First off, I just wanna say that I don't know how I feel about God, the bible, etc. I'm in a major state of confusion, as I'm just newly out of the organization and coming to realize all the lies. This has led to me questioning EVERYTHING.
So the other day I was talking with a friend and had this interesting thought (I'll try to explain it as clear as possible without rambling or talking in circles and muddying up the concept lol)
Bottom line: God created sin.
Reason for saying this: While God created us with free will and wanted us to love him and serve him by choice, why did he feel the need to TEST humans by placing that forbidden tree in the garden of Eden? What was the purpose of the tree? To prove their loyalty? Or to tempt them? Why was such "proof" of loyalty necessary if at that point in time EVERYONE was perfect?
Now, granted, I haven't done the research yet (and can't recall from my memory) to find out specifically when Satan "came into existence" in relation to Adam and Eve/the forbidden tree. If he didn't change into this power-hungry devil until after humans were created, then there would have been NO LOGICAL REASON for the forbidden tree (other than to test/tempt humans without a basis to distrust them in the first place). If Satan came into existence before they were created, then I could understand the concept of the tree; HOWEVER, it still does not make any sense if Jehovah is a loving God that wants his creatures to serve him out of love and also have free will.
Wikipedia (I know, it's a shady source to base info on lol) says: in the religious realm, free will implies that an omnipotent divinity does not assert its power over individual will and choices.
If God gave us free will, why should he punish us (assert his power) for exercising it? Why would he set us up for failure by placing a "temptation" or "bad thing" in our midst to test us? At the very LEAST it's just rude/mean to do that to humans.
Example: Placing a dish full of candy in front of a child and telling him he should not and cannot have any of it ever or he will be punished. The kid MIGHT be able to resist taking any....but what is it going to do to the child psychologically? They're going to wonder why they can't have it, why are they being tortured and tempted, why is mommy/daddy being mean, what did they do wrong to deserve such an unusual situation? The placing of that temptation in front of them is a punishment/torture/torment in and of itself. Add to that the concept of the parent saying "you cannot have this or you will be punished....but it is YOUR choice whether or not to have any". Why give the child the illusion of power by saying it's their choice, when they know they don't HAVE a choice because they will be punished for making their own decision.
If God "IS love" and wants us to worship him out of love....it doesn't seem such a loving thing to do to create something wonderful and tell us we cannot have it. If he is "satisfying the desire of every living thing", why would he create an opportunity for there to be a gap between desire and fulfillment with such a "forbidden" tree?
I think I'll stop there before I keep rambling lol.....anybody have any thoughts on this? I'm not trying to start any heated debates or anything, it was just an interesting thought I had.