- NEW!
by Randoley on December 4th, 2009
Literal
by Baggins on December 4th, 2009
It's to be taken literally, I believe. The only thing that it symbolizes is what could have taken place if they had not sinned. Adam and Eve and all their offspring would have lived forever on a paradise earth.
by trouble315 on November 19th, 2009
Scripture is to be taken as a piece of literature. We read the literal as literal, figurative as figurative, etc. There is nothing in the account of the fall that would lead us to believe that it is anything but literal. St. Paul refers to it as a literal and actual event.
by guardian on November 19th, 2009
BOTH. it is both Literal, and has symoblism within it.
it literally happened. however the symbolism is strong in prophecy and personal meaning.
+3
by Truth Seeker on December 7th, 2009
Literal w/ some symbolism. The story actually comes from the older(verified) Sumerian texts about Enki and Enlil. They are from a distant planet and needed gold from Earth to help their atmosphere. Our 24 hour cycles were too much on their bodies. Their planet had an eliptical orbit. This is where we get the phrase "1,000 yrs is a day to God". They lived longer according to their orbit. We were genetically altered to mine gold. Let Us make man in our image- this phrase is ALWAYS ignored by the church(but never taken out!!!). With such efforts to translate and copy, how does this stay in the Bible. Because it is true. Genesis actually says that God saw the gold of the land and it was good. Why would gold be good or bad? Why would it be so important to put in the the 1st book, in the 1st few chapters?
by Dreamlight on November 18th, 2009
Perhaps originally. The rational modern person, however, shout take it and all other myths as symbolic.
by pugwashjw65 on November 18th, 2009
According to the Bible, it is literal...a starting point for the existence of people.
If there were any truth in time making things better...survival of the fittest...then our bodies should renew themselves every seven years [ claimed by scientists] and we should never die of old age.
but we do...From the age of about 30, we age and nothing can stop it.. and scientists and doctors cannot explain why.
Yet the Bible does.,..
(Genesis 2:16-17) And Jehovah God also laid this command upon the man: “From every tree of the garden you may eat to satisfaction. 17 But as for the tree of the knowledge of good and bad you must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will positively die.”
Before they disobeyed, Adam and Eve would NOT have died...EVER...
by Stepper on November 18th, 2009
As a former Christian and current atheist-leaning agnostic, I have always taken it symbolically for the most part.
You introduce a host of difficult to resolve contradictions if you take it as a literal account.
by stonedsober on December 4th, 2009
Both, two different dimensions.
Come on Y'all! It has been there the whole time. Only those who are awake can see the meaning. You can read the same truths over and over again. But the meanings advance as your understanding grows.
(fear) I really do not think I should tell you. comes from serpent. Base of spine.
I have had spiritual awakening. Therefore base of spine where fear lies has awoken. kundalini.
Before awakening, upheaval in my heart had brought me to point of jumping off.
It was dark and alone in a room full of people.
I admitted defeat. (Honesty)
I came to believe that a Power greater than myself would restore my sanity.
I gave my will and my life over to the care and protection of my Higher Power as I understand Him.
I poored my hurt heart out. everything that made me upset. people, places, institutions. (bleed) (heart) (Openess)
I looked to see in each instance by first removing blame. Second, Illuminating wher I had been selfish, dishonest, self seeking and frightened.
This is where I firmly believe that the cellular light content of a certain green seed bearing herb is very beneficial in multi-faceted religious, medical and spiritual ways.
I admitted to God, to myself and to another human being the exact nature of my wrongs. (spine)(kundalini)
I was entirely ready to have God remove my defects of character. (Willingness)(Honesty)(ego)
I Humbly asked Him to Remove my shortcomings.
