Rick Hershey writes:
I handed out 1200 CVA booklets at Rupp Arena in Lexington for Winter Jam in
15-degree windchill weather. I had no problems with police, and one
asked me for a booklet.
Check out Winter Jam
Winter Jam · Cities & Dates (jamtour.com) for a list of upcoming events.
If you can help our ministry by leafleting there, contact Lorena at
lorenavalenziveg@gmail.com.
2. Garden of Eden – The Forbidden Fruit
It is a paradox that God forbade Adam and Eve from eating the fruit of
the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Eve was attracted to the fruit in
part because it would make her wise. Why should such wisdom be forbidden?
Although all answers are speculative, viewing the story through a lens
informed by the insights of René Girard can be helpful. Girard proposed that
mimetic desire leads to conflict, violence, and scapegoating. Because of
mimetic desire, objects invariably become scarce, because people want the
same things. People come to see what they desire as “good,” and those who
stand in the way of their obtaining what they desire as “evil.” This sense
of scarcity, and animosity toward those held responsible for this sense of
scarcity, creates hostilities that lead to violence and scapegoating. Prior
to eating the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve had a sense that the Garden of
Eden fully satisfied their needs and desires. Afterward, they perceived
scarcity and feared suffering, which brought them into conflict with the
other inhabitants of the Garden and, potentially, with each other. They no
longer perceived the Garden as a paradise, and, as potentially harmful
exploiters of the Garden’s resources, their presence now threatened the
well-being of the rest of the inhabitants.
Next week, I will speculate on why, after eating the forbidden fruit, Adam
and Eve became ashamed of their nakedness.
As always, I welcome feedback, and I am glad to publish comments that add to
the discussion.
Stephen R. Kaufman, M.D.
3. From All-Creatures.Org Ministry
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