ONENESS

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This paragraph is from an earlier post by Larry:

"Good and Evil are a polarity, and a contrary of the pristine oneness of the original Garden. We may see it as the first contrary, from which all others sprang. We live in a dualistic world, and people in general can only see things in black and white (like infants do). To perceive things as a spectrum, such as 'Good, less good, still less good,' etc. is a step away from the fatal tree, but still a long way from the primeval oneness from which we came and to which we are destined to return."

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The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil is central to the understanding of the relationship of God and his creation. According to the book of Genesis eating of the fruit this tree is forbidden to man. A common way of looking a this prohibition is that it was a test of man's obedience to the commands of God. The premise upon which this interpretation is based is belief an authoritarian God who demands worship and submission. An alternative understanding of the eating of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil is that creation depended upon the promulgation of contraries which originated with the awareness of the first two - Good and Evil (the preferred and the rejected.) 

If we can see Knowledge of Good and Evil as the contrary of the Knowledge of the Unity of God and Man, creation depended upon the eating of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, since the creation would only progress through further divisions into contraries. 

The act of Creation by God is the beginning of the division of the primordial unity. When man and woman eat of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, the process of creation passes into the hands of Humanity who is given the responsibility of becoming God's image in the milieu the time and space. The process of dividing continues until mankind comprehends that life is drawing him back to the center which is the light on men.

John 1
[1] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
[2] The same was in the beginning with God.
[3] All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
[4] In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
[5] And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

Genesis 2
[15] And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
[16] And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
[17] But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

A Vision of Last Judgment, (E 554)  
                   "For the Year 1810
        Additions to Blakes Catalogue of Pictures &c

     The Last Judgment when all those are Cast away who trouble
Religion with Questions concerning Good & Evil or Eating of the
Tree of those Knowledges or Reasonings which hinder the Vision of
God turning all into a Consuming fire <When> Imaginative Art &
Science & all Intellectual Gifts all the Gifts of the Holy Ghost
are [despisd] lookd upon as of no use & only Contention
remains to Man then the Last Judgment begins & its Vision is seen
by the [Imaginative Eye] of Every one according to the
situation he holds"

Vision of Last Judgment, (E 563)  
"Allegories are things that Relate to Moral Virtues Moral
Virtues do not Exist they are Allegories & dissimulations <But
Time & Space are Real Beings a Male & a Female Time is a Man
Space is a Woman & her Masculine Portion is Death> 
     [PAGE 86] The Combats of Good & Evil <is Eating of the Tree
of Knowledge The Combats of Truth & Error is Eating of the Tree
of Life> [& of Truth & Error which are the same thing]
<these> are not only Universal but Particular.  Each are
Personified There is not an Error but it has a Man for its
[Actor] Agent that is it is a Man.. There is not a Truth
but it has also a Man <Good & Evil are Qualities in Every Man
whether <a> Good or Evil Man> These are Enemies & destroy one
another by every Means in their power both of deceit & of open
Violence The Deist & the Christian are but the Results of these
Opposing Natures Many are Deists who would in certain
Circumstances have been Christians"

Vision of Last Judgment, (E 564)
"Christ comes
as he came at first to deliver those who were bound under the
Knave not to deliver the Knave He Comes to Deliver Man the
[Forgiven] <Accused &> not Satan the Accuser we do not
find any where that Satan is Accused of Sin he is only accused of
Unbelief & thereby drawing Man into Sin that he may accuse him. 
Such is the Last Judgment a Deliverance from Satans Accusation
Satan thinks that Sin is displeasing to God he ought to know that
Nothing is displeasing to God but Unbelief & Eating of the Tree
of Knowledge of Good & Evil 
     [PAGE 87] Men are admitted into Heaven not because they have
<curbed &> governd their Passions or have No Passions but because
they have Cultivated their Understandings.  The Treasures of
Heaven are not Negations of Passion but Realities of Intellect
from which All the Passions Emanate <Uncurbed> in their Eternal
Glory   The Fool shall not enter into Heaven let him be ever so
Holy.  Holiness is not The Price of Enterance into Heaven Those
who are cast out Are All Those who having no Passions of their
own because No Intellect.  Have spent their lives in Curbing &
Governing other Peoples by the Various arts of Poverty & Cruelty
of all kinds"