(November 28, 2014 at 4:46 pm)Smaug Wrote: Garden of Eden verses from Genesis may be also interpreted as a story of attaining maturity (a common motive in myths). From the beginning of their lives Adam a Eve lived in the Garden of Eden care-free, happily ignorant and with only authority coming from God (their parent). But once they found out that there are other opinions than their parent's and contradicting information in general, they made their first really independent choice and disobeyed (rebelled, which was a sign that they may enter independant life). From now on they live their care-free childhood behind and face never before seen hardships: different responsibilities and necessities of grown-up life.
As for the literal interpretation, it doesn't make sense in any way other than as a heavy-duty tool of ideological indoctrination and supression.
What were the Assyrians, Ethiopians, Persians, and Arabs doing while Adam & Eve were running around naked in the Garden of Eden? They were just down the road from the Garden of Eden.