by Russell A. Pizer
In order to understand this story and the Garden of Eden with complete clarity, it will be recounted from a purely secular point of view. It will be told as if it was translated from the King James Version of The Bible into Kryptoneese. It will be given as if Jor-El wanted his son, Kal-El (a.k.a., Clark Kent) to have some idea of how the people on the planet Earth recorded the beginnings of their civilization.
According to Archbishop James Ussher (1581-1656) the very beginning of this story would have begun on October 23, 4004 B.C.E. at 9 a.m. London time or midnight in the Garden of Eden.
According to one written record and subsequent paintings by various artists, the first man and woman were created out of the dust of the Earth by an fierce-looking elderly, muscular Caucasian man with flowing white hair and beard and Romanesque nose.
Earth people have an image of this person – The Creator – from Greek sculptors of 2nd millennium B.C.E. who depicted the supreme lord of the earth as sitting on a throne and demanding obedience from all creatures on the earth.
The book that is used by many Earth people – The Bible – as their primary source of information does not contain a description of this supreme being. Some of the earliest documents known to the Earth people called him Zeus. For the case in point, he will be identified by three initials: LGA, (Lord God Almighty). Others have known him as YHWH – an unpronounceable name. Sometimes these four unpronounceable letters have two vowels added to give him the name, Yahweh.
There is a problem with the opening of this story, however. There are two versions of the beginnings of humanoids on Earth. The first version (the biblical Genesis 1:26) states that man and women were created at the same time. However, most of those who believe in Christianism prefer the second version (the biblical Genesis 2:22) where LGA created Adam di Uno first than later, Eva ben Eden out of Adam’s rib.
In any event, soon after Adam was created, LGA told him about a tree in the middle of the Garden of Eden. (Genesis 2:16-17)
This tree was to be a big “no-no.” LGA said to Adam, “Ye may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil ye shall not eat, for in the day that ye eat of it ye shall die."
It must be noted that this warning given to Adam by LGA turned out to be untrue. LGA said, “for in the day that ye eat of it ye shall die.” He didn’t say, “some day ye shall die” As shall be seen, Adam did eat some of the forbidden fruit under questionable circumstances but he did not die “in the day” he did eat. The proof of this falsehood by LGA is found in Genesis 5:5: which states, “Thus all the days that Adam lived were 930 years.”
In Genesis 2:18, LGA created woman to be a “help meet” for Adam. The words, “help meet” may seem strange, but that is what several Bibles report. It should be noted that the woman was not immediately given a name. She was just called “Woman” – with an upper case “W.”
As the story proceeds, Woman must have been wandering through the garden by herself one day and sees a serpent that speaks to her. There may be some question about a talking serpent but that is how the story is related. Some theologians say it was not the serpent that actually spoke to Woman. It was Satan or the Devil that spoke through the serpent.
Most artists that depict this incident show the serpent wound around the tree like a snake. It is also interesting that the word “serpent” is always written with a lower case “s.” Also, nowhere in Genesis is there a mention that the serpent was a snake or the Devil or Satan. Some theologians believe the identity of the serpent is given much later in the book of Revelations.
Revelations 12:7 begins with the telling about a war in heaven and, in the process, states that the “old serpent” was called the Devil and Satan. (Revelations 12:9)
According to the story (Genesis 3:1-6) the serpent asked Woman, "Did LGA say, ‘Ye shall not eat of any tree of the garden'?" The woman was not completely truthful when she answered the serpent. She responded that LGA said, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden . . . ‘not eat of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.'"
However, the serpent said to Woman, "Ye will not die. For LGA knows that when ye eat of it your eyes will be opened, and ye will be like LGA, knowing good and evil."
So when Woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate.” (The woman wasn’t given the name “Eve” until 3:20.)
