The Wake-up Call

By Madu De Silva

What if the world had never been tainted by sin and evil? What if Adam and Eve had resisted the temptation of the forbidden fruit? How would our history and faith have been different? Would we still have needed God, or would God still have wanted us, in such a perfect world?

Now, imagine attaining immortality, defying the graceful ageing and inevitable death. You find yourself in an Eden-like setting where your sole duty is to sing praises for the creator, living forever with no sin, no emotions, no physical form, and no attachments except for the service of God. The allure of eternal life, as depicted in various religious texts, often presents an image of endless existence in a paradise-like setting. However, the reality of such an existence may not be as idyllic as it first appears.

Imagine, for instance, your favourite meal. The first taste is a revelation, the hundredth still delightful. But the thousandth? The millionth? Even the most divine delicacies could become mundane. Similarly, consider a favourite song or a beloved film. Repeated endlessly, even these could lose their charm. In an eternal life, where each day mirrors the last, the pleasures we savour in our mortal lives could become tedious.

Compare this with our finite existence, shaped by time. Each day brings a new opportunity, every encounter could change our lives, and every challenge helps us grow. Growing old, often seen negatively, is a mark of our wisdom and experience. The beauty of ageing is a tribute to life itself.

At some point, whether you are a devout cleric or a God-fearing layman, you have wondered about questions that challenge your beliefs, your interpretation of the Bible, and what you have learned. The Wake-Up Call invites you to explore the Bible from a completely new angle. It’s not a demand to change what you believe, but to learn things from a different perspective. The readers who accept this invitation will find it rewarding, and I promise you a delightful journey.

This book is not just a critique of God, the Bible, and Abrahamic religions. It’s a reflection of our convictions, a challenge to look beyond the obvious, and a call to question the unquestionable. Are you courageous enough to answer the call? Are you prepared for the shock of the new insight? If so, open the book and start your journey. The road may be tough, but the rewards are priceless.

This is your wake-up call. Will you heed it? The choice is yours.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Release date: May 24, 2024
• ISBN: 9781035803170

Madu De Silva

Madu and his wife share their home in Central Queensland with two beautiful daughters. A practicing evangelical Christian for 35 years, he is now a secular humanist who is on a mission to portray the Bible from an entirely new perspective. Once he was a musician, then businessman and finally a self-proclaimed homicide detective specialised in biblical war crimes. Other than that, not much is known about Madu De Silva, and he prefers to keep it that way.

Book preview

About the Author

Madu and his wife share their home in Central Queensland with two beautiful daughters. A practicing evangelical Christian for 35 years, he is now a secular humanist who is on a mission to portray the Bible from an entirely new perspective.

Once he was a musician, then businessman and finally a self-proclaimed homicide detective specialised in biblical war crimes. Other than that, not much is known about Madu De Silva, and he prefers to keep it that way.

Dedication

To those who seek freedom.

To my loving wife, Nim. Thank you!

Without your encouragement, I may have finished writing the book by 2030, but it would have never been published.

Copyright Information ©

Madu De Silva 2024

The right of Madu De Silva to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by the author in accordance with Sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

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Any person who commits any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.

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ISBN 9781035803170 (ePub e-book)

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Scripture Quotations

Taken from the Complete Jewish Bible by David H. Stern. Copyright © 1998. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Messianic Jewish Publishers, 6120 Day Long Lane, Clarksville, MD 21029. www.messianicjewish.net.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 19788, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scriptures taken from the New American Standard Bible (NASB), Copyright © 2005 by The Lockman Foundation. Used with permission. www.NewBible.com.

Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations from The Authorized (King James) Version. Rights in the Authorized Version in the United Kingdom are vested in the Crown. Reproduced by permission of the Crown’s patentee, Cambridge University Press.

Who should read The Wake-Up Call?

Have you ever wondered, Is there a God? What happens after we die? Or: Which religion is true? Then this book is for you. Whether you’re a devoted pastor, a theologian, a casual Christian, Jew, Muslim, Gnostic, agnostic or even an atheist, The Wake-Up Call will challenge what you know—or think you know—about the universe.

Expect to be challenged.

This is neither a feel-good, self-help book nor a simplified religious text. The Wake-Up Call is non-fiction, grounded both in the Bible and in the realities of modern life. In his quest for truth, De Silva approaches often delicate topics head-on. He tackles an enormous range of biblical characters and historical events, even delving into the paranormal and scientific viewpoints. Rather than tell the reader what to think, the author challenges them to join him on a search for the truth, allowing them to investigate and decide for themselves the answers to mankind’s eternal questions.

