Could knowledge be considered a sin?

Question

Okay in the book of Genesis it talks about the creation and all. The story I'm talking about in particular is the one about the tree of knowledge. Basically in the garden of Eden there was the tree of knowledge and God forbade adam and eve from eating of it but they did anyway. thus they were cast out of eden. So my question is could knowledge be considered a sin. After all it was a sin for adam and eve to eat from the tree of knowledge which gave them knowledge when they did. I do know that it was a sin for them to disobey God's command but why would God deny them knowledge in the first place if it were not a sin to possess it? thus it seems that knowledge could very well be considered sinful when looked at from this perspective. Thoughts...

(Yes I am going based on what the bible says so don't go into all that "the bible is false" stuff or "it's just stories". A lot of people take these stories seriously and This is purely a philisophical and hypothetical question.)

Answer 1

because the first humans are not created to know everything..

the tree of knowledge is meant to be the tree of all knowing..

once you eat it, you'd be aware & knowledgeable of everything.

which Adam & Eve arent capable to handle yet..

there's another verse in the bible that states

"increased knowledge is increased sorrow"

which is the exact opposite of "ignorance is bliss"

but the 2 quotations are quite complimentary.



knowledge arent suppose to be taken in an instant,

like LIFE, it's suppose to be a journey...

something to be Learned gradually.. step by step...

so always remember the fruit of knowledge is Bitter,

only if reaped at the wrong time, when it's still UNRIPE.

but the Fruit is the sweetest,

only with Patience to let it Grow in it's properTime.

:-)

Answer 2

I sincerely believe that everyone makes their best deal with their own spiritual mentor, and you either keep it or you don't. The tale of Adam and Eve was a morality play that is actually older than the Bible (the authors used to borrow a lot from other religions, especially since the Old Testament (Torah) was carried around by word of mouth for a few thousand years before anyone actually wrote it down) and cleaned up for public consumption.



So anyway, Adam and Eve made their deal and broke it, so knowledge can be considered a sin, if you agree in advance not to pursue it. If I were , for instance, to start searching the web for anti-American sites and were to be tagged by the F.B.I. (not going to happen) I would have more trouble in my life than I ever wanted. I don't know if that makes any sense to you, but if I were offered a place in paradise and all I had to do to stay there was to avoid the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, I would suddenly develop a genuine aversion to fruit. But that's just me!

Answer 3

Knowledge isn't a sin. Disobeying a direct order from God is. Animals can only do what they are created to do, they cannot think in terms of right and wrong. Adam and Eve were the same, like animals for whom God provided everything - they didn't have to think, only to obey.



But once they had knowledge, they suddenly realized things that were not only good, but also evil. Now, Adam and Eve had to make decisions about their life. Unlike the rest of the creatures on earth, we can decide to be good or bad, innocent or deviant, honest or dishonest. We can make decisions with our eyes open. And that makes us responsible for ourselves and the choices we make. That automatically takes us out of Eden, where all is provided and there are no worries, and into the real - adult- world where we have to take responsibility for ourselves.

Answer 4

No I don't believe that knowledge is a sin. God sat Eden up to take care of Adam and Eve. All they had to do was not eat the fruit of that one tree....... But God also gave them freewill to eat of the tree too. So being tricked by the serpent Adam and Eve was forced out of Eden because of disobedience, not because they gained knowledge.



As a result Man in general has to work at being righteous. I believe that all knowledge is a gift from God since he is the author of everything. He gives us the knowledge at the right times, to use by our own free will to use for good or evil.... Most of the time we pass that test and use it for good.



BTW.... most Christians I know are very intelligent and educated people.....

Answer 5

I have wondered this myself...but since we can't ask God this specific question until we get to heaven, here are my thoughts...I think in the case of Adam and Eve, it was just the disobedience that was a sin...I don't think "knowledge" itself is a sin, but God wanted them to remain innocent...He didn't want them to be acquainted with evil...there was no sin (as far as humans are concerned) in the world at that time, except Satan, so Adam acquired the "knowledge of evil" when he disobeyed God...I hope this makes sense...I don't really feel like I'm putting my thoughts into words too well...hope this helps a little bit, though!

