Originally posted by dirtusbagious
How a mere piece of fruit could cause so much havok, destruction, chaos and even death?
yes it does seem insignificant...
some things to note.
- eating the fruit is of little consequence. therefore it is likely it symbolized something. it is my understanding that it symbolized independance
and that by literally eating it equaled saying to god "we would like to do things on our own from now on"
- i suspect the test was simple so that noone could claim that is was harsh. noone can say that not eating a fruit is difficult or unfair.
- they were told the consequences from day one. if they eat from it, then they die (non-existance, not hell). so noone can claim that god tricked
them.
- adam and eve were lied to. they believed the lie, but after found god was telling the truth.
- the bible does not shy away from describing sexual encounters so it is unlikely that the fruit represents sex.
it is of my opinion that the church adds this sexual overtone to the situation because they do not fully understand the significance of the event (ive
heard a pastor put forth the same thoery). this is where one must begin to see why god permits the bad things that happen today, unlike the church who
simply says that "gods ways are mysterious"
if you listen to the challenge satan made, he started by implying that god was a liar "yea, hath god said", other translations say something like,
is it true?
then eve tells the satan the law, after satan outright lies and says "ye will not die, For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your
eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil."
this part is very very significant.
ive actually heard alot of people on this forum that say good and evil are just constructions, made up. this scripture proves them right. but now who
determines whats right or wrong? up to this point god did. adam and eve were in subjection. but now satan is saying that if you eat the fruit, they
will be as gods... determining right and wrong for themselves.
this is a rebellion. they, like alot of people today and throughout history, are saying we do not need a god to tell us what to do. the obvious reason
why is because they feel that they can do it better.
you know the rest, they sin and now life is not the paradise it once was, but why? why would a god of love allow us to go though pain? the answer lies
in the challenge. if adam and eve are like gods and can do better, they were given the oppurtunity to prove it. all mankind can prove it for
themselves. that is why the world today is largely alienated from god.
/rant