The Wake-Up Call invites readers to engage with it. The reader who takes up the challenge will find it well worth the effort. Stories that initially seem confusing are revealed to have a purpose as the reader progresses through each chapter, uncovering the links between biblical events and God’s plan. Engaging directly with the text circumvents the limitations of the human memory, allowing the reader to make these connections for themselves. You will see the Bible from an entirely new perspective.

To gain the full benefit of The Wake-Up Call, read it cover to cover, without simply cherry-picking the parts that feel most comfortable, the ones you agree with. For many pastors, theologians and devoted Christians, this will be a challenge. However, you must read it. Surrounding yourself with opinions that agree with your own doesn’t further your understanding or strengthen your faith. Educating yourself about other beliefs, especially those you do not agree with, will teach you more about yourself and your faith than repeating what you already know ever could. The author encourages you to take notes and cross-examine him. Everyone who opens this book will find themselves changed by the experience, with a new perspective on their faith—and their future.

The Wake-Up Call is not written to depress or discourage. Rather, it is written to share the facts about God and His plans for His creation with the world. Those who aspire to God’s righteousness will find plenty of guidance inside and, ultimately, you’ll find your perspective changed for the better. Read this book—you owe yourself the truth.

Foreword

Who is God? Do you know? Do you really know?

Hands up if you imagined a wise old man with a flowing white beard and robe, straight out of a Renaissance painting. Did the words ‘Heavenly Father’ come to mind? Maybe you replied in the abstract: God is love.

Sorry. God as love is as accurate as God looking a bit like Santa. The Bible holds no evidence to support the idea that God is a loving father or loving at all. Shocked? As evidence, we have the words of the man most qualified to talk about God’s parenting abilities: his son, Jesus Christ. Talking to his disciples, Jesus asked them:

Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? (Luke 11:11 NIV)

This is a rhetorical question, right? No father would give his hungry child a snake. Yet, during their 40 years wandering the wilderness, when the Israelites complained about the lack of bread and water, how did God respond?

Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. (Numbers 21:6 [NIV])

Makes you rethink your mental image of God as a saintly father, doesn’t it?

Hang on; you may be thinking: That cannot be true! I took this story and the points I make in this book directly from the Bible. As you will soon see, the Bible is full of contradictions. The facts and stories I share about the most well-known and revered of biblical figures—including Noah, Abraham and Moses—will make you question everything you know about righteous behaviour. Even God’s word and Jesus’ teachings contradict their messages.

Wondering why you haven’t heard this before? Pastors, evangelists and theologians know very well that the Bible contains more questions than answers. They dodge the issue by saying God works in mysterious ways. Another line they’re fond of is that God’s ways are beyond human understanding—the biblical equivalent of a get-out-of-jail-free card. But what if there was a theologically accurate explanation of the contradictions in the Bible?

I believe such an explanation is within our reach. In this book, I tackle questions you’ll never hear your pastor discuss from their lectern (or, if you are a preacher, that you would never dare speak about in your church). Questions like:

How many times was Jesus tempted?

Did you say three times? That’s what we’re taught in our churches and Bible studies. The Devil tempted Jesus three times in the wilderness. However, the Bible records at least three other encounters between Jesus and the Devil. His actions in the land of Gadarenes will astonish you. Why would Jesus obey the Devil?

2. Whose fault was it that Pharaoh did not free the Israelites, thereby bringing the wrath of God down upon the Egyptians? Pharaoh’s—or God’s?

The Bible states:

The Lord said to Moses, ‘When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders I have given you the power to do. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go.’ (Exodus 4:21 [NIV])

However, the Bible also quotes God as saying:

In days to come, when your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ say to him, ’With a mighty hand, the Lord brought us out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed the firstborn of both people and animals in Egypt. This is why I sacrifice to the Lord the first male offspring of every womb and redeem each of my firstborn sons. (Exodus 13:14-15 [NIV])

Which is it? Did Pharaoh refuse to release the Israelites from bondage, or did God prevent him from doing so? How do we explain the discrepancy between these two accounts?

3. What happened to the people who returned to life when Jesus was resurrected?

At that moment, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. (Matthew 27:51-53 [NIV])

Who were these holy people? What happened to them after this? Did they return to their tombs or roam the Earth as ghosts? The Bible forbids consulting the dead, after all. So why did the dead appear to so many people? What does their return to life reveal about the afterlife?

A close study of the Bible raises many more such questions. Perhaps you’ve got questions of your own you never dared ask your pastor. Maybe the answer you got didn’t satisfy you. If so, this book is for you.

