What are Our "Forbidden Fruits"?
By ParaTed2k
@ParaTed2k (22940)
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
August 24, 2008 7:53pm CST
We've talked about Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden. They had an ideal place to live a pleasant life as long as they obeyed God. We have no idea how long they lived in the Garden before they ate the "forbidden fruit", but eventually they did. For whatever reasons, they got to the point where they would rather have what they thought they could get by disobeying God than what they were losing.
The scriptures are full of righteous and unrighteous people. Of all the people depicted in the holy scriptures (whether the Old Testament, New Testament, Book of Mormon, Doctrine & Covenants or Pearl of Great Price), except Christ Himself met with their forbidden fruit.
Jonah's was Ninnevah, King David had his lusted for Bathsheba. It wasn't just a lust, but it became an obscession that he used to find a way to justify adultery and abusing his power to commit murder.
Judas sold our Savior's freedom and life for his 30 pieces of silver. John, who walked with Jesus daily couldn't get himself to admit to even knowing him when it push came to shove.
What is the "forbidden fruit"? It is that temptation where a Disciple draws the line. It's the point where, just like Adam and Eve, we Christians refuse to continue following Him and choose sin over the convenants we made with Him.
What are our forbidden fruits? Of course, I don't expect a personal answer, in fact, I'd rather you didn't share them. I'd rather hear what you consider forbidden fruits in general.
Pride and lust are probably the most common Forbidden Fruits, they are also major contributors to poverty, sorrow and the horrors we find in this life. It brings down kings, destroys free societies and breaks up families. It also makes us unwilling to keep our hearts and minds single to the glory of God, which in the end prevents us from receiving all the blessings God has for us.
2 people like this
8 responses
@efc872 (1077)
• Jamaica
27 Aug 08
Adam ate the forbidden fruit, everybody knows he ate the forbidden fruit yet nobody can say what is this forbidden fruit. This story has circulating for nearly 2000 years now with everybody guessing what it is. To me it sounds stupid and foolish it would be interesting to really know how the persons who keep on repeating it feels. Surely one couldn't feel wise about something they don't know a thing about. This story reminds me of the King and his invisible suit
1 person likes this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
29 Aug 08
My point is, we all have our own forbidden fruit, even people who don't believe in the Bible. Basically it's giving in to the temptation to do something we know is wrong.
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
29 Aug 08
So, since a church leader didn't respond to your question the way you think he should have, you gave up on God completely?
@efc872 (1077)
• Jamaica
29 Aug 08
I would not worry about our forbidden fruits until you tell me what was Adam's. I have a true story to tell you, a deacon once tried to get me on the church choir and during our conversation he ask me what was the sweetest thing in life. I told him that since he was more experienced it would be better for him to tell me, he looked at me and hesitated then said, believe me, sin is the sweetest. Here is a man who had the pleasure to enjoy himself trying to prevent me the pleasure of his experiences. Isn't that selfish?.
@blackmantra_x (2732)
• Philippines
26 Aug 08
Good day... The seven deadly sins are what I think that continues to put a wedge between our goal to righteousness and our fall to evil. Being aware of those would make us alert but not automatically make us invulnerable to them. We're human with free will and free choices, sadly these factors usually don't work for us but rather against us, for temptation is something that even our ancestors fought and utterly failed.
I guess that's why God needs to be forgiving, if not, like what the scripture said. "For all have sinned and fall short to the glory of God" none would be saved in the end. As long as there is temptation and those seven deadly sins, evil will take it's toll. I just hope that we can stand against it.
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@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
29 Aug 08
Yes, those big 7 seem to come up a lot in discussions like this :~D
@efc872 (1077)
• Jamaica
25 Aug 08
It would be helpful to all to know what was the forbidden fruit Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate. There are things that not even God can prevent, for example, He couldn't give a puss butter to watch. It is no use talking about our forbidden fruits and can't tell what was Adam's. It is also silly that man is born in sin for the same forbidden fruit Adam ate and still don't have a clue what he sinned for
1 person likes this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
25 Aug 08
I guess you're suggesting the Forbidden Fruit of trying to skew the discussion to fit your own agenda. ;~D
Just because we are discussing a topic doesn't mean we have to talk about every facet of that topic.
