what Was the Tree of Life For?

[Minimalist]

why did he need a tree to give him what he already had?

The dog needed someplace to piss and the fire hydrant would not be invented for thousands of years.

[Cyberman]

Reminds me of the old joke about seeing lovers' initials carved into a tree, and wondering why it's considered romantic when clearly one of them carried a knife.

[GUBU]

if Adam was created immortal, why did he need a tree to give him what he already had?

To let us know when Ragnarok* was about to start. D'uh.

*When the Ice Giants come down off of Cori Celesti to get their lawnmower back.

[Chad32]

Things can still taste good, even if you don't need to eat it to survive, presumably. Hook yourself up to an IV for nutrients, and you won't have to eat anymore, but you'll still miss the taste of food.

So simply for hedonistic purposes?

Sure. I mean, this is Eden. It's not like you would have to work for anything, so the main joy they'd get out of life is simple pleasures like taste.

[The Grand Nudger]

The rabbinic concept of eden, and the subsequent fall..is precisely that.  An idea that we once lived in a garden of pleasure free from pain and work and want, and it all got fucked up.  I think that christian tradition loses that..both on how they conceptualize eden, life, and the restoration of man through salvation to his intended state. This was, ironically, due to the stoic influence of hellenism, a culture that christians today conceive as one of wanton and forbidden lusts.  

Islam, hilariously, gets it right.  There will be orgies and animated sex dolls in jannah...just like there were in eden. What else do we imagine eve was meant to have been?

[brewer]

if Adam was created immortal, why did he need a tree to give him what he already had?

If Adam was immortal why did he had to eat in the first place?

*crickets*

Did you get a good look at Eve?

[Astreja]

if Adam was created immortal, why did he need a tree to give him what he already had?

To let us know when Ragnarok* was about to start. D'uh.

*When the Ice Giants come down off of Cori Celesti to get their lawnmower back.

Now that's how you retell a myth!

Interestingly, Norse mythology also has a tree with life-extending apples -- and it's the Norse gods who have the tree, as They're not immortal.  Every Yule I put up a garland of little plastic apples, painted gold like the ones from Idunna's tree.

[Edwardo Piet]

if Adam was created immortal, why did he need a tree to give him what he already had?

God is a troll.

[Rhondazvous]

Looking for reason in the story is like searching for a penis at a female prison.  Thin on the ground, and if you find one it's bound to be disappointing.

And if you find one, it's bound to be as phony as a dildo. That's all christian apologetics is. Why do you think they feel the need to apologize?

[Edwardo Piet]

God is such a troll.

It reminds me of when he punished the snake by saying "You will crawl on your belly for the rest of your days" - not much of a punishment for a snake really is it?