The Fall of Man

[one eternal round]

the fall of man {and woman} was supposed to happen. In order to experience mortality, and eventual physical death, the law was meant to be broken. Eve was an incredibly wise woman to do what she did. If she didn't, they'd still be here in their spiritual estate. As the parents of mankind,they transfigured from spiritual beings to human beings. They opened the door to the mortal birth of us all. All of us being sons and daughters of eternal parents, we are all here in mortality to gain experience and learn all we can about who we are, where we came from, and where we are going provided we make right choices. It's the choices that we make that will determine where we go. Theory behind Jesus is that before he lived, all men were subject to death never to rise again. Apparently his mission was to break the bands of death to give us the opportunity to live again after mortal death. How far you want to go is up to the individual. There is no force of choice in the individual's decisions. Yes there are laws of nature and I believe the nature of God is naturally enforced. As for me, I choose life. Not just this one, but the one that's possible for me to live eternally. What that is, I just have to let what I believe the truth is to grow within me cause for me, truth is forever constant. Truth never changes. Truth will never be untrue. We all have opinions about it all. Isn't it great to have individual choice and views? One thing I feel in my heart is that we're not human beings having a spiritual experience,,, we're spiritual beings having a human experience.. So fallen man,,, GET UP! Thanks for allowing me to be a part of this discussion.

[mystic444]

one eternal round wrote:

One thing I feel in my heart is that we're not human beings having a spiritual experience,,, we're spiritual beings having a human experience.. So fallen man,,, GET UP! Thanks for allowing me to be a part of this discussion.

You and I are in perfect agreement on that point. As for things like religious allegories (the Creation and Fall accounts, for instance), I doubt there is only one 'correct' understanding. There's probably a basic concept being taught, but those allegories are written in such a way that many different (and even conflicting, perhaps) things can be seen in them. Jump in any time with your thoughts; that's what the Forum is all about.

[one eternal round]

As free thinkers, We can believe or not believe what we want to. That is a choice we've been given. And that is good. Imagine a world where you couldn't agree to disagree! If you believe in fables, that's a choice. But it doesn't prove to be fable or otherwise. I think that falls into the catagory of faith. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. The opposite of faith is fear. Thinking is good. but thinking is just that, thinking. Commitment is better. If you feel in your heart about something to be true, thinking about it is not as fulfilling as one who commits to that truth that they believe to be. Growth follows. There are so many ways to come to an understanding about something. Whether we believe it to be 1 correct understanding or not is yet another choice we can make. That's still good. Your right, If everyone is thinking alike someone is not thinking. There has to be opposition in all things or else progression will cease to exist. But if I were threatened with my very existence, I would rather be with the thinking alike than the one not thinking. You are loved. all of you.

[Bare Bones]

I just joined last night. I hope it isn't too soon to post .

I'm quite interested in Genesis. I always thought of it as mythology or allegory, and found it weird that this version of creation was becoming the big Christian issue. Never the less I loved the story and re read it a couple of years ago. It occured to me that if you wanted to you could argue that there is truth in it.

You've got your void and let there be light. You've got your big bang. Moving on to the fall. I see it as a story of how our primative ancestors became human. Adam and Eve realised the were naked. Well, my dog is generally naked unless it's cold and she has to wear a little sweater. She isn't self conscious one way or the other. Most humans cover their private parts at least. A common nightmare is being naked in a public place. Only human animals have this anxiety.

Eve was cursed. Childbirth was difficult for her. Why? Because by now humans have big heads and big brains. Once our species achieved something of sentience (knowledge), they couldn't ever again go back to the garden of blissful ignorance.

What a beautiful explanation of who we are, told to a simple people. I'm not saying that God came down from on high and dictated this to Moses or anyone else, but I believe there is truth and hope in this and some of the writings of some of the revealed religions.

[Yehya]

Greetings

What a beautiful explanation of who we are, told to a simple people. I'm not saying that God came down from on high and dictated this to Moses or anyone else, but I believe there is truth and hope in this and some of the writings of some of the revealed religions.

Although I don't believe the Bible, Qu'ran, or other religious texts were dictated by God to man I do believe they contain, in part, the collected wisdom of generations of thoughtful men (and women). It would be the height of arrogance to merely dismiss this wisdom due to the religious trappings that clutter it up.

Peace - Yehya

[Lily]

Yup yup.

[Inner Prop]

I could have sworn I had commented on this thread before. Oh well, I guess I'll have to read it.

I'm not sure about the "fall of man" but I am sure that if there is a God we don't have direct communications with Him and that is a big mystery that gnaws at me.

[seanpmc69]

One thing I feel in my heart is that we're not human beings having a spiritual experience,,, we're spiritual beings having a human experience...

I have often thought this as well, but probably not quite the way you do, and it started when I first read "The Butterfly Dream" (about 30 years ago).

Ever since then I have pondered upon the possibility of this life being a "game" of some sort. Like a playground world where our "real" selves set up a series of handicaps to make the game more or less difficult. That is probably why I instantly grasped the entire concept behind the "Matrix" series, when nearly everyone else I knew found it to be confusing. The main difference behind my hypothesis and that of the Matrix, would be that the "real" people in the Matrix would be entering by choice, but still unaware while they were in the game. That leads into the question of whether the player stays for the duration of each game, or if when we sleep, the player is going about his/her daily business?

Don't go thinking I'm nuts, this is just a thinking-game that I have toyed with for years. But here is a link to what started this concept in my mind. It is short, and this particular page also breaks it down and anylyzes it. If you are not familiar with "The Butterfly Dream", it is worth reading if only to give your mind a little exercise...

http://www.the-philosopher.co.uk/butter.htm

[Yehya]

Greetings

Ever since then I have pondered upon the possibility of this life being a "game" of some sort. Like a playground world where our "real" selves set up a series of handicaps to make the game more or less difficult. .... The main difference behind my hypothesis and that of the Matrix, would be that the "real" people in the Matrix would be entering by choice, but still unaware while they were in the game

Change game to school and you are describing what I believe. That we entered this school by choice but while here we are unaware we are in the school. For if we knew why we were here we probably wouldn't learn how to figure it out.

Peace - Yehya

[seanpmc69]

Change game to school

Yes, I could see it just as easily in that manner.