I made a list of all persons I had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.(Willingness) (self will) (ego)
I made amends with such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. (will) (ego)
continued to bleed. poor out heart and search without blame daily. When wrong, promptly admit.(Honesty) (Openess) (Willingness)
Sought through prayer and meditatin to improve my conscious contact with God, as I understand Him. (H) (O) (W)
smoke more weed and smoke other people out givingly without expectation of return and whoalla! When I practice these principles in all of my affairs, I find my way back to the Garden! Tree. (Brain) (sanity)
painstaking ongoing mission daily practice. Tell others what you find. Humankind Anonymous. not affilliated with any sect denomination politic or any organization
wishes not to engage in any controversy whatsoever the primary purpose is to get back to the Garden. If you are human you can use these steps.
Tree of life-brain. conscience. (Honesty)
(Openess) serpent fear self will unawakened kundalini
(Willingness) Fruit heart emotions
What is your Heart condition?
Anonymity is the spiritual foundation ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.
Live and let live.
Be quick to see where religious folks are right.
GROW MORE POT!!!!
So, yes, the story is symbolic. check out kundalini yoga.
by ScienceSwamy on November 19th, 2009
Hmm, let's see:
If you read Genesis very carefully you'll see that;
1. God doesn't tell Eve not to eat the forbidden fruit, only Adam.
.
2. Eve doesn't tell Adam that the fruit that she is giving him is the forbidden fruit.
.
3. Eve isn't punished for eating the fruit but for being deceived by the serpent.
.
4. The serpent doesn't tell her to give any to Adam nor does he tell Adam to eat any.
.
5. Adam isn't punished for eating the fruit but for listening to / trusting Eve.
.
6. Most of what the serpent says to Eve is actually true.
.
7. Most of what God says to Adam is either false or is a deception.
.
8. Adam and Eve did not die upon the day that they ate of the fruit, like God said that they would. They died because God kicked them out of the Garden, and he did this so that they would not be able to eat from the tree of life. If they had eaten from both trees, God says that they would indeed have become like him - which is actually what the serpent said in the first place.
What a conceited fraud!
* * *
Also, taken "literally", 'God’s Word of Bible'
at Ezekiel:16 shows up God as a ‘dirty old man’
grooming an orphan for sex
and later an impotent jealous husband
who can neither 'satisfy' nor punish
his promiscuous-adulterous wife: hot, sexy ‘Jerusalem’!
Is there a study guide along with"Know the Bible in 30 Days"?
by Answerbag Staff on July 11th, 2010
| 1 person likes this
What year did ronald knox publish the new testament?
by Answerbag Staff on July 6th, 2010
| 1 person likes this
According to the bible.. has God always been honest?
by aldonoir on January 17th, 2012
| 3 people like this
Who publishes the new King James Bible?
by Answerbag Staff on June 14th, 2010
| 1 person likes this
Is there anywhere I can get audio of the King James Bible with an Australian narrator?
by AussieMe on January 12th, 2012
| 1 person likes this
You're reading Regardless of whether or not you are a believer, do you think that the Adam and Eve story in Genesis was meant to be taken literally or was it supposed to be symbolic?
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Comments
why not both?
by stonedsober on December 4th, 2009
How would you know which part is which?
by Randoley on December 4th, 2009
My experience just revealed some similarities just as I started AB. I read Gen. again. I have read about kundalini yoga.It claims there is a serpent like coil in the base of our spine that when awakened one is searching light. meditation, breathing, simple listening to silence in the mind.
Here now rises fear. I would assume.spiritism. well sorry.
but this is where the fear is.
remember, humility is necessary to seek. admittance of defeat to self will. the blinders. the reason for forgive them for they know not.
we are banished from the garden as we only use partial brain. only God will reveal the full potential.
the heart is the fruit as this is where the blood and varying light content dna coded as to what spirit and history of the dead at time of death holding sins for judgement. fruition of deeds done.
so brain is knowledge which can only be revealed by God
the serpent is fear that when kundalini awakens one begins to outgrow fear by following truth.
by stonedsober on December 5th, 2009
the heart is the fruition of relationships mended, families re_united. or not. so it appears life is of a trinitarian union existing in multidimensional planes. where word is bond
by stonedsober on December 5th, 2009
WHHAAAT?
by Randoley on December 5th, 2009