how could it be a test?

Question

if god already knew that eve would eat from the forbiddin fruit?
if the outcome is already known then it can't really be a test can it?
god knew that adam and eve would be weak and that temptation would be to great for them to handle. i don't call that a test... i call it a set up.

so fire:
are you saying that you believe god does NOT know all?

Answer 1

GENESIS UNPLUGGED

The Fall of Man as seen from the Gnostic perspective

Once upon a very long time ago, when the very first Mommy and Daddy starred in the world’s first piece of Reality Programming, an unexpected snafu occurred, the sort that drives producers and program executives nuts. Mommy, whose name was Eve, began to act up. She began to question the so-called reality of her show, which was known by the title: GENESIS: In the Beginning.

Eve sat naked on her haunches beneath the forest canopy, alert as always to the sights and sounds of Eden, while Daddy, who was called Adam, snored bearishly at her side. Adam could not seem to get enough of the good things in the Garden, and spent much of his day in a somnolent state, occasionally muttering, in the peculiar argot of those times, “This is as good as it gets.”

Eve was not so sure. She had seen distorted faces reflected in dewdrops, heard urgent things in the whisper of the giant ferns. Unsettling things. She had sensed the presence of Others. And yet, there were no others, were there? Surely, the watchful eyes of the timid tree creatures could not alone account for her feeling that she walked in the shadow of another reality.

Adam’s belly was filled with the ripe fruit of the Garden; Eve’s belly was filled with Adam’s seed. She touched her swollen breasts, and it was then she heard her own name called from afar. She rose and followed the call to the depths of the forest, where there stood a tree whose alluring red fruit she had been warned in a dream not to eat. Dangling by its tail from a low branch was a creature with the body of a salamander and a face eerily familiar to Eve, a face not unlike her own.

“Who? Are? You?” the serpent mouthed.

“I don’t know,” said Eve, not having thought a lot about it.

“Why play along,” the serpent asked, “when you know the show is rigged? Why remain in prison when the cell door is open?”

“Where is this door?” asked Eve, innocently enough.

The serpent rolled its eyes upward, beyond the leafy canopy to the radiance above. Eve’s gaze followed, and lingered, and when she looked again at the tree, the shiny, red fruit was before her.

“Take. Eat,” said the serpent.

“Then I shall surely die,” said Eve.

“Only on television,” said the serpent. “Only to illusion.”

And Eve ate, and was amazed, and ran back to rouse Adam from his torpor, saying, “Try this! It’s amazing!” Adam, never one to resist a new treat, ate also of the apple, and when he had, turned to Eve and said, “Whoa.” He shook the sleep from his head, thumped his chest and roared, presumably to the show’s seldom seen Producer, ”Why didn’t you tell me it was a setup?” With a mighty groan, he stood, took Eve’s hand and said, “Let’s get dressed and get the hell out of here, honey. This is a sham.”

There were suddenly thunderous footfalls in the Garden, and Adam was sore afraid. When he came in dreams, the show’s Producer had always been a petulant screamer, forever reminding Adam of his contract and the dire consequences of asking too many questions. A nasal voice on a bullhorn honked through Eden, causing the forest creatures to tremble. “I AM THE GREAT AND POWERFUL IALDABAOTH, AND YOU TWO INGRATES WILL NEVER WORK IN THIS TOWN AGAIN!”

Answer 2

God did know that Adam and Eve would disobey Him. No, it wasn't a test. It was a set up. Because He knew that He wanted mankind to love Him of their own free will.

The set up part is that He, God Himself, in the human form, Jesus, would come to the earth and die as our sacrifice and in our place for the sin that we commit, to show us how much He loves us.

He would then overcome death and sin and live again so that we can too.

Wow! What a set up!

Answer 3

With all due respect, you need to look up what the word 'mythology' means. I'd highly recommend anything by Joseph Campbell who was a scholar on the subject.

Looking for the 'facts' and 'history' in a myth is the exact same thing as looking for them in a poem; you will only miss the real point in the poem.

So, that said, here is the 'psychological' meaning of the story of Adam and Eve:

The story is about man coming forth into the realm of time. Into the dual nature of the universe. It is about humanity leaving the dreamlike place where we did not know the difference between male and female, God and human, good or evil.

To move out into the world, to gather knowledge, we had to leave the Garden. This is the shift in consciousness from the consciousness of identity to the consciousness of participation

*That* is how it works on the psyche. It does not work by looking for its accuracy or rational.

Answer 4

its my opinion that god intended them to eventually eat from the tree of knowlege.

that way they'd realize their free will, and be able to become humanity as we know it. that it wasn't an evil thing at all.

remember the ACTUAL text of the genesis story, does NOT specify the serpent as anything more than a really smart snake with legs (dragon?...) that hinted the idea to eve.

remember if you take it in a relative sense... the serpent did *NOT* lie. compared to the animals they DID become as god, in the sense of knowing good from evil, being more contientious of things... ect. and they did NOT die(as you'd expect if someone says "if you eat this fruit you'll die" that is, immediately)

edit: to below>>"Where do people get t heidea that God knows what is going to happen? Its nowhere in any biblical teachings. Has some 'preacher' stated this, along with his flat earth, no evolution theory? "<<

... last I heard Omnipotence kinda drags along with it Omniscience... which especially including being beyond TIME that an Omnipotent, Omniscient being, would know all that is, including everything thats going to happen.

Answer 5

The Bible clearly shows that the choices we make will alter our destiny. For example, God appeals to wrongdoers, saying: “Turn back, please, every one from his bad way and from the badness of your dealings . . . that I may not cause calamity to you.” (Jeremiah 25:5, 6) This appeal would be pointless if God had already fixed each individual’s destiny. Moreover, God’s Word states: “Repent, therefore, and turn around so as to get your sins blotted out, that seasons of refreshing may come from the person of Jehovah.” (Acts 3:19) Why would Jehovah ask people to repent and turn around if he knew beforehand that they could do absolutely nothing to change their destiny?

Answer 6

I agree with the last answer. If you are religious, and seems that you are not, you would pray about it and study the true gospel of Christ and you would understand. This is one of those faith things, not something I personally would worry about convincing somebody of. You know it and believe it or you want to argue about it. I think you are the latter, just a different kind than the 12 million who don't need convincing.

Answer 7

Where do people get t heidea that God knows what is going to happen? Its nowhere in any biblical teachings. Has some 'preacher' stated this, along with his flat earth, no evolution theory?

Answer 8

You cannot possibly hope to understand all the things of God.

Answer 9

They had choices to eat or not to eat

Answer 10

He gave us free will.They didn't have to do it.