Though Eve told the serpent that LGA told her not to eat the fruit, it was actually Adam who told her, not LGA. So, in passing along this admonition, Adam added a little extra. LGA told him not to eat the fruit lest he shall die, but Adam told Eve not even to touch the tree. (That is a small point, but when you’re dealing with an old, white haired, bearded supreme being who came down to his garden from his golden throne in the sky that is surrounded by his worshiping angels, you had better be careful.)
It would appear that Genesis 3:14 has an error at the end of the verse – maybe it is just typographical. Because of the action of the Devil or Satan, at the end of this verse LGA punishes the serpent. (That may seem unfair but that is what he did.) LGA states that the serpent shall eat “dust” all the days of his life.
Previous to this biblical episode, the serpent was a representation of the art of healing and health. As early as 2000 B.C.E. a single serpent wrapped around a wooden shaft was depicted on a Sumerian vase representing the healing god Ningishita, the prototype of the Greek god Asklepios and the goddess Hygeia. Presently, the American Medical Association uses a double serpent wound around a shaft as part of their logo, The Caduceus. The Caduceus is most often depicted as being held by the Greek god Hermes. Hermes found his analogue in Egypt as the ancient god of wisdom, Throth.
Some time after Eve had taken the fruit from the forbidden tree, she offered it to Adam to eat. (The Bible does not state what kind of fruit it was. Most artists depict it as being an apple but this may not be historically accurate – no one knows.)
At the beginning of verse 3:7, this is found: “And the eyes of them both were opened . . .”
But, the consequences immediate became known. The rest of Genesis 3:7 relates the problem that ensued. “And they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.” (Where did they get a needle and thread to do the sewing?)
The reference to the fig at this point in the story have lead some to believe the forbidden fruit was figs. This doesn’t seem right, however. A fig wouldn’t be described as “a delight to the eyes.”
In any event, Adam should be forgiven for taking the fruit from Eve. At this point in the history of man, Adam could not have known it was evil to eat the fruit because he didn’t know the truth between good in evil. He learned that lesson only after eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. How could he have know something was evil if he didn’t know the difference between good and evil? He was being prevented from know this difference by LGA himself!
The reason Adam should not have been punished too severely is that LGA really put temptation in his way – even though Adam would not have know what temptation was. How could he know the effects of temptation if he didn’t know the difference between good and evil?
Here is the reality behind this situation. First. There was the tree – in the center of the garden with what must have been luscious-looking fruit. Why would LGA put such a tree in that location? In his infinite wisdom wouldn’t LGA have known that would be very tempting – especially for someone who didn’t know the difference between good and evil.
Why wouldn’t LGA have put a fence around the tree or a thicket or put in a corner of the garden – out of sight. Why did he even place such a tree in the garden if he didn’t want Adam to consume its fruit? LGA had a choice. If a person doesn’t want a young child to eat candy at every meal, why would a person put a bowl of candy and a bowl of spinach in front of him (or her) and tell him (or her) not to eat the candy? Adam and Eve were like young children. They didn’t know (up to this point) the truth between good and evil.
Second. Here’s this newly formed man whose “help meet” – a newly minted female – just “out of the wrapper of creation” like a model in a woman’s magazine for body lotion – offers him some luscious fruit. And, remember what she was wearing – or should it be said, what she wasn’t wearing! What was he going to do? Could he have refused to offer? Not likely!
That is just too much to expect from any red-blooded male. (Remember – if there is a need to be a reminded – he didn’t know “the truth between good and evil.”) LGA, who is said to be all wise and all knowing, should have known it was going to lead to trouble.
A charitable or considerate person should have considered giving Adam a second chance.
However, the ax falls.
Genesis 3:8-13 states, “And they heard the sound of LGA walking in the garden in the cool of the day.”
It might be asked, why did LGA go walking in the garden in the “cool of the day”? This seems to say there might be times when the garden wasn’t “cool.” This, in turn, would also seem to be saying that the garden was not the perfect place it is said to have been.
