Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Greenslade
.... an allegory for obedience to God and fear-mongering.
|
This is exactly right. Is there anyone not knowing this.
However, though it is known today it is an allegory it was not known then in intention, in this respect it is not and would therefore be intended to be literal. We're not counting their mistake of not knowing. If a person does not have a word or concept then it would not exist to them. It could of course be divinely inspired. Consider this with modern eyes not what you think our ancestors had any concept of. If the bible, or for that matter the sumerian version were written and presented today, we'd all snicker and laugh.
Everyone agrees the idea was about obedience. The question is valid only if God exists, does any God or creator have the right to tell you, everyone, to include aliens on some distant planet, it has the right to tell you.
Does any God have the right to demand you to do what it wants? For instance, you are going to harm someone else, do I have the right to tell you not to.
I am only telling you, not making you. And yes I have the right to tell you. You don't have to do anything, God does not force through punishment. Are we taking telling as demanding, we all do that. We all have the right to talk to one another.
So long as no one is being misled thinking we'd think as our ancestors did or they as we do. Our ancestor know nothing compared to us. We have the advantage of thousands and thousands of years to see what they never could image or dream possible. How sad for them because they were the ones to bring up punishment.
Miss H brings up a good point about divinely inspired. In such inspiration it is not demanded. It would be presented in ways we could understand. These 2 stories still fit nicely in what we see in the world today.