Monday, February 06, 2006
I have a few questions that I've been wondering about, and I will be looking at them more when we're done working today, and maybe bring up a discussion on them here with my family and the friends we're with.
Was there pain (physical or otherwise) in the Garden of Eden before the fall?
Is pain and suffering a good thing that God would have declared "good" after looking at his creation?
Could there be more than one type of pain and suffering? As my dad pointed out, if Adam was damaging his body in some way, pain would have been a helpful (or good?) thing (ie, stick your hand in the fire=burn=pain=withdrawal from fire).
Is there a separation from physical and emotional pain? God was grieved, I would think that grief is pain, no? So is physical pain primarily a human feeling, or representation of deeper pain that we aren't fully aware or, or able to comprehend?
Is sin the main instigator of pain? Would God have been grieved if we hadn't sinned and broken his law?
Is pain part of the curse on humanity?
Anyone have comments or Scripture references to what might indicate the answers to these questions? I'd be interested in reading your answers. In any case, I think it'd make for an interesting discussion (at least to me, since these thoughts have been running around my head quite a bit lately).
Was there pain (physical or otherwise) in the Garden of Eden before the fall?
Is pain and suffering a good thing that God would have declared "good" after looking at his creation?
Could there be more than one type of pain and suffering? As my dad pointed out, if Adam was damaging his body in some way, pain would have been a helpful (or good?) thing (ie, stick your hand in the fire=burn=pain=withdrawal from fire).
Is there a separation from physical and emotional pain? God was grieved, I would think that grief is pain, no? So is physical pain primarily a human feeling, or representation of deeper pain that we aren't fully aware or, or able to comprehend?
Is sin the main instigator of pain? Would God have been grieved if we hadn't sinned and broken his law?
Is pain part of the curse on humanity?
Anyone have comments or Scripture references to what might indicate the answers to these questions? I'd be interested in reading your answers. In any case, I think it'd make for an interesting discussion (at least to me, since these thoughts have been running around my head quite a bit lately).
