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Thursday, July 22, 2010

IF GOD = WHITE SLAVE OWNER, FREDRICK DOUGLAS = ADAM & EVE


A few days back I came across a status on facebook which criticised Adam and Eve for eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of Eden. One of the commenters said something about "If Adam and Eve had not done what they did we would still be in the garden of Eden chopping good fruit and better vegetable". At first the comment was funny to me, but afterwhile I started to analyse that comment. 


Many of us have made or even heard jokes/insults that castigated Adam and Eve for eating from that tree, because according to the bible the world was perfect before they ate from that tree abi? But if we look at it from another perspective, we find that Adam and Eve at the end of the day chose knowledge over ignorance. When before they were ignorant and living a blissful life, they let their curiosity and thirst for knowledge lead them to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Now when people castigate them for eating from that tree, are those people not in essence supporting IGNORANCE in every shape and form? Let me break this down for the people who might not understand this post.


Before FRUIT CHOPPING, ADAM AND EVE = IGNORANT


AFTER FRUIT CHOPPING, ADAM AND EVE = KNOWLEDGEABLE


Now why would anybody feel that Adam and Eve did us wrong, when infact they should be seen as role models and viewed as Heroes? They sought knowledge when they had no reason to, they were leaving a perfect lifestyle but they were ignorant, they let their curiosity lead them to knowledge that was forbidden to them by their creator. If we view Adam and Eve as Villains for seeking knowledge, why then do we send our children to school to get an education and be knowledgeable? Afterall one might say if you abhor the actions of Adam and Eve, you should practice what you preach and let your children or even yourself wallow in ignorance. 


For example, lets say Adam and Eve represent Fredrick Douglas and God represents the White Man. 
During the slavery era, slaves were forbidden to read or write or get an education, disobedience with that command could get you killed. Fredrick Douglas a black slave knowing the consequences of getting an education took the risk and educated himself, he sought knowledge because at the end of the day knowledge is power. Ignorance is bliss but ignorance also makes you weak as a terminally ill patient. Lets not forget, the almighty did not throw us out of the Garden of Eden because we ate from the Tree, he threw us out because he did not want us eating from the second tree which was the  tree of Life which again would have made us immortal and put us on the pedestal of the Gods. By eating from the first tree, Adam and Eve had become like God knowing good and evil, by seeking education/knowledge Fredrick Douglas had become like his white master by knowing the same things his White Master had forbidden him from knowing. The only difference in my opinion between the White Slaveowner and God is that God had one level of knowledge that he stopped us from attaining and that was the second Tree which was the "Tree of Life". 


In conclusion, Adam and Eve should be seen and viewed as role models not castigated by pastors/comedians etc as Villains. They were ignorant and living in the most blissful world one can ever find, yet they did not let the blissful nature of their surroundings stop them from seeking knowledge. 

8 comments:

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

I understand what you are saying but there is a flaw in your analogy.

Adam & Eve = living in Utopia so why bother changing?

Frederick Douglass = not living in Utopia so why not change?

See if you had said,

If God = White Slave Owner then Adam & Eve = white abolitionist the title would have made a lot more sense.

I'm just saying.

Also,

@ "But if we look at it from another perspective, we find that Adam and Eve at the end of the day chose knowledge over ignorance."

that "perspective" is your opinion. It all comes down to the kind of person you are. Would you rather live in blissful ignorance or unhappy knowledge? I guess for you the answer is B.

@ "If we view Adam and Eve as Villains for seeking knowledge, why then do we send our children to school to get an education and be knowledgeable? "

You send your children to school so that they can learn enough to get into a good college and get a good job. Or because you are tired of seeing them at home and don't want to hire a babysitter. Its always one of the two. Also, are you saying that because someone goes to school they are "knowledgeable" or conversely, because someone doesn't go to school they are "ignorant"? Interesting.

Azazel said...

@ EDJ
U asked this question, why don't u answer it.

@ that "perspective" is your opinion. It all comes down to the kind of person you are. Would you rather live in blissful ignorance or unhappy knowledge? I guess for you the answer is B

Which would u as a person choose? Blissful ignorance? Or unhappy knowledge?

So because Adam and Eve where living in Utopia, therefore knowledge was not something that they should pursued?
And u reach that conclusion why??

As for the flaw in the analogy u are right. That was self evident but then both Adam/Eve/Fredrick all sought one thing and that was KNOWLEDGE..

I never said that because somebody does not go to school that they are ignorant, I said we do send our kids to school to gain knowledge about different subjects..

Azazel said...

Moreover @ EDJ..
Slavery does not always have to deal with physical slavery..
Fredrick Douglass before he attained knowledge was a slave both in the physical sense and in the mental sense..

Adam and Eve were also slaves maybe not in the physical sense but definitely in the mental sense.

Realist said...

Azazel just accept that EDJ was right.... The Fredrick Douglas thing was good but like EDJ said, you cant compare slavery to the Garden. yOu can try and argue that they were slaves because they couldnt think for themselves, yea but Slavery in America was that and much more.

But it doesnt and shouldnt take away from the post... Adam and EZve are heroes, moreover i wouldnt want to live in a world were everyone is perfect, too boring

Azazel said...

Lol I did accept she was right @ Realist..
But then I made a point of them being in mental slavery also.

. said...

i see where you're coming from, but would you say we are freed slaves now?

Azazel said...

Lol some of us are @ Lahlah
Many of us are still in bondage