Who Said That?

"One of the lessons I learned from the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden is that our first ancestors chose to be human rather than to live forever.  They chose a sense of morality, a `knowledge of good and evil,' rather than immortality.  They spurned the Tree of Life, which would have given them eternal life, in favor of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, which gave them a conscience.  As compensation, God gave humans, who now shared with Him the ability to know good from evil, the gift of His own divine power to create new life.  We cheat death, not by living forever, but by bearing, raising, and educating children to keep our souls, our values, and even our names alive.  One generation, scarred and often embittered by experience, gives way to another, born in innocence and hope.  Like the good shepherd He is, God shows His love for us by enabling us to create new life."

Leave your guess in the comments section below.  Please no google searches or cheating.  The whole point is to guess, not look up the answer!

Update on Friday, October 3, 2008 at 01:58PM by Kim Riddlebarger

This quote is taken from Rabbi Harold Kushner's book, The Lord Is My Shepherd, (p. 23).  Theological liberals sound pretty much alike, whether they be Protestant, Roman Catholic, or Jewish.

Comments

[John Yeazel]

We are all over the map here- this has everyone stumped. This should go into the "Who Said That" hall of fame.

[Chris Sherman]

Papa Razzi?

[Neal P.]

Bill Maher?

[John Yeazel]

The reformed Jewish view of Genesis seems to make the most sense to me so far. Or, how about some theistic existentialist like Soren Kierkergaard.

[John Yeazel]

Kierkergaard was probably a true Christian but had an aversion for any kind of orthodoxy. His commentary on Abraham putting his son Isaac to death on Mount Moriah is probably some of the best literature ever written. He was a very enigmatic man- kind of like this quote.

[reformedpilgrim]

T.D. Jakes me thinks! Although I am probably way off.