"Post #124 "From a Garden to Hell"

Continuing the discussion on division, we noted that we can look into ourselves, as people of division, to find the hidden truth of who we really are. There is much truth about ourselves and our choices hidden in our stories: our nursery rhymes, our tales, our scriptures, our lore, and especially in our ancient stories and myths. The ancient, mythological biblical story of the first man and woman in the garden of Eden begins with an almost buddy-buddy relationship between God and Adam whom God just created in God's own likeness. It is all very peaceful until, whether or not a third character emerged, turned into battle zone of who did or didn't do what. The third character was probably created so as to have a victim on which to place the blame for the betrayal. But we all know about betrayal and the resultant violence that often erupts. Actually, the second character, the woman, was also created a victim. Also one on whom to place the blame of betrayal. The blame was totally Adam's. Adam had the only identity as being an image of God. Eve did not have an identity. Nothing says she was created in God's image. There is nothing today to give her identity other than a rib of Adam. She was just Adam's rib. She did what Adam wanted her to do. Adam desired to become God. Eve picked the apple and handed it to him. The decision to eat was his. Adam's purpose of eating an apple from a forbidden tree, was and is, to become God. As archangel Lucifer desired to become God, so did Adam. Meaning, so does humanity. There lies deep within humanity the desire to become God.     

This story does not seem to follow very well the story of the battle in the heavens but seems almost a parallel as the thrust of the stories are basically the same; archangel Lucifer wants to become God as does Adam. But what of our quest to understand the reality of violence? Does the Garden story reflect violence through loss of identity, division and fragmentation through the desire to become God? Why would Adam desire to become like God when he was already created in God's image? Of course, we have already investigated the true meaning of image. (Please refer to posts 5, 16, & 17)Was there a loss of identity? Yes, there was. Eve had no identity. The snake was Adam's alter ego, Eve was Adam's scape goat. Eve was not God's image. Eve has no identity. She was an add on with no particular function or ability but being a cover-up for Adam that continues to this day. This extends also to the battle within each person between so-called male and female characteristics.

The violence erupted in the second son who battled and killed his brother. This extended situation continues in Israel/Palestine today as civilization establishes its identity by conquering the wilderness; as civilization conquers wilderness until nothing remains, and people strive to conquer people. For a few people can exist with billions of trees and forests but no one can exist with billions of people and a few trees on a world of cement and blight.

(next post on civilization versus wilderness)
BB