My friend Jacob popped by for a few minutes today – I really love it when friends drop by especially unannounced – always a nice surprise.
And he tells me about a conversation he was having while mountain climbing with Todd. They we discussing whether God created humans to “not know.” Obviously I was not there for the conversation. however, I think there maybe be something worth considering in the concept.
The Creation narrative that nearly all monotheisms claim tells the story of a beautiful garden and there is a tree within this garden; the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Eating from this tree, God says, will surely bring death.
Why would knowledge of good and evil bring death?
Is it simply the act of disobedience? Or is there something about the knowledge of good and evil which itself produces death? If God is beyond good and evil then maybe the desire to “know” inevitably produces a destructive battle between right and wrong, yes and no, in and out, etc. As we trace the history of human thought there dualisms pop up all over the place.
And many systems of faith provide ways of understanding and overcoming those dualisms; redeeming the evil, bringing the forces into balance, living with the paradox, etc.
If human knowing was not necessary from God’s perceptive what might a be reason for existing? (yes, I am aware of the paradox of this question).
If we had no knowledge of good and evil it seems that we couldn’t help be live fully present, and relationally engaged. I don’t think I’m saying we should try to empty ourselves of the knowledge of good and evil. However might question the value of the knowledge of good and evil in the pursuit of knowing God and loving people.
I am certainly not advocating some form of ambiguous existence, somehow hovering between good and evil. My gut suggests that God didn’t create us for ambiguity, but for a type of certainty rooted in a relationship of love.
peace, dwight
