I don't mean to be confrontational but how did we make the problem? Adam and Eve made the problem. Would you consider it sane to blame the great-great-descendent of Attila or Alexander for what their ancestors did?

For that matter, if God wanted a world without sin why did he kick Adam and Eve out of the garden, and into the world? I'm sorry - to me this whole interpretation has the sick, twisted logic of abuse - you've made me hurt you.

I prefer the metaphor of leaving the garden being the beginning of free choice - in essence, karma and dharma - both concepts are also part of the kabbalistic interpretations of Genesis.

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And there is distrust in Washington. I am surprised, frankly, at the amount of distrust that exists in this town. And I'm sorry it's the case, and I'll work hard to try to elevate it." --George W. Bush, Jan. 29, 2007

You're not being confrontational at all. This a very difficult concept that ranks up there with the holy trinity.

What I blame Adam and Eve (figuratively of course) is letting sin into the world. That is what original sin is. Because they let sin into the world we now have all the mess that exists. I'm not blaming my bad actions on them I am responsible for those.

Ok God kicking them out of the Garden is (in my interpretation) a metaphor for the connectedness we lost with God. Because sin was let in the world we can no longer walk with God.

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"A dog barks when his master is attacked. I would be a coward if I saw that God's truth is attacked and yet would remain silent."
-John Calvin

Figuratively eh?

Damn that Pandora!

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"Jesus said: I have cast fire upon the world, and behold I guard it until it is ablaze."
Gospel of Thomas

Fr. Guido Sarducci explains “Original Sin”:

In the beginning, God made the heaven and the earth; and He said: “Hey, that’s pretty good!” Then God made man in His own image to rule over all living things; but it was Friday night, and God was drunk, so man didn’t come out so good. Then, while He still had a hangover, God created woman, which only made things worse. As a consolation, God let Adam and Eve live in the Garden of Eden; but then Eve met this snake guy that told her to eat of the tree of knowledge so she could get her real estate license and sell the place for big bucks; and when God found out, He got real mad and kicked them both out. And, you know, ever since then, almost everything has gone to the Devil.

Why wasn't the snake the first one to sin by tempting Eve? Who let the snake into the world?

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adam and eve brought knowledge of evil to humanity.

Pity they didn't bring a shift key while they were at it.

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"Jesus said: I have cast fire upon the world, and behold I guard it until it is ablaze."
Gospel of Thomas

well the snake has traditionally been identified as Satan but the snake could also be temptation in general.

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"A dog barks when his master is attacked. I would be a coward if I saw that God's truth is attacked and yet would remain silent."
-John Calvin

wow your contribution here is so engaging. thanks for bringing life to this discussion.

And the second half of my questions? Who let the snake into the world? If it was God, why did He? If it wasn't, the whole thing becomes even more intriguing.

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If we are talking about the snake as temptation (or even Satan as the ultimate representation of temptation) we let him in. We were the ones who decided God isn't enough (that is the "sin" if you will in original sin thinking you need something and God to be happy, not just God).

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"A dog barks when his master is attacked. I would be a coward if I saw that God's truth is attacked and yet would remain silent."
-John Calvin

Are you trying to infer that man's interpretation of The Bible is contradictory?

God is not as popular as in times past. The biblical representation is rather forbidding and out of date. One would think that, given human nature, God would be more forgiving and lovable for being so demanding of man’s adulation. W. Somerset Maugham said that he found it difficult to believe in a god who was less compassionate and tolerant of human failings than he was himself. In his autobiography, he wrote: “Men are passionate, men are weak, men are stupid, men are pitiful; to bring to bear on them anything so tremendous as the wrath of God seems strangely inept.” W. Somerset Maugham, The Summing Up (1938).

The philosopher Epictetus once said that it was incumbent to acknowledge the existence of the gods and make sacrifice to them. After all, what would they be otherwise but dead statues? For it is not what adorns the temple, but he who worships and adores it that makes the divinity. Perhaps, rather than issuing commandments, God would do better with a good publicist.

Although I am agnostic, I understand that the common belief is that "God forgives all" ... it is man that doesn't. Man has done many terrible things in the "name of God", and if there is a God, I'm sure he/she/it would be utterly appalled at some of the teachings and actions they see committed.

considering he sacrificed his son for us (or in trinity terms himself) i would say he is the most compassionate thing out there.

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"A dog barks when his master is attacked. I would be a coward if I saw that God's truth is attacked and yet would remain silent."
-John Calvin