An Alternate Creation

Monday, September 3rd.

9:00 AM.

The first day of classes.

“What if they got the story of Adam and Eve wrong?”

“We all know of the classic biblical story, Adam and Eve: the first man and woman, the creation. Adam is placed in the garden of Eden. He is told to eat freely, that he can pick whatever he would like off of any tree...except for one. The tree of knowledge of good and evil should remain untouched. Eve is then made from Adam’s rib. Then suddenly a serpent appears to taunt and convince Eve to pick an apple off of this forbidden tree. Eve then gives some of the fruit to Adam. They are now blessed with knowledge but cursed with the destruction of evil concepts; shame and embarrassment, evil and deceit. God then explains the consequences of their actions and they are thus banished from the garden of Eden. Original sin.”

This is the opening statement Irene Rose announces to her criminal justice class of 200 students.

“Now tell me, what are other possibilities to the story? What are the holes? What are the assumptions? Do we have other explanations? How has this affected our narratives? Tell me more.”

Unsurprisingly, raised eyebrows and scrunched noses sweep across the seats. These are looks that ask “I thought this was syllabus week” and “What does religion have to do with this?”

It is just the first day of classes for undergrad students and this is Irene Rose’s group of freshmen.

A young woman in the back stands.

“Name?” Irene Rose strongly asks her to state.

“Elizabeth Williams. Potentially, Eve had no knowledge that she wasn’t supposed to take the fruit off of this tree and that Adam never told–”

Irene Rose cuts her off, “Now here’s where you first went wrong: you said potentially. Make me believe you. Next!”

There were many other feminist answers like Elizabeth’s saying that this was the way for men to control our narratives, a way to further push a patriarchal society with misogynistic views. These are all good and valid answers, but all heard before.

A man in the third row pops up, “Blake Douglas. This implies that before original sin, they never had 'knowledge' either. If Eve didn’t eat the apple and unlock all that comes with knowledge, what is there to enjoy? Without bad, could we ever truly have good?”

Dozens of men posed philosophical questions like Blake’s.

Most students mention that the story could have shifted over time through translations, it could not possibly be the exact same as it once was.

Some said that this was just a made-up story anyway, that many people don’t believe it actually happened and it’s just a tale to explain what sin is.

One proposed that the serpent was God himself who was testing them.

Other students explain the creation stories from their own religions. A standout here was from Hayley Kim, who grew up as an atheist and is now practicing Buddhism: it is an interesting and new viewpoint but gave similar propositions and questions as other students.

And of course, there are a few toss-away answers–those trying to say something different like, “What if it was a pear tree?” or “What would have happened if they left the fruit on the tree and ate it? If they didn’t pick it?”

Mostly, the students had strong and clear arguments or questions. However, nothing was quite ringing in Irene Rose’s ears. She heard similar questions and stories and explanations for the past four years that she taught this class. But she is always looking for something different: a new idea that sparks something more.

And then one student emerges: “It doesn’t really matter. There is no evidence for any of it. But that is beside the point.”

“Name?”

Irene Rose was waiting for the student who would indulge in some talk-back. The one who would be both courageous and ignorant enough to question her teachings, even on the first day.

“Lou Simon ma’am. What should matter is what the creation story can be. How this flawed story of Adam and Eve can be turned into something that benefits society today. We can make it fit our narrative.”

There it was. The first student to take into account the future. Exactly what Irene Rose was looking for. And there she was standing in front of the class, with her initial reaction of Mr. Simon disintegrated into dust.

But that was not all. He continues:

“For example, if this tale was turned on its head in the form of an alternate creation story, whether it be a book or tv show, or simply a word-of-mouth fable or myth, we can input our current values that will carry on for centuries as this one has. This has been done before, but why not shape it in a way that is for more than entertainment?”

“And class, this is what I was looking for,” Irene Rose declares.

“Someone who would not only challenge the ideas given but shape it in a way that will affect the future. That’s what we will be doing in this criminal justice class. Evaluating the events of the past, yes, but using it to change the narrative and redirect the future. There will be many case studies like this that will force you to take your questioning a step further. Thank you, Mr. Simon.”

He nods back at her and takes his seat.

“Now, let’s get onto the syllabus shall we?”