Continuing, “and the man and his wife hid themselves from LGA among the trees of the garden. [3:9]But LGA called to the man, and said, "Where are you?" [Why would LGA have to asked “where are you?”] [3:10]And he [Adam] said, "I heard the sound of thee in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself." [3:11]LGA said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?" [LGA asks Adam if he has eaten of the fruit. Why would LGA do that? LGA must have know the answer before he asked. Was he testing Adam to see if he would lie?] [3:12]The man said, "The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate." [In the vernacular, anyone reading this would have to say at this point Adam was a fink! If Adam was a “real man” he would have protected “his woman.”] [3:13]Then LGA said to the woman, "What is this that you have done?" [Again, why would LGA ask such a question? He knew, didn’t he – after all, he is supposed to be all wise, all knowing!] The woman said, "The serpent beguiled me, and I ate." Eve was being honest. However, it must be pointed out that she was “beguiled” before she knew the “truth between good and evil.” Everyone knows there is no excuse for not adhering to the rules of the game, but, again, she was “beguiled” before she knew the truth that lay behind the beguilement.
The outcome was LGA disastrous – or so the world has been told. Adam and Eve were ejected from the garden.
A somewhat strange event occurred just before Adam and Eve got booted out of the garden. Genesis 3:21 states, “And LGA made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins, and clothed them.” (Up to this point, nothing was said about Woman being Adam’s wife.)
Where did LGA get the skins with which to clothe Adam and Eve? Did he kill some animals to get the skins or did he just create the skins? Incidentally, just before LGA made the garments of skins, Adam gave Woman the name Eve. (Genesis 3:20)
Genesis does not state that LGA also sent Eve out of the garden. Genesis 3:23 states, “And LGA sent him forth from the garden of Eden . . .” (It didn’t say “them.”) Genesis 3:24 continues, “So he (LGA) drove out the man. . .” This would indicate that the woman didn’t account for much – she wasn’t even mentioned. This is in keeping with the status of women in many belief systems within Christianism.
Even more strange is the next action by LGA. In 3:22 he says, “Behold, the man is become as one of us to know good and evil . . .” [Again, he doesn’t include the woman]. He then continues: “. . . and now, lest he put forth his hands, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever.”
In 3:22 LGA states, “the man is become as one of us.” Who is the “us.” Some theologians say the plural “us” is used to mean the “Holy Trinity,” i.e., LGA – the Father – Jesus – the Son – and the Holy Ghost. If this was the Holy Trinity, LGA must have been talking to himself. (Maybe he was just thinking out loud.)
A careful reading of 3:22 also shows LGA deceived Adam. The end of that verse states there was also a “tree of life” in the garden. Why wouldn’t LGA have told Adam that if he ate of the tree of life he could live forever even though he had disobeyed the order not to eat of the tree of good and evil?
No doubt, as Adam and Eve were being put out of the garden, Adam would have turned to Eve and say, “What the hell were you thinking?”
Quite innocently, Eve would probably have said, “I just wanted to know the truth.”
Adam would probably have then said, “Well, you sure found out, didn’t you!”
Thus, from this view of the story of Genesis – a non-religious view – the conclusion about the actions of Eve, LGA, et al., would have pointed to the fact that Eve was a freethinker. She wanted to know the truth! She was offered an opportunity so took it. She had no way of knowing that over 4,000 years later the serpent would turn out to be the devil or Satan as revealed in Revelations 12:9. She was not only beguiled by the serpent but by LGA as well. Need there be a reminder that LGA was supposed to be all wise and all knowing. He should have known the devil would be like the proverbial wolf in sheep’s clothing, i.e., beguile Eve through a serpent. How was Eve supposed to know! The Bible that contains the rules of the religious game had not yet been written. During the time in question, the truth appeared to be available to her so she seized upon the opportunity. Some 4,000 years after the event in question, the writer of Matthew 7:7 would state, “Seek and ye shall find” so Eve did! In The Bible, John 8:32 states: “. . . know the truth and the truth shall set you free.”
It should be noted that one of a major attributes of Humanists is to seek the truth by whatever means available regardless where that truth may lead.
