Can Adam whine, or what? The second half of this unit consisted of Adam and Eve crying that they were not allowed in the garden anymore, killing themselves, and God taking pity on them and bringing them back to life. This cycle repeated about a dozen times. I did find an interesting contradiction though. God was so determined to give Adam and Eve free will, let them choose their own path. After their first mistake, however, God seemed to revoke their freedom. They did not want to live anymore, so they killed themselves. This seems like a pretty final decision to me, but God did not let them stay dead for long. He controlled their suffering. I suppose this is how the modern justice system works. You get free will until you screw up, then you’re a prisoner for an appropriate amount of time before you get your freedom back. In today’s times, however, if you successfully commit suicide, you don’t get a second chance. Now, no matter what your past is, you have the choice to live or die.
I have listened to several podcasts lately about prisoners being released from jail with no direction or hope of starting a new life. These stories remind me of when God finally let Adam out of the cave, and Adam thought that the sun was another curse. To most people, the sun is a blessing, giving warmth and light. Adam, however, was not used to the heat and blinding light and did not favor it. When someone is released from jail, their sudden freedom can be overwhelming and cause them to want to go back to life in prison. Three meals a day and a place to sleep at night may seem more appealing than life out in the world. Freedom can be a scary thing.
Wow, Skye, that is a seriously PROFOUND comparison. And the gods of the Internet arranged for me to read this post of yours just after I read this piece from Oklahoma Policy Institute at their blog: synchronicity!
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