Anxiety and confusion in the Garden before the Fall

[telnetd]

From this 2020 GC talk.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2020/04/34bingham?lang=eng

When we think of Adam and Eve, often our first thought is of their idyllic life in 
the Garden of Eden. I imagine that the weather was always perfect—not too hot and 
not too cold—and that abundant, delicious fruits and vegetables grew within reach 
so they could eat whenever they liked. Since this was a new world for them, there was 
much to discover, so every day was interesting as they interacted with the animal life 
and explored their beautiful surroundings. They also were given commandments to obey 
and had different ways of approaching those instructions, which caused some initial 
anxiety and confusion.[1]

The text of the GC talk mentions Genesis 3:1–18 and Moses 4:1–19 to support this thought.  
But I don't see anything indicating that Adam and Eve were anxious and confused about 
what God said.  I don't see that the animals were anxious or confused either.  

Do you?

[CV75]

19 minutes ago, telnetd said:

From this 2020 GC talk.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2020/04/34bingham?lang=eng

When we think of Adam and Eve, often our first thought is of their idyllic life in 
the Garden of Eden. I imagine that the weather was always perfect—not too hot and 
not too cold—and that abundant, delicious fruits and vegetables grew within reach 
so they could eat whenever they liked. Since this was a new world for them, there was 
much to discover, so every day was interesting as they interacted with the animal life 
and explored their beautiful surroundings. They also were given commandments to obey 
and had different ways of approaching those instructions, which caused some initial 
anxiety and confusion.[1]

The text of the GC talk mentions Genesis 3:1–18 and Moses 4:1–19 to support this thought.  
But I don't see anything indicating that Adam and Eve were anxious and confused about 
what God said.  I don't see that the animals were anxious or confused either.  

Do you?

The speaker is evidently sharing her understanding of Adam's and Eve's mental states from her interpretation of the scripture (see footnote "1").

[Pyreaux]

3 hours ago, telnetd said:

From this 2020 GC talk.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2020/04/34bingham?lang=eng

When we think of Adam and Eve, often our first thought is of their idyllic life in 
the Garden of Eden. I imagine that the weather was always perfect—not too hot and 
not too cold—and that abundant, delicious fruits and vegetables grew within reach 
so they could eat whenever they liked. Since this was a new world for them, there was 
much to discover, so every day was interesting as they interacted with the animal life 
and explored their beautiful surroundings. They also were given commandments to obey 
and had different ways of approaching those instructions, which caused some initial 
anxiety and confusion.[1]

The text of the GC talk mentions Genesis 3:1–18 and Moses 4:1–19 to support this thought.  
But I don't see anything indicating that Adam and Eve were anxious and confused about 
what God said.  I don't see that the animals were anxious or confused either.  

Do you?

Certainly conflicting, confusion came by which they were "beguiled" (Genesis 3:12-13) lured by desire and tricked by wiles or a stratagem intended to ensnare or deceive them. I can't say much for anxiety (fear), though it certainly came out soon after they chose to "hide" which is indeed in the verses given, just not in the context that anxiety was over the law itself, rather than the consequences after breaking a law became apparent. Good catch, perhaps this is a flaw.

Edited April 19, 2023 by Pyreaux

[teddyaware]

13 hours ago, telnetd said:

From this 2020 GC talk.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2020/04/34bingham?lang=eng

When we think of Adam and Eve, often our first thought is of their idyllic life in 
the Garden of Eden. I imagine that the weather was always perfect—not too hot and 
not too cold—and that abundant, delicious fruits and vegetables grew within reach 
so they could eat whenever they liked. Since this was a new world for them, there was 
much to discover, so every day was interesting as they interacted with the animal life 
and explored their beautiful surroundings. They also were given commandments to obey 
and had different ways of approaching those instructions, which caused some initial 
anxiety and confusion.[1]

The text of the GC talk mentions Genesis 3:1–18 and Moses 4:1–19 to support this thought.  
But I don't see anything indicating that Adam and Eve were anxious and confused about 
what God said.  I don't see that the animals were anxious or confused either.  

Do you?

It’s hard to imagine there was much stressing out over having to make important moral decisions prior to the fall when we’re told our first parents lived in an oblivious state of joyless innocence due to the fact they didn’t have the slightest idea of the differences between good and evil and joy and misery. Why would there be a lot of anxiety when the primary stressors that cause anxiety didn’t even exist? 

23 And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin. (2 Nephi 2)

Could it be the reason why Adam and Eve’s disobedience was counted as a transgression and not aa a sin of unrighteous rebellion because they had about the same degree of reasoning ability as two-year old children?

 

[Dario_M]

I don't believe in the theorie of Adam & Eve allready not in the first place. 

[Durangout]

23 hours ago, telnetd said:

From this 2020 GC talk.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2020/04/34bingham?lang=eng

When we think of Adam and Eve, often our first thought is of their idyllic life in 
the Garden of Eden. I imagine that the weather was always perfect—not too hot and 
not too cold—and that abundant, delicious fruits and vegetables grew within reach 
so they could eat whenever they liked. Since this was a new world for them, there was 
much to discover, so every day was interesting as they interacted with the animal life 
and explored their beautiful surroundings. They also were given commandments to obey 
and had different ways of approaching those instructions, which caused some initial 
anxiety and confusion.[1]

The text of the GC talk mentions Genesis 3:1–18 and Moses 4:1–19 to support this thought.  
But I don't see anything indicating that Adam and Eve were anxious and confused about 
what God said.  I don't see that the animals were anxious or confused either.  

Do you?

