Modern Christian Mythology: The Garden of Eden
Modern Christian Mythology: the Garden of Eden
Who wouldn’t want there to exist an earthly paradise? Especially one that not everyone knows about; keep the real estate affordable.
Like other parts of the book of Genesis, the Eden story is paralleled in Sumerian mythology, specifically the Epic of Gilgamesh, which predates the compilation of the Hebrew sources by over a thousand years:
The Sumerian poem “Enki and Ninhursag: A Paradise Myth” begins with a eulogy of Dilmun, describing it as a place that is pure, clean, and bright, where there is neither sickness nor death. Similarly, the characterization of the serpent, the eating of the fruit of the tree, and the deprivation of human immortality, are all paralleled in the Babylonian “Epic of Gilgamesh”, in which the legendary hero succeeds in obtaining the “plant of life” only to have it stolen by a serpent, thus depriving him of immortality.
–“From Ancient Writings to Sacred Texts: the Old Testament and Apocrypha” By Solomon Alexander Nigosian
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Universal Heretic 
January 30, 2011 at 2:05 PM
eden garden is a famous cricket ground in india
March 26, 2011 at 3:37 AM
Agreed Eden is a myth. According to Science there never has been a time that all creatures lived in peaceful harmony and didn’t devour each other. The earth has always been a violent place, “kill or be killed.” Life cannot exist with feeding upon another life form. Some PhD scholars by the 1890s came to realize the Eden myth was a Hebrew reacst of Mesopotamian myths explaining why man was created, possessed wisdom like a god, and didn’t have immortality. The setting for these stories was a place called Edin, in ancient Sumer. Motifs from several Mesopotamian myths have been identified in the Eden story: (1) The Epic of Gilgamesh, (2) Adapa and the South Wind Myth, (3) The Igigi gods’ rebellions at Nippur and Eridu in the Atrakhasis Myth. Adam is Enkidu, Eve is Shamhat, Yahweh is Sadu the hunter all of the Gilgamesh Epic. Adam is also Adapa, Yahweh being Anu and Ea, the Cherubim are Gishzida and Dumuzi, the fruit of life and of death are the bread of life and of death, the garden of Eden is Eridu in the Sumerian Edin, next door to Ur of the Chaldees where lived Abraham, who probably recast these myths when he abandoned polytheism for monotheism. See http://www.bibleorigins.net for more info.
July 21, 2011 at 5:21 PM
In science Eden is a myth. But in Christion religon it’s as real as water is clear. I’m a Christion and I belive in Eden 100%. No dought,final.
July 21, 2011 at 6:54 PM
What does that mean? In science it’s a myth, but in Christianity it’s real? In an emotional or ritualistic sort of way? Or that you don’t believe in objective reality?
March 26, 2011 at 6:15 AM
The whole Bible is largely myth, myth is more important than fact. Myth represents wisdom, culture, aspirations. Myth also represents cultural memory and the unconscious. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was older than Sumer.
Many stories have been put together in the Bible, some also from Egypt, some India. Then there is false authorship – King Josiah 640-610BC, a complete psycho who slaughtered priests of other religions, did a complete re-edit and inserted material.
There are also false times, Book of Daniel was written in Greek period.
Taking the Bible seriously is a big mistake, but the myths are interesting.
April 28, 2011 at 9:55 PM
Is there a smart person today who can put things together to become the future?
I agree your posting is a myth.
April 29, 2011 at 7:49 AM
If you’re cryptic enough, it’ll prevent you from adding to the discussion.
December 15, 2011 at 7:27 PM
what about this:
Garden of Eden is a trick story. It is sort of like a metaphor that humanity doesn’t get because they are in the wrong frame of mind.
I think I must be crazy, because so far, I am the only one I know taking it this way, by analogy, such that the point of the story is: “Do Not Judge Good or Evil, or you will die.”
So here goes:
Fruit of the Tree of Life = the living experience that we witness by being conscious.
Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil = Judging Good & Evil for your self.
So, when you put these together, we can re-interpret the allegory to say basically: You can have any experience you want here, but if you judge good and evil, you will certainly die.
So, don’t judge. That’s it, just be happy with all the experience. For further explanation, you may be interested in my blog about the philosophy of living forever.
July 2, 2012 at 6:47 PM
myth myth myth ah ah ah thats wher you are wrong other religions predate christianity an all their writings for milions of years the tree an the serpent mearly represented the spine an the flowing of energy
but back to the subject christianity stole from the babylonians egyptians an other religions why to destroy spiritual knowledge
mankind was created to be as gods or goddess
July 9, 2012 at 3:17 AM
you’re not the only one who thinks like you do: thinking in terms of “good and evil” covers up the TRUTH. To see and listen without JUDGEMENT takes conscious effort. And after awhile you wont have to “belive”, you’ll KNOW!