I was once like you—a devout Christian who wanted to understand the teachings of God and Jesus. I didn’t just read my Bible. I studied it. What I found transformed my entire life. The saying, The truth will set you free, is cliché, but in this case, it is a fact. This book will answer questions about God and Jesus you didn’t even know you had.

Using the Bible as our basis, we will explore who God and Jesus really are. We’ll examine the true character of the prophets, dive into whether Heaven and Hell exist, and what the Bible reveals about earthly and other dimensional spirits. We’ll also glimpse a better future—one where humanity terminates fear and ends suffering, allowing us to achieve our full potential. Most books promise you all the answers. I promise you a journey. If you will join me on this adventure, together we will transform your understanding of your religion, your God and yourself.

Ready? Then let’s dive in.

One

The Creation

Of all inexplicable mysteries, none captivates humans more than the question of what happens to us after death. Many seek answers in different religions, leading to bitter arguments and even armed conflict. Muslims believe death is the breaking point between mortality and eternal life in Heaven. According to Jewish belief, the body returns to the Earth and the spirit returns to Sheol. Other Jews believe the soul resides in a neutral place and will reunite with its physical body when the Messiah comes. Followers of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity all believe the soul returns to God (sometimes after a purification period or time of judgement) and the body becomes dust.

The answers these various religions provide often leave many unsatisfied. Some believe there is no way to know what will happen after death. Others claim we cannot understand God’s ways. I contend, however, that within this decade, humanity will answer this unanswerable question and more. This is the era of human revolution, the time when we will bring peace to the Earth and defeat the unrighteous force throwing our universe into discord.

Let me ask you a few questions that humanity has struggled to answer.

Why did God put the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the middle of the Garden of Eden?

Why didn’t God prevent Eve from eating from the tree?

Why didn’t God stop the serpent from speaking to Eve?

Why didn’t God destroy the serpent at the moment of temptation and forgive Eve?

What is the nature of the two trees God placed in the Garden of Eden?

Why did God want to prevent humanity from consuming the fruit of these trees?

Why didn’t he put them somewhere else, or not create them at all?

Why does an all-powerful God need six days to create the Earth? Couldn’t he do it all at one time?

How could a wise and perfect God create such a flawed and imperfect world?

These questions have plagued religious leaders and ordinary people for centuries. Different religions and denominations have come up with different answers. People have fought wars, persecuted others, and been excommunicated or even murdered over their different beliefs. Here are some schools of thought you may be familiar with.

God’s ways are beyond human understanding.

God created a perfect world and an immortal man, but humanity, through our innate sinfulness, disobeyed God and corrupted his work. We are still paying the price of Adam and Eve’s crime. But cheer up! God so loved the world he sent his only son, Jesus, as a complete sacrifice to clear the debt of our sin. Through him, we will inherit everlasting heavenly life.

Christians will be most familiar with this response, but some remain troubled by it. Here’s an alternative point of view.

2. Free will.

God didn’t create puppets. He gave Adam and Eve autonomy so they could glorify him by choosing to obey his commands. He gave humanity the authority to rule over the Earth. But humanity didn’t care for the planet as commanded. Rather, creation was destroyed through disobedience to God. The result is the hardship, suffering, and sorrow we experience daily.

3. God’s pleasure.

This theory is less common, but it’s one I believed for some time. God is omniscient. He has counted and numbered the hair on the head of every living human.

Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. (Luke 12:7 [NIV])

That’s not all. According to the written accounts of the prophets of God and the disciples of Jesus, God’s knowledge is perfect. He knows everything, past, present, and future.

For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things. (1 John 3:20 [KJ21])

Great is our Lord, and of great power; His understanding is infinite. (Psalm 147:5 [KJ21])

Not convinced? Here are the words of the great-grandson of Abraham, the offspring of Jesse, and Jesus’ great-grandfather, known in the modern English bible as King David:

You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. (Psalm 139:4 [NLT])

Given that God’s knowledge of the past, present, and future is so deep, he knew Eve would take the fruit from the tree of knowledge—the tree he placed in the very middle of the Garden of Eden. Why didn’t he simply prevent her from eating the fruit?

The answer is in the Bible. God created everything, not out of love for humanity, but for his own glory and pleasure. Here’s what the Bible and books of the Jews tell us:

Even every one that is called by My name: For I have created him for My glory; I have formed him; yea, I have made him. (Isaiah 43:7 [KJ21])

Here’s what the last book in the Bible, the mysterious book of Revelation tells us:

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power; for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created. (Revelation 4:11 [KJ21])

That’s a strong argument in favour of God’s pleasure.

