[Ron]
Is'nt the knowledge of good and evil what got us all in trouble in
the first place? {metaphorically} when the apple of knowledge was
eaten the world split in two. when knowledge of quality emerged, it
emerged intellectually as dualism.
[Arlo]
The Genesis myth, for me, represents the divinity of procreation.
Recall that initially, they were not ashamed of their sexuality. "And
they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed."
God had told Adam that eating of the Tree of Knowledge would bring
death, but the Serpent disagreed stating, "God doth know that in the
day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be
as gods, knowing good and evil."
The key passage here is "ye shall be as gods". Upon eating of the
Tree, the very first thing that happens is this. "And the eyes of
them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they
sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons."
The knowledge they gain was the knowledge of procreation, of
sexuality. They acquired, as the Serpent suggested, the ability to
"be like gods", that is the ability "to create life".
When God confronted Adam, he asked why he was hiding, Adam said he
was naked. God then says, "Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast
thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?"
Three times "nakedness" is associated with the knowledge God had
forbidden Adam from having. There is nothing mentioned about Adam
acquiring any other knowledge, what is good and what is not good,
only the procreative ability to make life. We are told only that he
recognized his nakedness, nothing more.
Finally, consider that after Adam was admonished, God said, "Behold,
the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest
he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat,
and live for ever."
Here there is an immediate concern. If man can procreate, and man
becomes immortal (eats of the tree of life and lives forever), the
world would be soon overridden with immortal procreating beings. Why
would simply "knowing good and evil" be so dangerous if combined with
immortality? I submit, that "knowing good and evil" in the Biblical
account of Genesis is a euphemism for "procreation", or an
understanding of sexuality.
Another similar read is one where the knowledge acquired is not the
knowledge of procreation, but of material/carnal pleasures. That is,
before eating man lived an austere, spiritual life. After eating, he
was drawn to his baser urges, to fornicate and feel biological
pleasure. This is, perhaps, one reason why "sex" is often seen as
immoral, naughty and evil. I prefer the first reading (procreation)
because it reminds us of the spiritual divinity that comes with
creating life, and the wonderous responsibility laden in that gift.
I took my first real ride of the season over the weekend. Up 15 (I
met some friends in Lewisburg) to Mansfield, then across 6 and down
44 into Renovo. We should meet up for a ride sometime soon. I've been
a little constrained this year between my mother's surgery and our
early summer workshops, but my schedule should loosen up a bit in
July. I'm hoping to make a ride to Tennessee sometime in the next few
weeks as well, hoping to then day-trip into norther Louisianna and
Mississippi. I don't think Pirsig still rides (I'm pretty sure I read
somewhere him saying he doesn't), but what a trip that would be!
Riding with Bob back to Montana! I can only imagine the pain he would
feel repeating that trip, but if he ever chooses to do it, I hope he
knows others would be honored to ride along behind him.
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