The Sunday Mail
Shingai Rukwata Ndoro : Chiseling the Debris
IT is safe to say that humans were initially ignorant, asleep and mentally imprisoned to the real nature of whom they were due to a prohibition order. They then realised that they were exactly like the Divine figure. (Genesis 3:7, 22). After becoming awake and freed from the shackles of ignorance through knowledge, humans were now conscious of who they were as creatures of Divine origin. (Genesis 1:27)Eating the fruit has been presented by ecclesiastical authorities as being the first or “original sin”, based on the first scriptural bold dissent or non-conformity by acquiring knowledge. (Genesis 3:6)
The word “sin” is “chattah” (Hebrew Concordance #2403) and “amartia” (Greek Concordance #266). In both instances it means, “to miss the mark or to unintentionally err”.
The Greek term for willful transgression, deviation and disregard is “parabasis” (Greek Concordance #3847). This is related to the Hebrew “avon” (#5771). This means “an iniquitous act or to err intentionally”. As can be noticed, “sin” is not an appropriate term since the humans willfully acquired liberating knowledge and freedom by a refusal to conform to an unjustified and irrational prohibition order.
The Divine figure was very angry that the serpent-character had provided the liberating knowledge and freedom for humanity.
The literalist religious do not find it objectionable that the Divine figure would be angry over humanity for acquiring liberating knowledge, becoming awake and freed from a mental prison.
If it’s true, the anger means that the Divine figure preferred a humanity that is enmeshed in the blinding pleasures of ignorant existence and mental imprisonment. This had allowed the Divine figure to control the affairs of humanity in a state of ignorance and unquestioning submission, compliance and subservience.
Following the first scriptural dissent by humans, the Divine figure made a pronouncement of curses against the serpent, woman and man. What is a “curse” (Greek “katara” #2671, Hebrew “arar” #779)?
The Oxford Dictionary defines a curse as “a fervent wish, prayer ora solemn utterance intended to invoke a supernatural power to inflict harm or punishment on someone, (ii) a cause of harm or misery, (iii) an offensive word pronouncement to express anger or annoyance”.
If this is from a Divine figure, then its very aggressive, harsh, brutal and sadistic! The serpent was to be cursed more than all livestock and wild animals. It was to crawl on its belly and eat dust all the days of its life. (Genesis 3:14) Further to this, there was to be enmity between itself, the woman and her offspring, while the man will have his heel struck and the head crushed.
In science, we learn that the natural diet of a serpent consists of eggs, rats, rabbits and other serpents. This prescribed diet consisting of dust is not true at all.
Does it mean that the serpent was the most loved of all animals and had legs before the curse? This adds no value to the narrative.
The Divine figure was also very angry with the woman and he said she was to suffer severe pains in childbearing, will have a painful labour when giving birth to children, her desire will be for her husband and the man will rule over her.
Is this not a pronouncement of physical laws to a woman who had come of age? Without a curse, does it mean she was not to suffer pains in childbearing, and to love her husband?
To the man, the Divine figure said he was at fault by listening to the woman when he also acquired knowledge as a result, the ground is cursed.
This is the same ground that had already been producing thorns and thistles (Genesis 1:12) from which, “every herb bearing seed … to you it shall be for meat”. (Genesis 1:19, 29)
“By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return”. (v19)
So enjoying the fruits of a liberated honest labour is a “curse”? Making oneself free from degrading ignorance invites a curse? (Genesis 2:5)
“The statement about his death and return to dust was no part of the “curse” at all, for man was never designed to live on earth forever . . . ” (Joseph Wheless, “Is it God’s Word? An Exposition of the Fables and Mythology of the Bible and of the Impostures of Theology”, 1926.)
The curse of death is not true because humanity was sent out of the Garden of Eden so that it does not acquire eternity because it was not meant to live forever. (Genesis 3:22-23). Death was already there!
‘Til next week, let’s keep chiseling.
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