No.  At the very least it was a poor choice of words.  More likely she was projecting.

[Durangout]

1 hour ago, Dario_M said:

I don't believe in the theorie of Adam & Eve allready not in the first place. 

At the risk of being labeled a heretic, I think there is more allegory than history in the Adam and Even account.  The “new” endowment session makes this abundantly clear.

[Dario_M]

2 hours ago, Durangout said:

At the risk of being labeled a heretic, I think there is more allegory than history in the Adam and Even account.  The “new” endowment session makes this abundantly clear.

Yes but an endowment is also not going to happen for me.

But! I have finaly talked with the president of the Melchisedek quorum of our ward. I knew the guy allready but didn't know that he whas a president of our ward. So we where talking about the Aaronic priesterhood and he wanted to help me with that. So i told him that i whas finaly ready. So...soon i will receive the Aaronic priesterhood. When it will be so far i will make a topic about it. But...this will be the last thing i will do. After this i won't go further. I don't wanna have the second priesterhood. Let alone get an endowmend. Btw... the Aaronic priesterhood is enough to get me a temple recommend so i don't even need to go further.

Sorry for the offtopic. 😖

[Teancum]

On 4/19/2023 at 11:26 AM, telnetd said:

From this 2020 GC talk.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2020/04/34bingham?lang=eng

When we think of Adam and Eve, often our first thought is of their idyllic life in 
the Garden of Eden. I imagine that the weather was always perfect—not too hot and 
not too cold—and that abundant, delicious fruits and vegetables grew within reach 
so they could eat whenever they liked. Since this was a new world for them, there was 
much to discover, so every day was interesting as they interacted with the animal life 
and explored their beautiful surroundings. They also were given commandments to obey 
and had different ways of approaching those instructions, which caused some initial 
anxiety and confusion.[1]

The text of the GC talk mentions Genesis 3:1–18 and Moses 4:1–19 to support this thought.  
But I don't see anything indicating that Adam and Eve were anxious and confused about 
what God said.  I don't see that the animals were anxious or confused either.  

Do you?

Adam and Eve are myths.  They did not exist. Science has proven that. So don't worry about it.

[Tacenda]

3 hours ago, Teancum said:

Adam and Eve are myths.  They did not exist. Science has proven that. So don't worry about it.

Does that create a domino affect for everything in the Bible and BoM and Christianity? 

[Teancum]

1 hour ago, Tacenda said:

Does that create a domino affect for everything in the Bible and BoM and Christianity? 

I think so.  So did Joseph Fielding Smith and Bruce R McConkie.

[telnetd]

On 4/20/2023 at 10:36 AM, Durangout said:

At the risk of being labeled a heretic, I think there is more allegory than history in the Adam and Even account.  The “new” endowment session makes this abundantly clear.

Does the new endowment session depict an Adam who was not created on earth and then placed in the garden of
Eden?

[telnetd]

On 4/20/2023 at 2:18 PM, Teancum said:

Adam and Eve are myths.  They did not exist. Science has proven that. So don't worry about it.

Is this the same science that led some to believe in a flat Earth?

Edited April 21, 2023 by telnetd

[Calm]

On 4/21/2023 at 1:14 PM, telnetd said:

Is this the same science that led some to believe in a flat Earth?

What science has led people to believe in a flat earth?  CFR please

Edited April 22, 2023 by Calm

[Teancum]

On 4/21/2023 at 3:14 PM, telnetd said:

Is this the same science that led some to believe in a flat Earth?

Science has refutes the idea of a flat earth.  But it is the same science that refutes the myth that all humans descended from two humans around 6000 year ago.  Toss in Noah and the flood and you have bigger problems  You might want to brush up on the science of evolution a bit.

[The Nehor]

On 4/21/2023 at 2:14 PM, telnetd said:

Is this the same science that led some to believe in a flat Earth?

That is not a thing.

[Matthew Andreasen]

I love the story of the Garden of Eden—and I love all the questions it raises.  Is it supposed to be a literal account?  Is it a myth or an allegory?  Are there truths to be found within the story, similar to the parables of Jesus?  Regardless, there are many things we can learn from such a seemingly simple narrative.

I like to take the story of the Garden of Eden at face value and see what I can learn from it, but what actually happened, I really don’t know.  From an LDS perspective, Adam’s fall can be seen as an allegory of the decision each one of us made in the premortal existence to leave our paradise and enter a fallen world.

[Durangout]

On 4/21/2023 at 1:13 PM, telnetd said:

Does the new endowment session depict an Adam who was not created on earth and then placed in the garden of
Eden?

Not sure I’m completely following you.  What are you trying to say?

[telnetd]

16 hours ago, Durangout said:

Not sure I’m completely following you.  What are you trying to say?

You said I think there is more allegory than history in the Adam and Even account.  The “new” endowment session makes
this abundantly clear.

How does the new endowment session make this more clear?

[Durangout]

18 hours ago, telnetd said:

You said I think there is more allegory than history in the Adam and Even account.  The “new” endowment session makes
this abundantly clear.

How does the new endowment session make this more clear?

Oh ok.  I get it.  So there is a statement of explanation that is new dialogue at the beginning of the endowment session that spells it out.  The other thing is the shear  number of times that the patrons are told that A and E represents them also makes it clear.

[2BizE]

First, I’ve been to Jackson County Missouri where the garden of Eden was supposedly located, and the not hot and not cold description sounds wrong.  
Second, I don’t believe in the literalness of Adam and Eve and the garden. I believe this was a story passed down through generations to explain where humans came from; a symbolic story.  We know humans existed long before Adam and Eve.