Answer 6

Knowledge its self is a very desirable thing. However to have knowledge and the ability to use that knowledge with out learning to use it in all righteousness is a sin. Therefor the sin was disobeying God, not eating from the tree.

Answer 7

It is like when you have children and you do not want them to listen or read or watch the things that adults do....The tree of knowledge had all knowledge so there was bad in it too and God was teaching Adam and Eve the good stuff without the bad but Eve could not wait to become like God so she wanted knowledge of all....So knowledge is good and bad

Answer 8

I think as I recall that the tree of knowlege was the "knowledge of good and evil". Up to that point, Adam and Eve were not aware of anything evil. Their hearts were pure. The only sin they committed was disobedience of God. Apparently, God knows about evil...and evil things..i.e. he knows everything that we know...and he had not given Adam and Eve that knowledge.



Knowledge in itself is not a sin. It is what we do or do not do with that knowledge that determines where it falls.

Answer 9

It was not a tree of knowledge

It was a tree of the knowledge of good and evil



Atheist use the knowledge against Christianity--They fail their own test by using only half of the truth.

Read the first two lines above--Are they different

Answer 10

Knowledge can be considered a sin but not how you talk about it. adam and eve did not get kicked out of eden because they ate from that tree and retained knowledge they got kicked out for disobaying God.



but if you had knowladge of something someone is doing to them selves or others that is harmful and you dont tell someone then that knowladge is a sin.



do you understand what i am trying to say?

Answer 11

It is not a sin to have knowledge. It is a sin to disobey God. God didn't want us to not have knowledge because knowledge in itself is bad. God didn't want us to have full knowledge because He knows of our natural tendency to exploit that knowledge and forget about God and think we don't need Him since "rational thinking" and an elevated sense of self due to continuous gaining of knowledge makes many think they are beyond the "infantile" need for God. God knew that about human nature but wanted us to have the ability to choose to obey or not. He knew that knowledge would give us power and wasn't fearful of us having that power, but saddened by it since He knew it meant alienation from Him. It is the abuse of knowledge and the arrogance of some when they possess it that God calls sin - not the knowledge itself.

Answer 12

Don't be afraid to point out the inconsistencies and nonsense found throughout the entire flawed, man-made Bible. You seem like an intelligent enough person who can see defects that the gullible just accept. God did not write the Bible, nor did the creator inspire anybody to scribble malarkey... then to pass it off as His words.

Answer 13

That was the tree of knowledge of good and evil

God did not want man to know evil

So that was the sin



God's will is for us the have wisdom and knowledge

Knowledge flows and wisdom of the mouth of God

With all thy getting get wisdom and get knowledge and understanding

Answer 14

As a Christian in search of knowledge and understanding I would hope not.



Question: Would you consider an education as the obtaining of knowledge and if so is obtaining an education a sin?



Interesting question.

Peace & Love,

Sam

Answer 15

As to the question - NO. That is hogwash. Knowledge means recognition of life, the universe etc. Without that nothing would exist. Why would the bible (church fathers) pull that fast one..... It is only for those who blindly believe everything and do not think for themselves.

Answer 16

i can`t see why it would be unless one might use it to discredit or condemn another with such pomp that it might cause harm,and i really would be careful not to use knowledge in such a stance of pride, but that is b/c i consider God as ultimate wisdom and not to be compared with my finite mind.

((1 Corinthians 1:20 & 4:20))



peace and love

Answer 17

It is like a little child and you have cable TV. You tell your child you are not allowed to watch certain shows because there are things you do not want him/her to learn. So when you are not looking they turn it to a nasty show that they learn alot of things they did not need to know. Now they can not delete this information and have begun a sort of defilement of all that was very good and innocent.



I hope this analogy helps you.



God Loves us as we do our children, then and now

Answer 18

i didnt read the seeming important paragraphs you had up there, but a sin is anything that God hates and despises. it's pretty clear in the bible not theology or dumb crap like that

Answer 19

No. Knowledge is essential for survival, as should be obvious.

Answer 20

Yes, it's >THE< first runner-up original sin...after disobedience.

Answer 21

just because your smart doesnt mean you're dis obeying God!

Answer 22

I don't think you have to worry about it.



Get A Grip

Answer 23

I sure hope not.