I like the idea of the snake being the Prometheus of Genesis. If so, why is Prometheus honored in his myth, but the snake disparaged in the Genesis myth?
2007-01-14 07:59:52 · 19 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I think knowledge is a great thing! My favorite explication of the Garden of Eden story is that the snake (and the fact that it coerces Eve first) is symbolic of the older Goddess worshippers, and the Garden of Eden is about a jealous god who doesn't want "his" followers accepting any deity but him. When Eve does, they're punished for the sin of not blindly obeying him.
One of my favorite bumper stickers: "Question Authority! (Don't ask why, just do it")
2007-01-14 10:49:03 · answer #1 · answered by Vaughn 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
What I don't get is: If the snake was really the Devil/Satan and not really a snake, then why did the snake get punished. There seems to be a discrepancy in this story, when we look at it literally. I believe the story of Genesis is metaphore--along with the story of Adam and Eve, the Snake, and the Tree.
It could be said that Adam and Eve represent the whole of consciousness. In mythology, Prometheus brings fire. Fire here represents creativity. The ability to create for ourselves. The Tree of Knowledge of good and evil, which used to be called the Tree of Consience, we must experience to create with wisdom.
2007-01-14 08:39:03 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am not a theist, but here goes (an Eastern interpretation of the tale).
It's the fruit of the "knowledge of good and evil' not knowledge as such. The point is that they fell from a unified "as is'" relationship with the divine, to one of duality, either/or, and thus separation. "God" points this out by asking "...were are you". Obviously an all knowing being knew where he was, but Adam did not.
The snake is disparaged because people do not realize that he is the symbol of the fall for the sake of reunion, allowing a deeper level of understanding of our true nature as enlightened beings.
2007-01-14 08:16:35 · answer #3 · answered by neil s 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Knowledge quest is the destiny of spirit in order to elevate itself from innocence to matured being. The snake is a metaphor that a spirit needs a material energy( physical body in a physical world) to pursue knowledge. The story of the garden of Eden is actually a metaphor representing a state prior physical manifestations: Adam and Even were once innocent spirit. Eating the forbidden fruit consequently resulted in the taking of the tree of life because a physical manifestation means experiencing death as well. A physical manifestation occurs by the time they ate the fruit and was banished from paradise.
2007-01-14 08:16:02 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I thought I was the only person who made that connection (between Lucifer and Promethius)... Dude helps us out and gets punished for it!
My take was always that the snake was the good guy in that story, too (I once got kicked out of a sunday school class for asking if that was such a bad thing!).
2007-01-14 08:08:39 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
In "God: a Biography" the author points out that the snake never lies to Eve. It is God who seems to lie by saying that Adam and Eve will die if they eat the fruit. (They may have been susceptible to death, but the fruit itself doesn't kill them.)
And in "Why Bad Things Happen to Good People" the author suggests that eating the fruit is what makes us human, and we would not undo the action if we could.
2007-01-14 08:06:04 · answer #6 · answered by Mr. Bad Day 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It exchange right into a bad element for Adam and Eve and all of their descendants to consume of the tree of wisdom of sturdy and evil. it is a extreme count to diobey the choose of God. It exchange right into a attempt and that they failed. we are nonetheless given the alternative on a daily basis to the two serve God or our very own fleshly hobbies. we've particularly some forbidden end result we can consume yet % to not.
2016-12-16 04:37:37 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Of course knowledge is a bad thing... for religions. The more you know and reason, the least you believe in fairy tales. With no fairy tales, the churches around the world won't get any money. Religion is a HUGE business that threatens people with hell if you don't tithe, and offers you heaven in exchange for your money.
2007-01-14 08:04:48 · answer #8 · answered by cannabia 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
It was Eve who made the decision to sin, not the serpant. It only tempted her. Should we think that drug dealers do us favors, or pimps or adulteress men and women.... there are always temptations out there that we will learn from when we mess up... doesn't nessasarily mean they did us a favour.
2007-01-14 08:11:02 · answer #9 · answered by adorablecutiepie 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It was not Knowledge but Knowledge of Good and Evil
2007-01-14 08:11:49 · answer #10 · answered by Eye of Innocence 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