Why Did Eve Eat the Apple

Genisus has the story of the original sin. The entire creation story is discussed by intelligent people as if it was a historical event. For whatever reason, religion sends otherwise working brains on a vacation.

To understand the Bible, an old and reliable rule to follow is this: The Bible was written by ancient males who were very wealthy. Only the very wealthy could afford to go to school and not work to survive. Wealthy people, and all others for that matter, have self interest in mind most of the time. There are exceptions but that is a good generalization. When the ancients took the considerable time required to write with crude paper, ink and feather they had a specific audience in mind. On top of that, they had a specific message they wanted to deliver to that specific audience. 

Every society has a creation story. The Old Testiment is but one. I think it is fun to speculate on why the ancients recorded the specific story that appears in Genisus. What was the audience the writer was hoping to reach and what was the message he wanted to leave with those listeners (most of those learning the lesson would learn it by someone else reading it to them, not reading it themselves). We must assume the story was not completely original but was an adaptation of a story passed down through time. 

In the story, Adam and Eve are warned not to eat the apple. A talking snake tells them he has eaten it. Eve decides to eat it and persuades Adam to do the same. 

Christian commentators tell us the snake is "Satan." The Old Testiment does not say the snake is Satan, that was an embellishment added in the New Testiment. 

Then there is the question as to why the ancient wealthy goat herders had Eve be to one most eager to sin. Why didn't Adam have the wherewithal to stop her from this terrible sin? In the Christian commentary I have seen, pundits agree God knew beforehand Adam and Eve would sin. If God had the power to stop them from sinning why did he not stop it? He instructed that the wages of sin is death. But he did not kill them. Why not?

Applying today's critical thinking skills to the Genesis story there is only one way to interpret it. First, it is about the upper class, those at the time who could read and write, maintaining control over all others. Do as the wealthy tell you or you will die. Second, women must be monitored and controlled even more than men because they have bad and mischievous motives. Donald Trump himself said women must be punished for having abortions. 

The creation story is a good reason to leave the faith behind.