Contradiction in Adam and Eve?

[Jistyr]

In the Christian religion it is said that we, as people, pay for the sins of Adam and Eve. However, I do not even understand why God punished them, because the circumstance in which Adam and Eve ate the fruit is rather contradictory.

First of all, God told them that they may eat any fruit, except one special fruit-- I forget it's name. So therefore, we can conclude that eating the special fruit is wrong. Yet, the one who ate that fruit was given the knowledge of what was right and what was wrong, and seeing as how they had not eaten the fruit, they did not know that it was wrong to do so, but God told them not to eat it when they had no capacity to recognize that it was wrong.

Why?

How could God have overlooked this? Can Adam and Eve be blamed? And why do we have to pay for their sins when they didn't even know what they were commiting was a sin?

To me it makes absolutely no sense. If I am wrong in my judgement, because I do not throughly know the Bible or the story of Adam and Eve, please call me out and provide a passage.

I just think that an omniscient being could see the problem here.

 

[blackout]

First of all, God told them that they may eat any fruit, except one special fruit-- I forget it's name. So therefore, we can conclude that eating the special fruit is wrong. Yet, the one who ate that fruit was given the knowledge of what was right and what was wrong, and seeing as how they had not eaten the fruit, they did not know that it was wrong to do so, but God told them not to eat it when they had no capacity to recognize that it was wrong.

Why?

Because fruit (unnamed) and trees
(and serpents and all the like)
are allegorical symbolisms?

 

[Jistyr]

Because fruit (unnamed) and trees
(and serpents and all the like)
are allegorical symbolisms?

That's a dangerous thing to say. Where then can the line be drawn between reality and allegory in the Bible?

Simply because something is far-fetched or silly in it, people may just say that it is symbolism to avoid the point.

And even if it is allegorical and symbolistic, it doesn't do much to explain the origin of man.

 

[blackout]

That's a dangerous thing to say. Where then can the line be drawn between reality and allegory in the Bible?

Simply because something is far-fetched or silly in it, people may just say that it is symbolism to avoid the point.

And even if it is allegorical and symbolistic, it doesn't do much to explain the origin of man.

People find ways to explain anything they want,
wherever they feel they need it explained.

 

[Somkid]

Adam and Eve are a contradiction

 

[MdmSzdWhtGuy]

Well if you are looking for consistency, and will reject the Bible, or its stories, where they contradict one another, or known science, or good old fashioned horse sense, then you . . . oh wait, never mind, you already list yourself as A/A. You have already figured all that out. Carry on sir.

(BTW, I have noticed the same difficulty with the Adam and Eve story, and I have never heard anyone lay it out in a way that makes sense to me either) I wait with baited breath to see a response that solves this apparent conundrum.

B.

 

[tomspug]

In the Christian religion it is said that we, as people, pay for the sins of Adam and Eve. However, I do not even understand why God punished them, because the circumstance in which Adam and Eve ate the fruit is rather contradictory.

First of all, God told them that they may eat any fruit, except one special fruit-- I forget it's name. So therefore, we can conclude that eating the special fruit is wrong. Yet, the one who ate that fruit was given the knowledge of what was right and what was wrong, and seeing as how they had not eaten the fruit, they did not know that it was wrong to do so, but God told them not to eat it when they had no capacity to recognize that it was wrong.

Why?

How could God have overlooked this? Can Adam and Eve be blamed? And why do we have to pay for their sins when they didn't even know what they were commiting was a sin?

To me it makes absolutely no sense. If I am wrong in my judgement, because I do not throughly know the Bible or the story of Adam and Eve, please call me out and provide a passage.

I just think that an omniscient being could see the problem here.

You're misquoting the passage. Adam and Eve can tell the difference between obedience (doing what God says) and not. That's what we call 'right and wrong'. The fruit gives them the knowledge of good (God) and evil (not God). They had no concept of evil before then. That's what we call shame: understanding the consequences of our actions. They KNEW what they were doing was wrong, but only understood the consequences afterwards, like when a child touches a hot plate.

 

[McBell]

People find ways to explain anything they want,
wherever they feel they need it explained.

I agree.
And many of these people call themselves 'Philosophers.'

 

[Texas Lynn]

The legend was never meant to be taken literally.

 

[nutshell]

Are you familiar with the LDS interpretation of this story?

 

[Sola'lor]

This is the way I see it. God created Adam and Eve with perfect bodies. They lived in the Garden in innocense. God commanded them to multiply and replenish the Earth. This because the purpose of their creation is to be the first parents that would create bodies for the rest of God's Spirit children to come to Earth. But God created them with perfect bodies. However, their perfect bodies were not capable of producing children. It was needed that their bodies would become mortal to allow them to bear children. Since God loves his children He wouldn't curse Adam and Eve to become mortal becuase they were obedient. He wouldn't give them a commandment to eat the fruit to become mortal because He loves them and wants them to enjoy their immortal state. So He commanded them not to eat of the fuit that would cause their bodies to become mortal.

So the only solution to this apperent condradiction would be for Adam and Eve to take actions on their own to become mortal. Then Satan came along and tempted them to eat the fruit. Satan thought that he was confounding God's plan by having them disobey God's commandment. But in reality he was helping the plan to progress. After eating the fruit, the fruit had a reaction with their bodies and made them mortal and allowed them to produce children. Thus God's commandment to multiply and replenish the Earth would be fulfilled. And God wouldn't be an unfair God by forcing them to leave there immortal state.

