Blog 2 (Genesis)

Mike Gole

Humn 220

Professor Akman

January 29, 2013

Blog Entry 2

Why is the Bible such an important work in Western Humanities?

I would be shocked to find a many people in America who are unfamiliar with the Bible. Regardless of how much of it they have read, the vast majority of Americans have at least heard of the Bible, and many are likely familiar with some of its stories.  This makes the Bible a logical place to start when teaching Western humanities. Regardless of whether or not one believes the Bible to be a holy text, one cannot deny the impact that the Bible has had on Western civilizations. In an area dominated by Christianity, the Bible is undoubtedly one of the most influential books in the entire history of what we consider to be “western civilizations.” As such, I believe it is important for even non-believers to read the Bible as a piece of literature with significant historical importance.

What meaning does the Bible hold to those who do not consider it a Holy text?

As stated above, there are few “non-believers” who would argue that the Bible has not had a massive impact on world history, specifically the history of western civilizations. Therefore, I believe that, to gain a better understanding of many of the events that have transpired in history, one should familiarize oneself with the Bible, regardless of whether or not they believe. Especially when one goes on to study poetry, Shakespeare, or various other fields, an understanding of the Bible will be key to understanding allusions frequently made in these works.

If God was attempting to keep mankind ignorant, was this truly for the best?

In class, someone asked why God forbid Adam and Eve to eat from the Tree of Knowledge.  I found this to be an interesting question, and one that, as someone who was raised in a fairly strong Christian environment, I would honestly rather ignore than answer.  However, when looked at objectively, it becomes clear that there are several possibilities behind God’s rationale. The first consideration is that God seems to be very big on having control. Again, as someone mentioned in class, he turned Lot’s wife into a pillar of salt for disobeying him in what seemed to be a very trivial way. Perhaps, in a way similar to this, God was attempting to exert his dominance over man by keeping them from eating from the Tree of Knowledge. The other possibility to consider is that God may have been trying to save mankind from having to deal with the burden of knowledge, and the burden of fully understanding the nature of good and evil.(