The publicised event of Pope Francis’s historic passing seemed to evoke thoughts concerning the traditional Biblical religious canon and its singular social impact upon modern empirical thought and prejudices. We have previously conjured up the Bible’s apocryphal recitation of the beginnings of Mankind, specifically portrayed in the Book of Genesis, which, for believers, apparently has had an enduring effect on social thought and behavior. Thematically, it is understood by countless believers to justify the arcane concept of “Original Sin,” as well as having an enduring effect upon the unfairly assigned status to women (ask J.D., Vance).
The universally accepted message is well known: Adam is tempted by Eve to eat a fruit ( an apple) from the “Forbidden “Tree of Knowledge on which the inciting serpent resided, resulting in the banishment of the couple (mankind) from the “Garden of Eden.” ( previous condition of ignorance). A simple conceit, but which thereafter evolved to be humanistically devastating. In our view, it is symbolically erroneous, albeit retaining an enduring and cogent religious and social significance.
The presence of a serpent (the snake) in ancient mythology and belief was universally considered a symbol of fertility (Freudian?) by recognized mythologists such as Joseph Campbell. To our resultant perception, a symbol of fertility, residing in the “Tree of Knowledge,” would empirically symbolize mental fertility. Eve’s apocryphal ooffering of the apple from the “Tree of Knowledge would symbolically and affirmatively accord credit to women for Mankind’s acquisition of consciousness of self (“of his “nakedness”), no longer, thereafter, to remain insapient like the other creatures of creation (i.e., “banished from the Garden of Eden.) In our view, the concept of every infant as being born in sin (“Original Sin”) is more than bizarre and pessimistic, but, thematically, symbolically erroneous.
The enduring concept of Eve (Woman) as temptress and Adam sinfully partaking of the “Forbidden Apple,” might, consistent with ancient beliefs, more justly, salubriously, and perhaps, consistently, be perceived as symbolically demonstrating that it was woman who delivered knowledge to Mankind, rather than tempting him and his entire Earthly progeny to life-long sin. Unfortunately, and undeservedly, like the Greek God, Prometheus, she was granted a rather bad rap.
Having desirably declared our critique of misapprehended Biblical mythology, we would affirm our strong and enduring preference for judging people, irrespective of their sex or gender, by their empirically demonstrated character.
-p.
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