jomoco:
I guess no-one wants to discuss genesis with me?
Haha. This topic may be too sophisticated for some of us (including myself), though I notice that someone has given you the courtesy of rating your thread, even if they wouldn’t reply. Ooh, only 2 of 5 stars. Too bad. I guess they didn’t like it very much.
I’ll come play for a little while, though I have to admit before I begin that I’m not a very good
discussion partner, since my life keeps me very busy, so I don’t have a whole lot of time to spend writing on forums.
I found your post and your findings very fascinating, and I am very interested in the further development of this research. While it is a bit of a stretch for me to believe that this new finding about the sperm cells is
exactly what is meant by the tree of life, I should point out that there is quite a large body of scriptures and other spiritual literature based around the importance of sex, and much in particular that deals with the two Trees’ relationship to the sexuality of the human being.
Those sources will probably not be very popular on this forum, since most of the scriptures and writings that come to mind are more esoteric.
I will post a few I was able to round up that seemed to apply to aspects of your post. There are many others, as the tradition and the teachings are very deep and very broad, but I do not have time (especially tonight) to go into all of it.
jomoco:
My research shows that the tree of life is found in man and woman, not the garden of eden. My research indicates that both sperm and menstrual fluid were designed to play dual roles in god’s plan, and that we have only been aware of one of them since the original sin pre-empted god revealing their second role to us.
This quote from the Zohar indicates to us that the sin of Adam and Eve was actually related to sex:
“Note what is further written. ‘And Adam said, this is now bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh’ (Gen. ii. 23). These were the words of Adam to draw Eve unto him and incline her to enter into nuptial union and thus show that they are one and now undivided and unseparate in a higher sense than before. Then he begins to praise her that there is none like unto her, that she surpasses all other beings, the one deserving the name of woman; as it is written, ‘She shall be called woman, words that pleased her,’ as it is written, ‘Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all’ (Prov. xxxi. 29). ‘Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and cleave unto his wife and they shall be one flesh’ (Gen. ii. 24). That is to say that Eve was induced by these loving words of Adam to consent to enter into marital relationship with him and as soon as this was effected we read, ‘Now the serpent was subtle’ (Gen. iii. 7). In the moment that Adam and Eve became thus associated, the lower nature became excited and aroused by sexual desire in which it delights, as scripture saith, ‘And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food she took of the fruit of it and did eat’ (Gen. iii. 6), denoting that hitherto their love had been angelic and pure, but was now changed into carnal desire first arising in the woman and leading them to conjugal relationship, for a woman is the inspirer of love whilst man is the receptacle of it and in this resembles angelic beings whose actions are determined by pure love unblended and unmingled with carnal desire.”
Furthermore, if you look at the actual name of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil in Hebrew (see Genesis 2:9 in a Hebrew translation of the Bible), you see that “Knowledge of Good and Evil” is “Daath Tob ve Ra” (דעת טוב ורע). But what type of evil is “Ra”? Reaffirming what was established in the above quote, we have another quote from the Zohar that explains the nature of Ra:
Observe that he who gives way to the temper and suffers himself to be led and guided by it, defiles not only himself but also those with whom he comes into personal contact. As already stated, though the wickedness of the antediluvians was great and their evil deeds were many, yet was the Holy One unwilling to destroy them, but long-suffering towards them, notwithstanding, and their shameful propensities and heinous practices, of which it is written ‘that they were only evil continually.’ Their evil actions are denoted by the word Ra (pollution). Of Er, the eldest son of Judah, who was guilty of this sin; it is written that ‘he was wicked in the sight of the Lord and the Lord slew him.’" (Gen. xxxviii., 7.)
**Said Rabbi Jose: “Is not this sin synonymous with what is termed rashang (wickedness or wrongdoing)?”
“No,” replied Rabbi Jehuda, “for rashang is applied to intentional evil ere it becomes an actuality, but Ra refers to him who defiles himself by the dissipation of his vital powers and thus gives himself up to the unclean spirit called Ra. **He who thus renders himself impure will never attain unto the Divine Life nor behold the face of the Shekina, whose disappearance from the world previous to the deluge was owing to the vice termed Ra. Woe unto him who indulges in it, for he will never experience the joy of living in the presence of the Holy One, but will drag on through life as a degraded captive and miserable slave of Ra, the unclean spirit; so true are the words, ‘The fear of the Lord leadeth to life, it bringeth peaceful nights free from visits of the impure spirit Ra’ (Prov. xix., 23). And therefore it is written, ‘Evil (Ra) shall not dwell with thee’ (Ps. v., 4). Only the pure in life and thought and deed can say, ‘Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will not be afraid of Ra, for thou art with me and causest me to dwell in the house of the Lord forever.’” (Ps. xxiii., 4-6.)
Eternal life is gained through Christ, and knowing God:thumbsup: