It is part of the Bible that has always perplexed me. I hope to somehow understand it sometimes. I believe I will regardless if it happens as a result of conscious analysis or an epiphany.
It is the story of Eve with the apple (i wonder if Steve Jobs hasn’t named his company after that particular apple:-). The story goes like that - God creates a man and a woman and leaves them in the Garden of Eden where they can live happily by eating the fruits of the heavenly plants. There is one catch though - they are not allowed to eat the fruit of one particular tree - the Tree of Wisdom which will make them know the difference between Good and Bad and eventually make them Godlike. One day - when Adam is asleep (presumably after downing a couple of beers out of boredom - remember he is not working and there is nothing worse or more dangerous than an idle man;-) Eve - the woman wanders by the tree and is seduced by a talking snake (some say Satan him or herself or the devil though at that point of time the ancient Jews seem to not have developed the concept of the devil so let’s just settle on a talking snake) to try one of the fruits of the Tree of Wisdom which remember will make her equal to God by giving her the understanding of what is good and what isn’t. Being naturally sociable Eve wakes up her snoring mate to share this remarkable opportunity. Adam is a bit wary - he prefers the lazy life of doing nothing and knowing nothing (more like the three Japanese monkeys who cover their eyes, ears or mouth) but Eve doesn’t accept Confucian excuses and he reluctantly shares in the forbidden fruit and presumably the knowledge of what is good and what is bad (for him it kind of worked more in the realm of sports, unhealthy food, alcohol and female appearance than any deeper philosophical or ethical insights that would bring him closer to God). Anyway both ate the forbidden fruit (often depicted as an apple but I don’t think it is described as an apple in the Bible and actually Steve Jobs named his company after the Beatles’ Apple which created some problems - then again perhaps the Beatles named their company after the apple from the Garden of Eden or it was a conspiracy between them and Steve).
After they ate the forbidden fruit they noticed they are naked and tried to hide their genitalia with a fig leaf - later called modesty patch and still sometimes used by contemporary politicians or other celebrities (at least by those of them who still care) and who have suddenly realized there is some kind of indecency in their lives.
Obviously that was an act of direct insubordination to God’s orders and God expel the curious couple from the Garden of Eden and gives them the whole world to explore. That exploration will be accompanied by suffering (including at childbirth for the woman) and they will have to work for their food and other essentials (including fig leaves).
That’s what they proceed to with them and their descendants suffering the consequences of this so-called original sin. That is the Judaist version. The Christian interpretation will add to that that Jesus by his death of the cross somehow absolved humanity of this original sin and now we can breath freely without feeling guilty about it and presumably sin as much as we want because we are miraculously “saved”.
I have a problem with that. Not with the story itself - I consider it as one of the most profound parts of the Bible (it just doesn’t speak to me clearly enough yet) but the blasphemous interpretations.
Imagine if you are a teacher and have just told this story to a bright little child and ask the poor kid about the moral of the story.
The most likely answer will be -
If you disobey someone powerful like God or a parent you are most likely to get a lovely present - like this whole beautiful world.
My mother, grandmother and sister are bad and all bad in my life is their fault. There must be
a way to get back to them for that.
There must be something wrong with people in general even after having eaten from the Tree of Wisdom - of knowing what is right and what is wrong - they still seem to have difficulties telling right from wrong in words and deeds and precariously far from any useful wisdom.
But if God indeed is our creator wouldn’t God like us to be independent as every normal parent will? And if that is so wouldn’t God want us to know the difference between good and evil? And if that is so wouldn’t God try to entice Eve with the knowledge that will make humanity created in God’s image truly godlike (Adam being happy like a vegetable in the Garden of Eden fed and protected without the need to exert any effort at all).And wouldn’t we the people be happier and more thankful if given the freedom to pursue happiness whatever that means for each and every one of us?
It seems the whole world history from the first human beings until now points towards that. We don’t seem to long for a carefree living in a garden that we haven’t planted ourselves and we are not responsible for. And if all that was God’s plan it seems we are doing pretty well. A parent would have been proud with a humanity that regardless of all our deficiencies, errors and crimes ultimately find a way to rise from the dust, repent, reflect and proceed further.
Even if you don’t believe in miracles you have to be realistic and agree that is quite a miracle in itself.
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