Why did God did not want manking wise (intellegent)

[Donray]

God did not want Adam and Eve to eat the fruit from the tree of knowledge and become wise.

Why did God want mankind to remain stupid and ignorant?

[Divine Insight]

[Replying to post 1 by Donray]

He probably should have at least taught them about false dichotomies.

They were clearly made with adult level intelligence.

What exactly is "Adult Level Intelligence" though?

We would normally think of "Adult Level of Intelligence" as knowing right from wrong. Or having the knowledge of good and evil.

But supposedly Adam and Eve didn't have the knowledge of good and evil before they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

So does it really make any sense to say that they had "Adult Level Intelligence" based on what we might mean today?

Evidently they didn't.

[Donray]

[Replying to post 5 by clive]

Since Adam and Eve sinned the price for that sin was death. But if youll notice, two innocent animals died instead, in the place of the two sinners so that the animals skins could cover sins shame. This is a pattern throughout the bible. An innocent sacrifice is needed for the sinner to go free. And this continued until Christ became the final/ultimate LAMB of God who dies for sin, in the place of the sinner.

So, according to you and the bible mankind had no good knowledge or bad knowledge. What knowledge did mankind know if not either good or bad?

Also, God said that mankind would be like have the knowledge that god has once they eat the fruit. So, why do all the Christian apologetics respond with we don't think like god and therefore do not know the answer. For example, when asked in specifics what heaven will be like in their opinion.

The bible does not say that mankind will have the knowledge of the difference between good and evil.

[ttruscott]

God did not want Adam and Eve to eat the fruit from the tree of knowledge and become wise.

Why did God want mankind to remain stupid and ignorant?

As I understand it, this misses the mark of what GOD was doing with them. All commandments / laws were given to prove to men that they were sinners who could not keep the law and therefore were in need of a saviour from sin's addictive power and the legal consequences of becoming evil: Romans 3:20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God's sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin. This would mean that HE gave them the law to bring them to repentance as they were sinners already but not ashamed.

Their being sinful before they ate is supported by their being called naked before they ate, the same word as subtle (until the vowel points were added circa 600 AD) used to describe the evil of the serpent, that when their eyes were opened to their sin they saw their nakedness, not their eating, and nakedness is a symbol for sinfulness and related to blindness to spiritual truths as per Rev 3:17. Then there was Adam looking for his mate amongst the animals when GOD knew HE had Eve planned for him, sort of proving he was not following his GOD in all things, eh?

Therefore in general terms "eating of the tree of good and evil" is any act that brings the fullness of their sin to someone's attention so they feel the guilt and shame they have been blind to and repent, seeking redemption from GOD.

Peace, Ted

[ttruscott]

[Replying to post 1 by Donray]

He probably should have at least taught them about false dichotomies.

They were clearly made with adult level intelligence.

Yes, it is obvious they were adults, given their job as gardeners and having theological discussions with the serpent and such.

Peace, Ted

[Overcomer]

clive wrote:

The tree was not a tree of knowledge. It was a tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Before they disobeyed they only knew good. In disobeying God they became aware of evil, or sin. Sin seperates...ie..notice they hid from the one they disobeyed. The only way back therefore is thru repentance and forgiveness.

Yes, that's exactly right. Good answer, clive.

God made humankind in his image. That means he made us rational, intelligent beings capable of making choices.

God did NOT want us to know evil. That is why he told Adam and Eve not to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They chose to disobey him and sin and evil entered the world.

God created us to be in a loving relationship with him. True love must be given freely. That's why he didn't make us automatons, programmed to love him. If God gives us a chance to choose to love him, that means he also gives us a chance to choose to not love him.

Satan made Adam and Eve doubt God's love for them. It was that doubt that made them disobey him. And Satan still uses that tactic today as people doubt his love because of the existence of evil in the world.

When people say it wasn't fair of God to tell them not to partake of the fruit when they had no idea how bad evil was and didn't realize what they were choosing, they miss the point. Adam and Eve should have trusted God, knowing that he loved them and only wanted the best for them. They didn't. And, as I said, to not allow them the choice of loving and trusting him would have violated the free will God gave them.

God does indeed want us to be wise. Biblical wisdom is defined as living life God's way. Adam and Eve chose, unwisely, to NOT live life as God ordained. And we have all been paying for it ever since.

