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To: albionin
What will that mean, to return to how we were in the Garden before the fall? Would it mean that man would have no knowledge of good and evil?

I don't claim any special knowledge, but your question struck me, in that I've not heard the topic discussed.

My only offering is to recall Christ's admonition that in order to "receive" the kingdom, one must become like a child.

In terms of knowledge then, and the (future) relationship between a (heavenly) Father and child, I wonder if there is such a thing as returning to a place of relative innocence. And I guess it bears noting that innocence does not necessarily equate to ignorance.

My point is simply that there may be knowledge that is best "unknown". Perhaps you would agree that there are many things we learn in this life - that we would rather NOT know. Essentially (for me anyway) this knowledge falls into the category of the knowing what evil man can inflict upon fellow man - the abhorrent evils of child molestation, etc.

Worse yet, the knowledge of the selfishness (evil) that lies within my own heart.

These things I would rather not know...

43 posted on 07/22/2012 8:39:21 PM PDT by jonno (Having an opinion is not the same as having the answer...)
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To: jonno

I asked the question because I don’t see man existing like Adam and Eve, as innocent childlike beings. It would mean a fundamental change of human nature. So long as we are beings of volitional consciousness some will choose evil. Adam and Eve had no knowledge of good and evil before they ate of the fruit of the tree of knowledge which means they could not have been reasoning beings since the purpose of man’s faculty of cognition is to identify that which is right and that which is wrong.


47 posted on 07/22/2012 10:01:32 PM PDT by albionin (A gawn fit's aye gettin.)
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To: jonno

I forgot to add that yes there are things I wish I didn’t know. But I also feel that evil should be acknowledged and faced with eyes wide open and moral judgement must be pronounced against it. I believe that the only true sin is the refusal to think.


48 posted on 07/22/2012 10:12:32 PM PDT by albionin (A gawn fit's aye gettin.)
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To: jonno
Darn, Mr.or Ms.(as the case may be) Jonno: I meant my #55 to be addressed to you as well.

In hope, I foresee a time when, by God's grace, I will know and understand the evil in my heart FAR better than I do now and will marvel and thrill at the great redemption which God undertook to rescue me from it.

56 posted on 07/23/2012 5:22:48 AM PDT by Mad Dawg (Depone serpentem et ab veneno gradere.)
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