Response to Natalie's Question

A visitor to this blog, Natalie, who didn't leave any contact information, posted a comment on my Feb. 22 post, "A (Meta) Physics Lesson," asking this ... "Just curious...What is your explanation for Adam and Eve's disobedience and the fall, as Christians call it? Adam and Eve were created perfect in God's image as was the serpent that lied to Adam and Eve to get them to disobey God. What is your explanation for the evil (which is HUGE considering they disobeyed the Almighty God!) that occurred?"

And here, for Natalie, and others, is my stab at an answer ...




Thanks Natalie ... You know, I had this question too, until a Christian Scientist showed me the book of Genesis. Adam and Eve were part of a mortal creation ... chapter 2 in Genesis. Did you know there are actually TWO creations in Genesis?

In chapter 1, verses 26-27 it says  "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: ... So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." God's own image. God is not a mortal, finite, limited, sinful being. He is infinite, spiritual, unlimited, pure and innocent. One who is infinite makes male and female infinite and spiritual - His own likeness..

In chapter 2, Adam and Eve were created. One out of the dust, the other out of a rib. But the creation was already finished (Gen 2:1-3) and it was declared "good" by God before Adam and Eve. There was no mention of Adam and Eve in chapter 1. Or any serpent that TALKED. Serpents don't talk now, do they? Don't you think if God created a serpent with the ability to talk, He would have made EVERY serpent able to talk?

Chapter 2 mentions "Lord God" creating things. In Jewish tradition, the Lord God is Jehovah. Notice how in chapter 1 he created everything (including male and female in His likeness), but in 2:5 the Lord God says the ground needs tilling and "there was not a man ...". But there was - in chapter 1. Ah, a MORTAL man! And this mortal man was created out of the dust, NOT in God's image and likeness.

Bible scholars pretty much agree on this point - "God" in chapter 1 and "Lord God" in chapter 2 is not accidental ... they really are referring to two different versions of God. Chapter 1 comes from the Elohistic version, where God is Elohim - a spiritual being. Chapter 2 creation comes from Jehovah, which is more of a mortal, fallible deity. You notice in Chapters 2 and 3 that Jehovah asks man (Adam) to name all the beasts, and does what man asks or says he needs. This version of God makes man superior to God and God serves him.

But in chapter 1, man serves God, and God is all-power and infinite.

I see chapter 2 as an alternate view of creation ... like a warning. If you see man as a creator or superior to God, this is what you find. A mortal, limited creation where intelligence or knowledge is limited, and when good is limited and finite, there is room for evil. Man who sees himself as a creative power is going to be one who makes mistakes and sees only limited possibilities.

Chapter 2 is a belief. God is all good, because he created everything good in Chapter 1, that is, in his own image and likeness. He is infinite - he created ALL, and all is good. If all is good, then there is no room for anything else. So anything that is not of God, good, is a BELIEF in evil - which is really the opposite of all, or NOTHING..

The serpent was a symbol of a mortal belief, or suggestion. The serpent is that little voice inside us that tries to tempt us into doing something bad. It is the first liar. God is all good and the only power. This serpent tried to convince Adam and Eve that God doesn't know everything and doesn't have that much power. It's OK, you can do this; don't listen to God.

Man is not fallen. He is upright and perfect always; he might BELIEVE he's fallen because he's listening to a TALKING SERPENT. That alone is a lie.

Oh, and I found this interesting: in Chapter 2, God caused Adam to go into a deep sleep so He could perform "surgery" on Adam and create Eve out of his rib. Have you noticed that while the Bible mentioned God putting Adam to sleep, it never mentions God waking Adam up? Think of that. Maybe the serpent was part of a dream? An unreal scenario?

The reality is God, and there is no alternate reality because God is all, everywhere, infinite.

Kind of a long explanation, but that's from where it all comes. It this sinful Chapter 2 creation that mainstream Christianity seems to follow. But a good study of chapter 1 of Genesis will help one understand that God made all good and made everything like him - perfect, complete, innocent, infinite.

I'm hopeful this helps - or brings about more curiosity questions. Thanks for asking!