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>> CHRISA:

>> You don't seriously think that the author(s) of Genesis would seriously

>> leave a gaping whole that large if they didn't believe there was a purpose

>> to it?  I think that in this case, "you should surely die" should

DEFINITELY

>> be considered allegorical, and NOT literal.



> PETER:

>Oh, come on.  You don't have an inerrantist axe to grind, so why do you

>adopt this argument of theirs?  The author(s) of Genesis manifestly

>*have* left gaping wholes in their works for no discernable purpose. 

>Many lists of Biblical contradictions should establish this fact.  See

>http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/theism/christianity/errancy.html

>for a list of lists.  You should be able to find at least one "genuine

>contradiction" in Genesis.

>

>(Please excuse me if you are "immediately suspicious" whenever somebody

>cites a conclusion and gives references to other works for more detail.)


CHRISA:
I am not an inerrist, far from it!  However, I really disagree with the
VERY common atheist practice of picking out itty bitty insignificant
"contradictions" which really are irrelevant in the first place, and in
the second place are very questionable "contradictions" indeed.  One of
my general rules for analyzing the Bible is to FIRST try to understand the 
point of the author, and the possible reasons why this discreprancy would
occur.  And very rarely do I admit to contradictions that are only pages
apart, written by the same author, or in the same pericope.  I find it
highly unlikely that anyone could make a mistake that STUPID, than to
rather believe that perhaps I misunderstood the intent of the author,
that there was a deeper "spiritual" message intended in the story, that
perhaps, just perhaps, the author was making a metaphorical point instead
of a literal one.

I think the intent of the author of this story wanted to first show that
there were grave consequences to disobeying God (introducing sin into the
world, being expelled from Paradise, etc.) ... these punishments are
paramount to death.  Sure, the author could say "in that day you shall
surely be cast out of Eden", (the author, after all, knew how the story
ends anyway) ... but that doesn't have the poetic grace or bluntness as, 
"you will DIE!!!"

I don't fault JALw's zeal for trying to find discreprencies in the Bible,
but there are SO much BETTER contradictions in the Bible other than
this one.  Don't waste your time with measly little quibbles like this
one.

- Chris
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