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For those who still do not believe that the creation story in Genesis continues to influence Western civilization, one of Sunshine for Women's readers sent Sunshine the following commentary on the creation story in Genesis.
Within the context of the myth, obviously the "Lord God," Himself.
The "Lord God" is the "Tempter" in Eden in Genesis 2:17 when He says, "...but of the tree of knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die."
Tell a child or juvenile *not* to do something & you're immediately establishing the temptation *to* do it. If you *don't* want to tempt them you never mention it -- and make sure the temptation is not available to be yielded to.
The warning, itself, was meaningless since Adam & Eve had no notion of what death even *was*... *How* could they know? "Don't eat of the fruit of that tree or you'll boogum the jum-jums on the very day you eat of it!" It might have been some new ecstasy, some delicious new taste sensation... Nor had they been informed as to what deception, itself, is -- so there was no reason for Eve *not* to believe the serpent (assuming the serpent was deceiving her at all). If, as human parents, we informed our children about potential dangers to their existence as poorly as the "Lord God" did with Adam & Eve in Eden we would be considered to be *very* poor & negligent parents...
But who was the *real* deceiver in Eden -- the serpent -- or the Lord God?! *Did* Adam & Eve actually *die* "in the day" they ate of the fruit? (Not according to Genesis 5:5!) (Doubtlessly this discrepancy was pointed out millennia ago, which would be why a later Biblical writer wrote, "A day to the Lord is as a thousand years and a thousand years is as a day...")
IF the Lord God *truly* did not want Adam & Eve eating of the tree of knowledge of good & evil, He could've easily *removed* it from the Garden of Eden (unless, of course, there was a Greater Power than Himself that *kept* it there!).
*Why* would the "Lord God" *not* want Adam & Eve to be able to discern the difference between good & evil? Surely that degree of discernment would be desirable rather than undesirable -- unless the deity, Himself, was pretending to be "good" while being, in reality, "evil" -- & did not want that deception to be seen through! It would thus appear that the "Lord God" did *not* want humanity to be able to see through His own deceptions & evilness (after all, He *does* finally admit to creating evil in Isaiah 45:7, KJ translation). And clearly the "Lord God" did not want humanity to attain His own god-like level by attaining eternal life (Gen. 3:22). And since, according to Christian dogma, the "Lord God" is the same forever & ever & never changes there is no reason to believe that *this* particular deity *ever* wants humanity to attain eternal life -- for then they will be capable of becoming *totally* His equal!
IF that Lord God had omniscience (as is attributed to the Judeo/Christian/Islamic "Creator") He also would have *known* -- beforehand -- that Eve was going to be instructed by the serpent to *eat* of the fruit from that tree and that she would do so. Obviously this "Lord God" was *far* from all-knowing to have had to ask Adam, "Where are you?" in Gen. 3:9.
So, not only did the Lord God make the initial temptation, He also aided & abetted the "fall" in not removing the tree, in not explaining what death actually *is,* & in not warning Adam & Eve of the serpent.
Thus the Lord God, the original Tempter, is guilty of both sins of omission AND commission... & must definitely take FULL responsibility & blame for "mankind's fall in the garden" -- IF, indeed, it was a "fall" at all!
From the Gnostic point of view the "Lord God" of Eden was an impostor god and the Instructor serpent was an appearance of either Christ (or Sophia -- in other Gnostic groups' teachings) to Eve to set humanity free of the tyranny of a jealous & demented "Lord God".
Within this context, eating the "forbidden fruit" was an act of spiritual growth & liberation, beginning the evolution of the human mind and soul -- beyond juvenility, unto a beginning maturity "in the Spirit of Truth".
Thus, from this paradigm, we are not talking about "the fall of mankind," at all, but, rather, the beginning of the spiritual evolution of humanity -- in which Mother Eve is the heroine who had the courage to *begin* this process; & only false religions teach that it was a "fall" at all!
Attributing the blame for the "fall" to Eve makes women the scapegoat (I. Tim. 2:14) for what was really a failing on the part of the "Lord God," Himself. What caring entity would want those S/He is nurturing to be unable to discern between good and evil?
In a larger sense the story of the "fall" of humanity tests the spiritual level of awareness of people responding to it. Those who are still functioning at an indoctrinated & primitive level of religious superstition & idolatry lay the blame on Eve & women in general -- and believe the myth to be historically and literally true. But those who have begun to function at a truly spiritual level of consciousness see through the inherent fallacies of the myth.
Eating of the "forbidden fruit" did not beget any "fall" on the part of humanity -- for the deity -- in his jealousy & arrogance was already "fallen" Himself. Disobedience & rebellion against the "fallen" Lord God was the beginning of liberation from a despotic, demonic & crazed tyrant. For humanity this was a *rise* in consciousness.
However, the tyrant god *did* beget a "fall" in humanity's consciousness in Genesis 3:l0-13, 21. The condemnatory judgmental vibe of the Lord God caused Adam to fear him & hide his nakedness in shame. The feeling of shame for something as pure & beautiful as nudity was *caused* by the Lord God's attitude, itself. Thus, as children, many of us have been made to feel guilty & ashamed -- when we did nothing wrong at all -- by the vibes our parents gave off in condemning us -- even tho we were innocent. *This* is what Adam & Eve experienced in this circumstance. The "fallen Lord God" taught the shamefulness of nudity from the context of His own fallen consciousness. Thus, because the "Lord God" was, Himself, a "fallen" deity, He *was* able to beget a "falling" in consciousness within those "made in His image" -- when He chose to do so.
Outside the context of the Edenic myth, the actual literary creator of the myth is "to blame for mankind's fall in the garden" since (presumably a *he*) created the "fall" in writing the myth, itself. And the writer of the myth's *own* "fallen" consciousness is revealed in his attitude towards nudity & using women as the scapegoat.
AND, of course, the "fallen" religions that *teach* humankind's "fall in the garden" -- who perpetrate the myth as being "God's Holy Word" & Divine Revelation ARE responsible for "the fall of humanity" in the very process of *teaching* that falsehood.
In point of fact, since religion has existed, it is religion, *itself* that is "the tree of knowledge of good and evil" for it is religion's mission to teach people how to discern between good & evil -- preaching the good, preaching the forsaking of evil... Religion (hypocritically) condemns Eve for disobedience in eating of the forbidden fruit -- yet perpetrates that forbidden fruit, themselves, in their basic teachings!
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Sunshine for Women encourages you to support our feminist sisters by purchasing their books, reading them, disseminating the ideas they contain, but most especially, by making their book available to our sisters, our daughters, and the community at large by requesting your school library, your public library, and area bookstores to carry their books. Remember it is not enough to write literature, history, and theology, we must pass these works on to future generations. Help us to preserve these works for a new generation by putting them on library bookshelves.
last updated November 2000