No, and neither did you, Frank - because there's no mention of any apple in the Genesis account of the Fall.
"Okay, it was the Tree of Knowledge."
No, not okay. It was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. That's a big difference.
"You eat this apple..."
Again, no apple.
"...you're going to be as SMART AS GOD."
Is that what God said? No, He said, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die."
It was the serpant who said, "For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
This is Satan's second oldest trick in the book: Follow me, and you'll be just like God. The oldest trick is twisting what God said, when he asked Eve, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?"
(Here's a link to Genesis 2 and 3, if you think I'm making this all up.)
Look, I really like Frank Zappa. He was a fantastic musician and composer, and as a survivor of prostate cancer myself, I'm sorry that he died of of that disease at a time when there wasn't the kind of early detection that they have now. It was a great loss for the world of music.
But as far as theology is concerned, you might just as well quote Ozzie Osbourne regarding the Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation. Zappa's "logic" is based on a bunch of false assumptions and sounds like something he might have said off the cuff between recording sessions.
On the other hand, the quote from Christopher Hitchens you posted a few days ago is much more thoughtful. I'm going to try to post my comments to it this evening, when I have more time. My wife's out of town, so I'll be able to "blog" without her trying to kick me off the computer.
Regardless of the 'apple' bit he is right on. being intelligent is evil as far as any religion is concerned. And yes the fruit of the tree of god and evil is knowledge. Most animals are neither good or evil, they have their natural drives and the urges that push to their fulfillment and they do not know death. When man accepted knowledge he learns about good, evil, & death also love, giving, sacrifice, etc.
I didn't. But just as I wouldn't give C.S. Lewis credit for being a great musician and composer of the rock era, I don't give Zappa credit for being a great theologian.
"Can you tell a Jesuit anything (or for that matter any priest, monk, preacher, rabbi, imam, pastor, reverend, etc.)?"
As my pastor says, you don't have to leave your brain on the church steps before entering. There's nothing evil about being intellectual and Christian.
ANONYMOUS COMMENTS WILL NOT BE PUBLISHED. And neither will racist,homophobic, or misogynistic comments. I do not mind if you disagree, but make your case in a decent manner.
"Remember the apple on the tree?"
ReplyDeleteNo, and neither did you, Frank - because there's no mention of any apple in the Genesis account of the Fall.
"Okay, it was the Tree of Knowledge."
No, not okay. It was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. That's a big difference.
"You eat this apple..."
Again, no apple.
"...you're going to be as SMART AS GOD."
Is that what God said? No, He said, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die."
It was the serpant who said, "For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
This is Satan's second oldest trick in the book: Follow me, and you'll be just like God. The oldest trick is twisting what God said, when he asked Eve, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?"
(Here's a link to Genesis 2 and 3, if you think I'm making this all up.)
Look, I really like Frank Zappa. He was a fantastic musician and composer, and as a survivor of prostate cancer myself, I'm sorry that he died of of that disease at a time when there wasn't the kind of early detection that they have now. It was a great loss for the world of music.
But as far as theology is concerned, you might just as well quote Ozzie Osbourne regarding the Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation. Zappa's "logic" is based on a bunch of false assumptions and sounds like something he might have said off the cuff between recording sessions.
On the other hand, the quote from Christopher Hitchens you posted a few days ago is much more thoughtful. I'm going to try to post my comments to it this evening, when I have more time. My wife's out of town, so I'll be able to "blog" without her trying to kick me off the computer.
Regardless of the 'apple' bit he is right on. being intelligent is evil as far as any religion is concerned.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes the fruit of the tree of god and evil is knowledge.
Most animals are neither good or evil, they have their natural drives and the urges that push to their fulfillment and they do not know death.
When man accepted knowledge he learns about good, evil, & death also love, giving, sacrifice, etc.
"being intelligent is evil as far as any religion is concerned."
ReplyDeleteTell that to the Jesuits.
How can anyone question the greatness of Zappa?
ReplyDeleteCan you tell a Jesuit anything (or for that matter any priest, monk, preacher, rabbi, imam, pastor, reverend, etc.)?
ReplyDelete"How can anyone question the greatness of Zappa?"
ReplyDeleteI didn't. But just as I wouldn't give C.S. Lewis credit for being a great musician and composer of the rock era, I don't give Zappa credit for being a great theologian.
"Can you tell a Jesuit anything (or for that matter any priest, monk, preacher, rabbi, imam, pastor, reverend, etc.)?"
You missed my point. The Jesuits, one of the largest orders of priests in the Roman Catholic Church, are well known for the support of education on all levels.
But the Jesuits aren't the only ones. Take my denomination, the Southern Baptists. Baylor University (run by the Southern Baptists) offers a wide variety of postgraduate degrees (masters and doctoral).
As my pastor says, you don't have to leave your brain on the church steps before entering. There's nothing evil about being intellectual and Christian.
Wise men still seek Him.