Atheist Bible Study 1: Genesis

[Bahana]

I was being facetious there. I'm interested in having a discussion about the text from all angles, really. Since the literalist interpretation is taken seriously by so many, I think it deserves to be addressed. But I think a good discussion could be had about the myth-value of stories like Adam and Eve. In some respects, the story might even be saying something pertinent about our predicament as moral agents: "Before we attained knowledge of good and evil, we were not 'cursed' to be morally responsible beings as we are now etc..."

As a theist I often wondered whether sin was an act on its own, or the knowledge that the same act was wrong.
For instance in the story it gives the impression Adam & Eve were blissfully naked, then they understood what nakedness was and covered up.

That is not to say that nakedness is a sin, but that the knowledge of it forced a reaction to it.  
I agree, if taken as an analogy it does make an interesting talking point.

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I do not trust the NIV. I've heard from Biblical scholars that the NIV translators were evangelically biased and used some funny business to cover up the difficult verses. In older versions of the NIV on Genesis 1:14 they used the word expanse when firmament may be more accurate. In ancient Mesopotamia the sky was viewed as a solid dome that held back water. I just checked and they changed it to "vault" in the current version. I admit it's easy to read but I no longer trust it based on what several scholars have said.

Do you believe there was a solid dome, just out of interest ?

I'm an atheist that reads it like mythology. I'd like to get the original author's intent though, if possible.