time that Cain and Abel was an allegory for why farmers and ranchers hate each other. This is actually historically true, you can even look at United States History. Ranchers versus "homesteading sod busters" has long been some tension in the world. If you look at it that jewish people come from a tradition of Nomads, it is to their advantage that God favor those who don't need to set up tracts of land to farm, and therefore a mobile sacrifice (i.e. goats and cattle) would be more appealing to him.

  I dunno if I buy this totally, but it does seem interesting, and offers a spin on the spiritual aspect which has always been that God favors blood sacrifice.
• 

  hurt

  The bible isn't so much clear about why, except that it was clear that God did not look with favour upon Cain's offering. God would know why he felt that way. But there have been tattempts at expanations, many tending towards the story being a myth, or some tale to teach some lesson, albeit one that's simply confusing. If it was about murder being wrong, or anger being a terrible feeling when fully expressed, there are simpler way to make the story hit home. From the thought that it's archetypical of quarrels that have plagued the human race from time immemorial, to the ridiculous allusion that Cain and abel were both attracted to Eve, several theories abound. But that God was no pleased with Cain's remains a mystery, at least by the bible's account. Cain took over the tilling of the gorund, work which his father did, and for which God got the human race cursed. He was the first man born of woman, his birth being celebrated by Eve. Abel's was not. A strong indication to some artfully contrived story is that Abel got a name which meant "breath that vanishes", or something like that. Did the writer of the story know the end from the beginning? The bible doen't tell why...
• 

  gumby

  Cain deserved to get his ass kicked because Abel caught him getting in his personal "stash." I saw this on Paul Harveys......'the rest of the story'

  The understanding by many of this case was.....cain went thru the motions to appease Jehovah.....while his brother was sincere and God knew it. Cain was jealous that god favored his brother.

  The reason I think this doesn't make sense is because it's in the bible......where nothing makes sense...Gumby
• 

  NameWithheld

  It's simple really. God likes death, killing, and blood. Lots of blood. The more blood flowing down the alter the better. And don't you puny humans think of drinking that blood, it's God's Blood (TM) .

  Cain grew carrots. God doesn't like carrots. He can see just fine, and doesn't need to eat carrots. Besides, carrots don't bleed.
• 

  RunningMan

  Joanna's response is probably the real one.

  The story was written during a time when the lifestyle of the nomadic herder was coming to an end. Agriculture eventually pushes it out, because if the land is divided into farms, the roaming area of the nomads disappears.

  The story is written by a nomadic group, and is lamenting its fate. It is also trying to place itself in the morally right position.

  When you take the Bible as literally true, you end up with multitudes of perplexing questions, like the one above. When you look at it from a sociological point of view, and realize that it was written much later and by different people than are traditionally creditted with it, it makes a lot more sense.
• 

  anti-absolutism

  Name Withheld....

  That was hillarious!!!!!

  It is a shame, though, that people/religions take whatever portions of the Bible that they want and make them either symbolic or literal, depending on what suits their own desires.

  Do you think Abraham would have actually killed his own son? I know when I went to meetings I never really believed it, because if I did, that would have made me feel real bad about the God that I was serving.
• 

  RunningMan

  The story of Abraham sacrificing Isaac was written at a time when the Israelites were just beginning out outgrow the idea of human sacrifice.

  It's tough to convince a primitive group that human sacrifices don't work, because whenever they try one, something happens. So this story was written as an object lesson to teach people that God no longer wanted this type of sacrifice. He, himself, spoke out and gave the instruction to switch to animals. It was a powerful lesson.

  The story didn't literally happen. Rather, it was used to institute a new type of worship. It's actually a very positive story in the development of Israelite society.
• 

  CoonDawg

  "I know...while we're still here, let's do something to get into Gods Good graces. Let's kill some people. Because, you know...the big guy is all about death and smiting the evildoers" -- Matt Damon "Dogma"

  I tend to agree with the Blood thirsty part. Even though I can see where it was part of the development of Jewish society, YHWH didn't seem to get any less bloodthirsty. Hundreds of years later, he was still dashing babies against rocks....eviscerating pregnant women and emasculating dead philistines.

  Coon
• 

  jgnat

  Here's my take on it.

  In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD . 4 But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. (Genesis 4:3-5 NIV)

  Freddie and Eddie both get a raise from their employer.

  Eddie spends his newfound wealth at the bar on the way home, and as an afterthought brings home some wilted carnation seconds from the street vendor outside the bar. When he gets home he tosses them toward his wife. "Hereyago honey. Don't say I never think about ya."

  His co-worker Freddie brings home a dozen long stemmed roses to celebrate his first raise. He sweeps his wife in to his arms, "Thanks for believing in me dear. That raise really belongs to you!"

  Freddie gets lucky that night. Eddie hears about it and gets very angry. Eddie wishes he had Freddie's wife instead of the hag he has a thome. Eddie figures Freddie gets everything handed to him on a silver platter. Eddie starts to plan Freddie's demise.