However, as clive noted, our situation is not hopeless. We can always recognize our sin, confess it to God and repent of it. That way we can get back on-track with God and begin to live a richer, fuller life here on earth as God desires as well as spend eternity with him.

[Youkilledkenny]

[Replying to post 1 by Donray]

Two potential reasons as I see it:
It is a man made concept and one shouldn't put too much emphasis on it or God did so to protect His knowledge. Stupid/ignorant people are easier to control and influence.

[Youkilledkenny]

[Replying to post 15 by Overcomer]

God did NOT want us to know evil.

Yet, He DID place the tree in their midst when He had every option to do otherwise KNOWING what the outcome would be (or He wouldn't be all knowing).
So it seems God 'wants his cake and wants to eat it too' when it comes to responsibility.
In other words, your statement is forced church 'thinking' and not independent thinking it seems: God is all knowing, but we 'know' He didn't want us to know evil even though HE was the one who put the tree there KNOWING what would happen....poor circular reasoning to me

True love must be given freely.

And yet, with the threat of eternal hell for those who don't 'accept Him' (note not LOVE him) is it truly free? I don't think so - at least not in the definition of free: not under the control or in the power of another (threat of eternal hell?); able to act or be done as one wishes; not physically restrained, obstructed, or fixed; unimpeded (threat of eternal hell?); without cost or payment; release from captivity, confinement, or slavery (slavery to God and his wished or eternal hell?).

Adam and Eve should have trusted God

You can't trust without doubt. In perfection there is no doubt. Therefore, you can't trust God without once having to doubt him. Otherwise, you're a robot - programmed to do this or that.

God does indeed want us to be wise. Biblical wisdom is defined as living life God's way.

Which would also mean killing first born, those who don't believe in Him, etc - the Old Testament is a violent place. Is that really wise? I would say NO.

as clive noted, our situation is not hopeless.

Agreed. Independent thought without the need of holding the eternal punishment over our head shows there is, indeed, hope.

[Freethinker23]

I think Biblical scholar Robert M. Price is correct in his reading of the story. God told Adam and Eve not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, but they were allowed to eat from the Tree of Life, which kept them alive. His intent was to have Adam and Eve live forever, but not to reproduce. Once the serpent tempted Eve to eat from the tree and she, in turn, got Adam to eat the fruit, Adam and Eve gained the knowledge of sexual procreation. God couldn't allow the Earth to fill up with immortal beings, so he expelled Adam and Eve from the garden so that they no longer had access to the Tree of Life. So, basically, personal immortality was exchanged for the the ability to reproduce and create new humans.

[Zzyzx]

.

God made humankind in his image. That means he made us rational, intelligent beings capable of making choices.

"In God's image" evidently also includes some tendency to lie, cheat, steal, rape, kill, etc – which must come from the source (if it created everything in its image). Where did those tendencies come from if not from God (according to bible tales)?

God did NOT want us to know evil. That is why he told Adam and Eve not to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Who made the tree and put it in the garden (according to the tale)?

They chose to disobey him and sin and evil entered the world.

Who set up those conditions?

God created us to be in a loving relationship with him. True love must be given freely.

"Freely given" under threat of eternal damnation. Right?

[Donray]

clive wrote:

The tree was not a tree of knowledge. It was a tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Before they disobeyed they only knew good. In disobeying God they became aware of evil, or sin. Sin seperates...ie..notice they hid from the one they disobeyed. The only way back therefore is thru repentance and forgiveness.

Yes, that's exactly right. Good answer, clive.

God made humankind in his image. That means he made us rational, intelligent beings capable of making choices.

God did NOT want us to know evil. That is why he told Adam and Eve not to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They chose to disobey him and sin and evil entered the world.

Please explain what this knowledge of evil is.
Also, explain what the knowledge of good is that mankind should know.

Remember this is the knowledge of good and evil. Mankind did not know good or evil before eating the fruit. Therefore Adam and Eve could do no good or evil.

What you Christian defender are saying is the mankind was very stupid and knew nothing that would be considered good or evil. For example Adam could kill Eve and would be excused because god did not make him with any morals either good or evil.

Nothing the Adam or Eve could do would be considered good or evil.

Since this is the case, how was Eve eating fruit evil? Please explain.