off limit trees

elephanticity

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Okay, as it has been expressed:

There was no death until the Fall.

Man and animals w/in the Garden weren't subject to death as long as they were allowed to stay in there.

God created each and every single thing in the Garden

God told Adam he could eat the fruit of any tree, except one.

Why was there even a tree of immortality in the first place? Why have it in a garden of immortals? Never mind whether A&E were competent to understand their actions, or why the angel with the flaming sword wasn't put there BEFORE they screwed up. I just can't see any reason to create a tree that would never be used.
If it was one of the two things needed to make man into a God, and that was a bad thing, why weren't BOTH trees placed off limits?
If God were omniscient, he may have had a reason to set A&E up for the Fall, so that everything else could happen.

But no one ate it, and it seems it would have been easier to not make it, and not leave an angel guarding it, if it doesn't add anything to the story.

Unless, he was saving it to sell to Odin, for the Norse myth of the golden apples that kept the Gods immortal....
 
Maybe it is just me, but... I find it kind of ironic that God punishes for knowledge, while praising ignorance. I mean the "fall of man" was because we gained knowledge. Sounds to me like God was acting a little petty that day. Maybe I just can't fathom nor respect a deity who punishes knowledge while praising ignorance.

--Dan
 
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LouisBooth

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"Why was there even a tree of immortality in the first place? "

Well that's easy, we can think about it. I believe it was a maturity step. The reason it was sin is because Adam and Eve were not ready for it but did it any way. The tree was not in and of itself evil. What was "evil" was that they disobeyed God.

"that god punished knowlege and rewards ignorance - and that these few individuals are aiming for a mighty big reward."

*sigh*
 
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elephanticity

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Originally posted by LouisBooth
"Why was there even a tree of immortality in the first place? "

Well that's easy, we can think about it. I believe it was a maturity step. The reason it was sin is because Adam and Eve were not ready for it but did it any way. The tree was not in and of itself evil. What was "evil" was that they disobeyed God.

"that god punished knowlege and rewards ignorance - and that these few individuals are aiming for a mighty big reward."

*sigh*

I've argued elsewhere that if A&E couldn't understand the concept of good and evil, then they were not competent to be held responsible for their actions, yet all of us are held responsible for their SIN. That's not what i'm asking.
It's the second tree. it does nothing for the narrative, it doesn't show up later in the bible, it probably died in the flood (or the burning sword would have shown up by now), and wasn't placed off limits until the first rule was broken.
What was it doing there?
 
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Originally posted by dkewatson
Maybe it is just me, but... I find it kind of ironic that God punishes for knowledge, while praising ignorance.

Consider that the Christian believes that knowledge is nothing if not from God. As for ignorance, how do you feel it is praised?
1 Cor 8
"Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.
But if anyone thinks to know anything, he still has known nothing as he ought to know."
 
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LouisBooth

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"Yes, i did. But it looked like you were talking about the tree of Knowledge."

the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? It was in all probalbity a maturity step, just like a 5 year old isn't mature enough to drive a car adam and eve were not mature enough.
 
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AV1611VET

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Why was there even a tree of immortality in the first place? Why have it in a garden of immortals?
Just a pet theory of mine, but I believe those two trees in the Garden grew food for the angels -- not man.

We know that Lucifer was there at the time.

Ezekiel 28:13a Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God;

The Garden may have been a place for man and angels to meet for fellowship.

That may be stretching it a little, but it at least gives you something to ponder.
 
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ttfn

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Just a pet theory of mine, but I believe those two trees in the Garden grew food for the angels -- not man.

We know that Lucifer was there at the time.

Ezekiel 28:13a Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God;

The Garden may have been a place for man and angels to meet for fellowship.

That may be stretching it a little, but it at least gives you something to ponder.
I think you are as big a dreamer as the people who wrote the STORIES in Genesis.
 
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Sophrosyne

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Just a pet theory of mine, but I believe those two trees in the Garden grew food for the angels -- not man.

We know that Lucifer was there at the time.

Ezekiel 28:13a Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God;

The Garden may have been a place for man and angels to meet for fellowship.

That may be stretching it a little, but it at least gives you something to ponder.
Don't expect an reply, I think he probably left 8 years ago :D
 
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Split Rock

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Just a pet theory of mine, but I believe those two trees in the Garden grew food for the angels -- not man.

We know that Lucifer was there at the time.

Ezekiel 28:13a Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God;

The Garden may have been a place for man and angels to meet for fellowship.

That may be stretching it a little, but it at least gives you something to ponder.

It's stretching it quite a lot, really. But that's what you "Bible Literalists" like to do.
 
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AV1611VET

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It's stretching it quite a lot, really.
Interesting.

We know there was a Garden of Eden.

We know Lucifer was there.

We know Adam & Eve were there.

But saying they possibly were there at the same time, and for fellowship, is 'stretching it quite a lot'.
 
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Split Rock

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Interesting.

We know there was a Garden of Eden.

We know Lucifer was there.

We know Adam & Eve were there.

But saying they possibly were there at the same time, and for fellowship, is 'stretching it quite a lot'.

Even if Lucifer visited The Garden does not mean:
1. There was food there for him on a special tree.
2. The Tree of knowedge was there to provide food for him.

Do angels even eat food?
 
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