ADAM &
EVE AND THE GARDEN OF EDEN
One way of
explaining how evil & suffering came into the world is through the
story of Adam & Eve in the first book of the Old Testament
(Genesis).
Most people would
today say that this story is not to be taken literally but more as a
myth showing how evil
and suffering came into the world.
Adam & Eve
are placed by God into the Garden of Eden , a paradise where they have
all kinds of trees to eat from, including the tree of life. God
gives them one simple instruction not to eat from the tree of knowledge
of Good and Evil. The snake who represents evil persuades Eve to eat
from the tree. Once this has happened they are no longer conscious of
God�s care and love and they try to hide from him to cover up the fact
they have disobeyed him. God finds out and banishes them from Eden -
this is known as the �Fall� - the fall into sin.
It is �the original sin� of mankind.
Therefore man
& woman brought suffering upon themselves by disobeying God.
The story was
written to show that evil came into the world through man�s sin. Man
and woman were created free to love and obey God or not. They chose not
to obey God and so the relationship between God and humans was damaged
and as a result, evil came into the world.
