Chapter XV - Genesis
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and good for food; the tree of life also, in the midst of the
and good for food; the tree of life also, in the midst of the
garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
Contradicting first creation
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The previous and more scientific record of creation
The previous and more scientific record of creation
declares that God made "every plant of the field be-
fore it was in the earth." This opposite
declaration, this statement that life issues
from matter, contradicts the teaching of the first chap-
ter, – namely, that all Life is God. Belief is less than
understanding. Belief involves theories of material hear-
ing, sight, touch, taste, and smell, termed the five senses.
The appetites and passions, sin, sickness, and death,
follow in the train of this error of a belief in intelligent
matter.
Record of error
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The first mention of evil is in the legendary Scriptural
The first mention of evil is in the legendary Scriptural
text in the second chapter of Genesis. God pronounced
good all that He created, and the Scriptures
declare that He created all. The "tree of
life" stands for the idea of Truth, and the sword which
guards it is the type of divine Science. The "tree of
knowledge" stands for the erroneous doctrine that the
knowledge of evil is as real, hence as God-bestowed, as
the knowledge of good. Was evil instituted through God,
Love? Did He create this fruit-bearer of sin in contra-
diction of the first creation? This second biblical account
is a picture of error throughout.
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Genesis ii. 15. And the Lord God [Jehovah] took the
Genesis ii. 15. And the Lord God [Jehovah] took the
man, and put him into the garden of Eden, to dress it and
to keep it.
Garden of Eden
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The name Eden, according to Cruden, means pleasure,
The name Eden, according to Cruden, means pleasure,
delight. In this text Eden stands for the mortal, mate-