Now, having been in the South for over a year now, I have come across a plethora of theories regarding Adam and Eve and their decision to partake of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Some say Adam sinned, thus we are all born with the sin of Adam and we are condemned for his choice. Others say it is Eve's fault, thus blaming the entire female gender for our state of sin. Some say it was a figurative "eating of the fruit" meaning something that has to do with chastity. Here's what it really means (meaning I am going to use church doctrine, not my own opinion.)
In the Book of Mormon, the prophet Nephi teaches us that "Adam fell that men might be; and men are that they might have joy." (2 Nephi 2:25) That doesn't imply anywhere that we are born into the sin of Adam. In fact, we are here to have joy. And the church also states in the "Articles of Faith" which is a list of basic beliefs of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, "We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression." I think that point is clear.
Now, as far as them partaking of the fruit as a bad thing. Not so. One may think of it as breaking a lower law to keep a higher law. Because we read in the scriptures that they were commanded to "multiply and replenish the earth." Basically they were commanded to have children. They didn't know how to do that because their minds were as children. They were innocent and naive (that is not to say that the act of creating children makes one "not innocent"). It is a blessing that they partook of the fruit. The Book of Mormon teaches us this:
"And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end.
And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin.
We are saved from the Fall by Jesus Christ and His sacrifice. If we come to Him and repent, we can over come our own "falls" and return to Him. So we should thank them for taking that step. We are here because of it. Adam and Eve were some of the noblest of the children of God. They should be revered as such. They chose to partake, willingly, knowing the consquences. God knew what was going to happen. It was all part of His amazing plan to bring us into this world that we may enjoy life here as did Adam and Eve. The "Fall" was only the beginning...