Note: When we talk about the creation, we must use the words as written in the accounts of the prophets of God and disciples of Jesus, and not substitute our own terms. The statement ‘God created heaven and Earth for his pleasure and glory’ is accurate, based on the words of the Bible. Many modern Christians believe that God created the world out of love for humanity, a view endorsed by many preachers. However, the Bible does not state this. While we can interpret the words of the Bible in many ways, we must always ground our conclusions in scripture.

Let me summarise the central message of the books of the prophets and the disciples: God created heaven and Earth for his own pleasure and glory. He ordered humankind to obey him. Humanity disobeyed, exchanging their immortality for death. God had mercy on them, so loving the world he sent his begotten (firstborn) son to pay for humanity’s sins, granting believers eternal life through Jesus’ sacrifice.

Wait a minute. In the story above, the only way God receives glory is if humanity needs him. What if Adam and Eve had not sinned? Quite simply, they would still live in paradise. God’s memory would fade away, as immortal humankind ruled the Earth. Adam and Eve would command every living creature and growing thing on Earth. They and all the generations that followed would live happily ever after—with no pleasure or glory for God. The prophet Isaiah tells us:

Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure.’ (Isaiah 46:10 [KJ21])

God wanted Adam and Eve to fall and sin, beg for his mercy, and rely on his help. Mission accomplished.

Proving this was God’s plan all along, Jesus was present from the very beginning, as evidenced by the books of prophets and disciples. Once he’d saved the world from a danger of his own making, God planned to let Jesus rule the kingdom of man. Then God could sit back and enjoy the glory. It’s all about God, his glory and pleasure, his kingdom, and his power over all things. We are pawns in the game played by the creator—or more accurately, his slaves. Perhaps too strong a term? Here is what was stated by Saul of Tarsus, or as he’s known today, the apostle Paul:

This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News. (Romans 1:1 [NLT])

There is no other God. The only path to salvation is through glorifying God and hoping he rewards you with eternal life. Forget good works, spreading love, or raising a family. None of that matters. You are a pawn in an existential chess game; your only purpose is pleasing your master. Those who reach this level of understanding have reached faith’s pinnacle and have only one more peak to scale in order to know the complete truth.

Did I just use the words of God’s prophets and the slave of Jesus to unravel the truth behind the story of creation? No. But it sure sounds plausible when aligned with the words of God’s prophets, doesn’t it? I deliberately worded this in a way that sounds real. It got your attention, didn’t it? Were you confused? Wondering what is wrong with this person?

Let me tell you what is wrong with this author.

My understanding of Christianity was once the same as yours. I studied the Bible, eager to learn more about God’s works. Over time, I noticed inconsistencies and wondered about them. I asked questions that put me on the path to even greater heights of understanding.

Before I lead you down that path, let me ask you a few more questions. God buried these questions in the depths of the Bible for a simple reason: he does not want them asked. He scattered them across many books so they can’t be read in a single sitting. Why? Because the day these questions appear in one place and people read them, the world will change. Nations will work together for harmony, humanity will throw off its shackles, and the prisons will empty.

Here are those questions:

If Adam and Eve didn’t know right from wrong, or even what Good and Evil are, how could they sin? For an act to be considered a sin, the doer must know what is good and what is bad. Without this knowledge, there is no sin.

Did God lie about Satan? God cursed the serpent to crawl on his belly all the days of his life, as told in Genesis:

So the Lord God said to the serpent, ‘Because you have done this, Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life.’ (Genesis 3:14 [NIV])

That’s a powerful curse… but the serpent did not crawl on his belly all the days of his life. He went back and forth between Heaven and Earth at will. Sometimes he even appeared as a roaring lion. Interesting, don’t you think?

This is what the book of Job tells us:

"There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil. And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters. His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east. And his sons went and feasted in their houses, everyone his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them. And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually. Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them. And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comets thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.’" (Job 1:1-7 [KJV] emphasis mine)

What evidence do we have that he walks like a roaring lion? The testimony of the slave of Jesus, Paul himself:

Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walketh about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. (1 Peter 5:8 [KJ21])

Paul, whose Hebrew name was Saul, was a murderer who abandoned his ways to become a devout servant of Jesus. Theologians believe he either authored or contributed to over twelve books in the Bible.

Let’s review these biblical facts. God stated that Satan (also known as the Adversary/Serpent) will crawl on his belly and eat dust all the days in his life. Not some days, or even most of the days. All the days. We also know that Satan travelled to Heaven and went back and forth without God knowing about it. First time I’ve heard about anyone eating dust on their way to Heaven! Even though God said Satan would crawl on his belly, this did not happen. God lied.

If you cannot accept that God lied, you must refute this accusation. As a believer in God and Christ, you must prove God told the truth about this. Otherwise, millions of people will read these words and see God’s lies. It will wipe Christianity off the face of the Earth. Because I believe God lied, I may freely use the term ‘Deceiver’ to refer to God from now on.

