If Genesis is Metaphorical, what's the metaphor?

oh there's some really great themes in there that do have some universal truth.but to be honest, reading the story very literally now, i'm not totally sure the tree of knowledge is a hereditary trait. i like to think it is, because then i can talk about how it applies thematically to origin of conciousness and what not... but there's another way of reading it.

Responsibility!Very good. IMHO that is a message that is all too often neglected and ignored. Instead, the story of Adam and Eve is used as an excuse; "But we are all bad because of the apple".We know right and wrong and we have a responsibility to do right.

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

people do miss that too often. the tree CAN'T be original sin. it can't even be the FIRST sin.because without eating from it, they had no concept of right and wrong. they only had fear of death.

Well, since there is no indication that they had any experience of death,even that may be exaggerated. Would they be any more capable of understanding what death is than say, an 8 year old?I'd like to move back towards the original topic.Can we walk through the sections of Genesis and discuss the various lessons to be learned from each?

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

a good argument. i don't know. but the threat seems have made an impression, even if it was a very ineffective one. please. i'd be very interested. do you wanna go in order? cause otherwise, i'd like to start with genesis 12:10-13:2, 20:1-18, 26:6-17. the three wife-for-sister stories. apparently, the trick worked so well for abraham that he did it twice and is son did it once.basically, our hereos are rewarded for deception. i'd really liek to know where the moral is here.

I would suggest that we take them in order simply for continuity but am certainly open to suggestions from others. Perhaps a few other posters will chime in with suggestions.

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

well, if we're doing them in order, i suggest we skip chanpters 1 and 2, because otherwise, we'll never get anywhere.and i think we've probably adequately covered 3. so lets start at 4?i also suggest we skip the genealogical sections, unless someone can show they actually mean something. i've heard a rumor that the names actually translate to form a sentance, but i haven't bothered checking.

I have no problem with that except IMHO to understand Chapter 4 you must have a correct understanding of the story of the Garden.We can certainly start in Chapter 4 although I believe it will of necessity require reference back to Chapter 3 and that the content of Chapter 4 actually helps understand and illuminate Chapter 3.

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

alright. i dunno. whatever you wanna do.i'll play along.

if it is to be a discussion between you and me I don't know how worthwhile it will be. Let's just hang loose and see if there is any interest from anyone else. If not then I see no reason to not simply let the thread die a worthy death.

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

quite. because i for one am convinced that genesis is more likely to be metaphorical than moralistic.

I just finished 'The Antichrist' by Nietzche yesterday so I've been meaning to discuss messages in the Noah's Flood story:1.His interpretation was that God saw man becoming too sinful(i.e. scientific according to Nietzche) so he decided to drown them. To Nietzche this is a perfect example of how Judeo-Christian leaders put down knowledge in order to stay in control of their ignorant followers, and I can honestly see where he's coming from.2.The only real moral lesson I saw is that Noah's ark saved him while all the sceptics of a world flood drowned, meaning sometimes you have to do things despite what others think of you for it.Any thoughts on these?

i disagreed at first, because the theme is not present in the actual story. however, the the extra-biblical literature it is. the enoch (watchers), it's azazel giving men TECHNOLOGY that promts the flood, and not the nephilim or men's wicked ways. it's the fact that they now had weapons. i don't recall anything about what noah's neighbors thought. i think that's from a very apocryphal later joke or song or something. it never specifically says what noah did to find favour with the lord either.

I know this may sound ignorant, but where can I find some of said literature?

my really good link seems to be down at the moment. i'll look for another copy of enoch. it shouldn't be too hard to find.