1 person likes this
@positiveminded1977 (7072)
• India
29 Aug 08
By 'forbidden fruit', I take it that you mean "objectionable actions." Well, it depends on the individual. What is sin for you might not be sin for the other. What is perfectly acceptable in one culture may not be acceptable in another culture. I guess it varies from individual to individual, nation to nation, society to society, and culture to culture. What is "forbidden" in religion A need not necessarily be "forbidden" in religion B. A simple example would be polygamy, I guess. Some cultures are ok with it and some are not.
Cheers and happy mylotting
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
29 Aug 08
True, which is why I didn't make the question religion specific... or even specific to religion. In other words, the question could be, "what are the things people do that they know will bring them down"?
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
31 Aug 08
I worked EMS for 10 years. Believe me, adults do things everyday that they know full well is wrong.
Drunk driving, child abuse, driving too fast for conditions, swallowing half a steak....
Ignorance isn't the problem, the arrogance of "it can't happen to me" is. ;~D
Then there is the cases that are more to the topic here.
How many self destructive decisions do we make in our lives? Not the above kinds, but things like, not adjusting our sleep habits when lack of sleep is adversely affecting us, being chronically late for work and not doing anything to change that, trying to get away with things we know are wrong with our spouses or employers... etc.
@positiveminded1977 (7072)
• India
30 Aug 08
Pondering over your question for some minutes, I wonder if people "knowingly" or "willingly" do something they "know" for sure will "bring them down." To give a very simple example, I wouldn't place my finger in fire when I know for sure I will get burnt. And I wouldn't jump into the well when I know for sure I will get drowned and die. But a child, innocently and unknowingly, might try to play with fire and get burned.
So, I think people do things that "bring them down" out of ignorance, because they know not, they are unaware of the consequences. I think this explains the little story of Adam and Eve too. God told them not to eat, but never told them what would happen to them if they eat it. If only he had told them he will get so angry and curse them, and kick them out of Eden, I wonder if they would have dared to eat that fruit, even if someone told them it would give them "life and knowledge."
Cheers and happy mylotting
@olivebranch56 (910)
• United States
25 Aug 08
I have two ideas about "Forbidden Fruit," The first is anything that we put before our relationship with God the Father. Now to me that doesn't mean if you go fishing on Sunday, instead of going to church, since I don't think going to church will get anyone into heaven. There are a lot of sinners in church every Sunday. So my idea of putting things before God, would be something like going fishing on Sunday, and not looking at the beauty surrounding you and acknowledging that God created all of it, as He is the Master Artist.
My other thoughts on forbidden sin's involves the things we do in darkness, that we would not do were God standing in front of us, (like He doesn't know anyway), silly us. I try never to do anything that I would be ashamed to look God, or my children in the eye and say yes I did that.
Don't get me wrong, for like Paul I am not even close to being perfect, I too have to die to my sin's daily, (ask forgiveness). As long as I am in this human body, that is what I will have to do. Not perfect, just forgiven. Thanks Ted for this thought provoking discussion. Blessings Marilyn
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
29 Aug 08
That's what it means to me too. I mean, Adam and Eve had the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil that they were commanded to not eat from. But they aren't the only ones. We all have those things that we seem determined to do, even if they go against what we believe God would have us do.
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
25 Aug 08
Great one! How many people say they won't worship God because they are angry at Him for some reason? To be angry at Him testifies of a belief in Him, they would just rather nurse their anger than live their beliefs.
1 person likes this
@Bluepatch (2476)
• Trinidad And Tobago
25 Aug 08
Lots of people have said they know what these are and no one really knows.
Obviously they were something attractive that were forbidden.
How can anyone claim to know what they were when we have no precise record ?
The bible was written in figurative language so we cannot say specifically they were apples or anything like that, can we ?
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
25 Aug 08
Sorry if I didn't make my point more clear. My discussion is about the Forbidden Fruits of our lives, not so much wondering what the Forbidden Fruit was in the Garden of Eden.
@aville44 (125)
• United States
26 Aug 08
this is a very interesting discussion... i think adam and eve didnt live very long at all before they sinned(at the fruit). i mean... honestly... how long can you and i go without sinning? not very long. so i dont think it was a very long time period at all. a few days maybe... thats just my two cents
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
29 Aug 08
Yeah, it does seem like they had a lot of great things they could have done without ever even looking at that tree... but then again, we know how we are when someone says "don't!" :~D
