In Adam and Eve's defense...

[Claymore]

I thought I would write this in their defense. In another post it was stated that when they were giving their accounts to Elohim, Adam blamed Eve and Eve blamed the serpent. I can understand how the story can be seen that way, but let's take a better look at this whole scenario.

Initially Adam was approached by the serpent, but Adam refused to even hear it out. He was determined to keep the counsel received from Elohim. Eve on the other hand listened and fell to it's persuasions. She didn't want to be alone in her endeavor (and nether did the serpent) so she took the fruit to Adam for him to partake. Adam was quick to recognize what she had done and listened to all that Eve had to say, but this is where it gets interesting. Adam was now trapped. No matter what he chose he would violate a commandment. The first would be to eat the forbidden fruit and the second would be to leave Eve. Adam wisely chose to eat the fruit and stay with his woman. Elohim and Jehovah then decided to visit with Adam and Eve.

When they came out of hiding Elohim asked Adam to explain what had happened. Adam simply explained what had happened, nor more no less. He gave his reason for doing so, telling Elohim he remembered the commandment he was given to remain with Eve. For that reason he decided to eat the fruit. Never did he throw Eve under the bus nor blame her for what had happened. He was honest and to the point. He was also loyal to her and decided he would rather be with her cast out of the garden than alone in the garden (she was wise enough to remind him of that during their discussion and proved to be the deciding factor in Adam's decision to stay with her.)

I hope you all don't mind the paraphrasing. There may be a few significant details I may have forgotten, so please be open to pointing them out as we all try to better understand this story.

Claymore

Edit: In Eve's defense, she has every right to blame the serpent. Her innocent and child like understanding was taken advantage of by the cunning of the serpent. Eve had no reason to disbelieve what she was being told because she lived in a state where all things were honest and their intentions pure. It wasn't until the encounter with the serpent that all this changed. She had no means to discern nor comprehend it's intentions since this was their first encounter with a sinister plot and attempt to deceive. I believe that not only did the partaking of the fruit (and the consequences that came from it) give them a knowledge of good and evil, but the encounter with the serpent did that too.

[Jeremy]

Awesome Claymore. Thank you.

Another thing to notice in this story is that Adam was the one commanded not to partake. He must have passed this on to Eve because she was not yet there. Also, Adam may have added to it a bit, telling Eve that they couldn't even touch the fruit or they would die. This must have been confusing to Eve if she looked upon the opposition who was probably holding the fruit himself, maybe even eating it.

From that we might learn a lesson. Don't add to the commandments. They are just right the way God gives them to YOU. Even a prophet might mistakenly add to them.

Another idea, all things are created spiritually before physically. Adam was created first. Eve second. Perhaps Adam is a symbol of our spirit and Eve a symbol of our body. If you want to explore this idea more, please see the link in my signature. It might be a 20/30 min. read.

[jwharton]

I've found that D&C 132:26 is most likely the exact premise behind why Adam and Eve fell.

D&C 132
26 Verily, verily, I say unto you, if a man marry a wife according to my word, and they are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, according to mine appointment, and he or she shall commit any sin or transgression of the new and everlasting covenant whatever, and all manner of blasphemies, and if they commit no murder wherein they shed innocent blood, yet they shall come forth in the first resurrection, and enter into their exaltation; but they shall be destroyed in the flesh, and shall be delivered unto the buffetings of Satan unto the day of redemption, saith the Lord God.

If you take Eve as akin to resurrected (gathered) Israel and Adam as akin to resurrected Jehovah, then based upon ancient Israel's apostasy and adultery against Her Husband, She would come forth in the resurrection and enter into Her exaltation but She would transgress and drag Her Husband down with Her.

I'd be happy to develop this more if someone would like me to.

[Jeremy]

I'd be happy to develop this more if someone would like me to.

Please.

[jwharton]

I'd be happy to develop this more if someone would like me to.

Please.

Ok, I'll put some work into this tomorrow.

[Simon]

I think when we try to understand Adam and Eves circumstances, we also need to considere that they came right out of an innocent state, so Adams words about Eve, and Eves words about the serpent were most probably less of an accusation as we could read into it.

[passionflower]

-delete-

[Rick Grimes]

I concur that a lot of feminist ideology has been read into the account of Adam and Eve. (Most disturbingly, a lot of this is coming from our own church)

[jwharton]

I'd be happy to develop this more if someone would like me to.

Please.

Ok, I'll put some work into this tomorrow.

I'm going to start a new thread of its own since this is a little bit divergent from the OP.
I should get something posted tomorrow, provided I have a nice window of time available.

[paper face]

Explain something to me:

If the serpent lied to Eve about the death aspect of eating the fruit, but told the truth about her eyes being opened and receiving knowledge, then how can it be 100% true that she was "beguiled"?

Is it possible that she recognized the truth (that she would be as the gods, knowing good from evil) from what she was being presented? And if so, does that alter the complexity of the choice she was making?

[Rick Grimes]

The best lies are the ones that have truth intertwined with them, thus giving the lie a sort of camouflage. It makes the prospect of it not being detected, all the more likely. Yet, no matter how skillfully dressed up a lie may be, a lie it remains.

Eve was lied to. She did believe Lucifer when he told her that neither she nor Adam would die from eating of the fruit. She was indeed beguiled or fooled into believing what the father of all lies had told her. Does this diminish her? Absolutely not! How many of us have fallen to Satan's temptations at one point or another? How are we any better than her? We are indeed grateful for the fall of both Adam and Eve as it made humanity possible. However, no matter how grateful we are towards Eve in her role as mother to us all; it is not necessary to lionize her by changing how history went down. She is still our glorious mother and wife to the mighty Michael. She certainly deserves our admiration and love.

[jwharton]

The best lies are the ones that have truth intertwined with them, thus giving the lie a sort of camouflage. It makes the prospect of it not being detected, all the more likely. Yet, no matter how skillfully dressed up a lie may be, a lie it remains.

Eve was lied to. She did believe Lucifer when he told her that neither she nor Adam would die from eating of the fruit. She was indeed beguiled or fooled into believing what the father of all lies had told her. Does this diminish her? Absolutely not! How many of us have fallen to Satan's temptations at one point or another? How are we any better than her? We are indeed grateful for the fall of both Adam and Eve as it made humanity possible. However, no matter how grateful we are towards Eve in her role as mother to us all; it is not necessary to lionize her by changing how history went down. She is still our glorious mother and wife to the mighty Michael. She certainly deserves our admiration and love.

As you may have noticed, this is the EXACT same attitude I have for the Church, collectively speaking.

[paper face]

I'm not changing history when I point out that there is a deeper level of complexity in her choice than is often taught. As someone pointed out earlier, she was also given an extraneous commandment to not even touch the fruit. All of this allows for the possibility that she may have read between the lines of this particular test.