Do you feel you’re beginning to understand? Pace yourself. What we’ve covered so far is just a small fragment, a single drop in a vast ocean.

In the creation story, was Adam human or animal initially? The Bible informs us that Adam was lonely. The Deceiver wanted to give him a helper. He presented all the beasts in the wild for Adam to choose from, but Adam did not pick any of the beasts (Genesis 2:18-20). The Deceiver then formed Eve. Adam named his helper ‘Woman’ and eventually created offspring with her. And even though they were naked at first, they felt no shame.

Consider this. The first helpers the Deceiver offered Adam were wild animals. He only created Woman, a helper in Adam’s image, after Adam rejected the beasts. Eve became Adam’s wife and together they had many children. But what if Adam had chosen a beast? Imagine Adam choosing a lioness for her strength and hunting prowess. Their kids would look like the Egyptian goddess Sekhmet, with a lion head atop a human body.

While this didn’t happen, the point I’m making is that, at the time of the creation, Adam displayed the characteristics of an animal, not a human. His appearance might reflect God’s image, but there’s still an enormous difference between an all-knowing God and the ignorance of Adam. He felt no shame over his nakedness, just like a rabbit feels no shame. Adam knew no more about ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ than a lizard would. Even God considered an animal a worthy partner for him. Does it sound like Adam was on a human level?

The parable of the backyard barbecue

Once upon a time, a man called Mark lived in the Land of Oz. His backyard was formless and empty, its surface covered in dirt. Mark decided to beautify it. He dug out a pond and filled it with water lilies and fish. He installed a beautiful fountain and planted orchids around it. Throughout the rest of the garden, Mark planted trees small and large to make a haven for birds to rest. Soon ducks, geese, pelicans, and cranes all sheltered together in his backyard. Mark looked over what he had made and saw that it was marvellous.

Next, Mark placed two cattle dogs, one male and one female, in his backyard to obey his command. He told them, Be fruitful and multiply. Fill my backyard with puppies and govern it well. He gave the dogs the authority to rule over the fountains, the birds in the trees, and all the animals, large and small, that sheltered in his yard. Look, Mark said. I have planted seed-bearing plants and fruit trees to provide you with food. He said this, even though he knew dogs eat meat.

Likewise, to the ducks, geese, pelicans and cranes, he said, I have given you every green plant in this garden as your food. Yeah, right. The pelicans ate all the fish in the pond.

Evenings passed and mornings came. It only took Mark six days and six nights to complete landscaping his backyard. On the seventh day, Mark rested, inviting his friends to come over for a beer. I was one of those friends. We sat by the pond, watching the fountains, drinking beer, and shooting the breeze. Mark saw that this was very good.

After a couple of beers, Mark took a large pot and stuck a dead tree with no leaves in it. He hung the tree with cow bones, steaks, and chunks of meat. No carnivore could resist it. He placed the pot containing the tree in the middle of his yard and told the dogs, Don’t eat from this tree. If you do, you will surely die.

Wait a second, Mark. Dogs don’t understand right from wrong. They can’t think like humans. How do you expect your tree of meat to last?

Smudge, the cat who lives next door, came over the fence. He said to the dogs, Eat from the tree in the middle of the backyard and you will not die. What was a hungry dog supposed to do? Eat seeds and fruit?

The dogs ate from the tree and lived a staggering number of years. The male dog lived 930 years (6510 dog years), making him the fourth longest-lived dog in the world. The female dog also lived a long time. Six generations later (the seventh if we include the original dog), a puppy was born named ‘Death of Sword’ who lived 969 years. Isn’t this a fascinating story?

The Original Sin

People across the globe read the Bible with the assumption that Adam and Eve committed the first sin by eating from the Tree of Knowledge. But, when you read the books of the prophets with the knowledge that Adam and Eve did not know right or wrong when they ate the apple, you see a different picture.

To put it another way, many things in the world are comparative. Take beauty, for example. To appreciate the beauty of an object, you need something to compare it to. Say someone builds a house on a remote island. As it is the only house on the island, it is also the most beautiful house on the island, regardless of its appearance. Build a second house, however, and now appearance matters. Depending on what the second house looks like, the first house may now be the ugly house.

The first impressions we receive shape our understanding and interpretation. To reach the truth, it’s necessary to put aside what you’ve been told about the Bible and look at it with no illusions. Read Genesis from the perspective that Adam and Eve could not sin, as they did not know that disobeying God was wrong. They did not even understand what right or wrong is. What you read will fascinate you:

"When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some