It's not really a contradiction if you really examine it.

 

[Starfish]

Are you familiar with the LDS interpretation of this story?

Umm, yes. And it's fairly simple. Adam and Eve could not bear children before they ate the fruit. They were in a state of innocence.

Eve was "beguiled" by Satan into eating the fruit. Adam knowingly ate the fruit to enable him to remain with Eve to fulfill the commandment to multiply.

Because they ate the fruit and "fell", death was brought into the world and children could be born. So because of Adam's transgression, we are here and yet subject to death. Did Adam have other options? I don't know. God, who is all-knowing, placed him here, knowing which choice he'd make.

Christ voluntarily came to atone for our sins and to bring about resurrection which allows us to "overcome" death. He paid the price for Adam's fall and also for our sins, if we repent. If we do not repent, we will pay the price for our own sins. However, resurrection is ours regardless, thanks to Christ.

"Adam fell that man might be; and men are, that they might have joy." (2 Nephi 2:25, Book of Mormon)

The LDS Church reveres Adam as a great prophet. He is not blamed for denying us all the opportunity to live in the garden. It all happened as God planned.

Thanks for allowing me to share!

 

[sandy whitelinger]

This However, their perfect bodies were not capable of producing children. It was needed that their bodies would become mortal to allow them to bear children.

This theological nonsense. God commanded them to be fruitful and multiply before they ate the fruit. He also told them not to eat of the fruit after He told them to be fruitful and multiply. God would not command them to do something that they would need to sin in order to accomplish.

 

[nutshell]

Here we go again.

 

[rheff78]

Umm, yes. And it's fairly simple. Adam and Eve could not bear children before they ate the fruit. They were in a state of innocence.

Eve was "beguiled" by Satan into eating the fruit. Adam knowingly ate the fruit to enable him to remain with Eve to fulfill the commandment to multiply.

Because they ate the fruit and "fell", death was brought into the world and children could be born. So because of Adam's transgression, we are here and yet subject to death. Did Adam have other options? I don't know. God, who is all-knowing, placed him here, knowing which choice he'd make.

Christ voluntarily came to atone for our sins and to bring about resurrection which allows us to "overcome" death. He paid the price for Adam's fall and also for our sins, if we repent. If we do not repent, we will pay the price for our own sins. However, resurrection is ours regardless, thanks to Christ.

"Adam fell that man might be; and men are, that they might have joy." (2 Nephi 2:25, Book of Mormon)

The LDS Church reveres Adam as a great prophet. He is not blamed for denying us all the opportunity to live in the garden. It all happened as God planned.

Thanks for allowing me to share!

Wait, are you saying that God "wanted" Adam and Eve to become imperfect?

 

[sandy whitelinger]

Umm, yes. And it's fairly simple. Adam and Eve could not bear children before they ate the fruit. They were in a state of innocence.

Are you suggesting that they would not have sex because they didn't know about good and evil?

 

[sandy whitelinger]

Wait, are you saying that God "wanted" Adam and Eve to become imperfect?

I think the suggestion is that they wanted to do the tube-steak boogie.

 

[rajakrsna]

This is the way I see it. God created Adam and Eve with perfect bodies. They lived in the Garden in innocense. God commanded them to multiply and replenish the Earth. This because the purpose of their creation is to be the first parents that would create bodies for the rest of God's Spirit children to come to Earth. But God created them with perfect bodies. However, their perfect bodies were not capable of producing children. It was needed that their bodies would become mortal to allow them to bear children. Since God loves his children He wouldn't curse Adam and Eve to become mortal becuase they were obedient. He wouldn't give them a commandment to eat the fruit to become mortal because He loves them and wants them to enjoy their immortal state. So He commanded them not to eat of the fuit that would cause their bodies to become mortal.

So the only solution to this apperent condradiction would be for Adam and Eve to take actions on their own to become mortal. Then Satan came along and tempted them to eat the fruit. Satan thought that he was confounding God's plan by having them disobey God's commandment. But in reality he was helping the plan to progress. After eating the fruit, the fruit had a reaction with their bodies and made them mortal and allowed them to produce children. Thus God's commandment to multiply and replenish the Earth would be fulfilled. And God wouldn't be an unfair God by forcing them to leave there immortal state.

It's not really a contradiction if you really examine it.

It`s really something to do with the word, SEX. For those who are trying to become perfectly spiritual ,spit at the thought of having sex. But for those who are still marginal about it? Sex is joy.

 

[Starfish]

Wait, are you saying that God "wanted" Adam and Eve to become imperfect?

I don't know what he "wanted". He set it all up, knowing what would happen.

Are you suggesting that they would not have sex because they didn't know about good and evil?

Don't know. I just know they couldn't bear children. (It's in the Book of Mormon, so you're likely to reject it, being from another faith. I understand.)

 

[Somkid]

Well if you are looking for consistency, and will reject the Bible, or its stories, where they contradict one another, or known science, or good old fashioned horse sense, then you . . . oh wait, never mind, you already list yourself as A/A. You have already figured all that out. Carry on sir.

(BTW, I have noticed the same difficulty with the Adam and Eve story, and I have never heard anyone lay it out in a way that makes sense to me either) I wait with baited breath to see a response that solves this apparent conundrum.

B.

I didn't notice that until you mentioned it "Atheist/Agnostic" now that is a contradiction :foot: