If Adam and Eve were created with an innate understanding of good and
evil then why didn't they innately aware of their nakedness before eating
the fruit? If knowledge of good and evil are innate, there would be no
need to have this grand mythological story with tempting serpents and
trees with knowledge in their fruit.
On Thu, 27 Mar 1997, Walter Nusbaum wrote:
> It seems as if you are forcing the text. Certainly Adam and Eve were
create d with an innate understanding of good and evil...it is just as
Paul in Romans 1 says: >
> "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness
and un righteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
because THAT WHICH IS KNOWN ABOUT GOD IS EVIDENT WITHIN THEM; for God
made it evident to them." >
> For Adam and Eve to "know good and evil" is, is to say that they would
have an intimate experience with that which was against the express will
of G od. It did not mean that they did not have any idea what was
"evil." So to answer your question, Adam and Eve did know cognitively
what evil was, though experientially they did not "know" what it was.
Just as God "knew" what evil was because He experienced its activity
through the fall of Satan, Adam and Eve had no exposure or experi ence
to it .
> > His,
> Walt Jr.
>
> ps I'm not back yet everybody, but I just had to respond to this question.
>
> ----------
> From: aholland@IMAP3.ASU.EDU[SMTP:aholland@IMAP3.ASU.EDU]
> Sent: 25 March 1997 16:32
> To: Michael Fisher
> Cc: Anthony R. Woodcock; errancy@infidels.org
> Subject: Adam & Eve
>
> Is there an answer to this dilemma? :
>
> 1) Adam and Eve are told not to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge
>
> 2) If Adam and Eve eat the fruit of this tree, they will THEN have
> knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 3:5, Gen. 2:16-17).
>
> 3) Prior to A & E's eating the fruit, they do NOT have knowledge of
> good and evil.
>
> 4) Disobeying God is a wrong and evil act.
>
> 5) A & E have no way of knowing that disobedience is wrong until they
> eat the fruit.
>
> 6) Therefore A & E cannot be held morally accountable for the act of
> disobeying God.
>
>
>
>