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Quote by: Athena Understand? The story of Adam and Eve and Job when understood as moral stories, equal to the above mentioned moral stories, have moral lessons to teach us. This is abstract thinking, what separates humans from animals. But to interpret all these biblical stories literally, runs us into trouble. Here is where the conflict between Protestants and the rest of the world arises. Catholics have practiced abstract interpretation all along, so the problem comes with Protestants who thought reforming the church means a literal interpretation of the bible. Now Adam and Eve walking with God in a Garden is no longer a moral story we can appreciate, but becomes an argument about what is true and what is unbelievable. This argument has nothing to do with a person's moral stance. I will compare my morality with the most pious. I will also say, God walking in a garden with Adam and Eve is a Sumerian story that was translated by Hebrews and should not be taken literally. It is not a concrete fact that a God walked in a Garden with magical trees with Adam and Eve, and a talking snake and cherubs are as real as talking hens, foxes and fairies. |
Very well said. That is what I am coming to believe that the Bible is also, alot of great moral stories in them, but not necessarily meaning that all these people were real or the places were real. Athena, have you ever read "When God was a Woman" by Merlin Stone(I think that is her name)...very interesting book. Traces the history of the goddess religions that predate the male dominated religions and how as the patriarch took over the female was demonized, etc. The serpant was a symbol of the Goddess, once upon a time, so the serpant tempts Eve, she falls for it and brings about the downfall of mankind...go figure.
And I have started reading the book of Job. Interesting. About as much that I can gather is this:
Sometimes bad things happen to good people, whether they deserve it or not, and one has to have faith that things will get better or that there is a reason these *bad* things are happening, a bigger purpose to it all and everything will resolve itsself in the long run. Now does that mean Satan is a literal being or God? Hmmmm....
And a sidenote: "Lilith", in some stories, was the first wife of Adam, before Eve came along, but she was rebellious and pretty much demanded equal rights alongside him and that was denied her, so she was turned into a bloodsucking demon, who fed off the blood of Adam and Eve's children, hence all the descendants of mankind. Now I resent being called a vampire! :)