Bittersweet Temptation
Since the beginning of time—specifically when Adam and Eve were first created, Christians have always struggled with the seductiveness of temptation. For instance, in the first recorded case of sin, Eve, the first human woman, falls victim to temptation by eating “pleasant fruit” that God had explicitly told her not eat (7). After this incident, humans have a severed, disconnected relationship with God. As a result, a myriad of sins were recorded within the text of the bible. For example, King David, known for being a “man after God’s own heart” fought against fornication with Bathsheba, and he loses his battle. In each case, regardless of the situation, temptation always presents sin in the face of the Christians, and …show more content…
In the letter Confessions, Saint Augustine, a converted Christian man from “humble beginnings” writes a collection of letters to God, detailing his struggle with sin and temptation more specifically regarding his sexual tensions. In the second book of his collection, Augustine depicts his first encounter of sin and temptation as a youth. In a few brief lines, Augustine creates a highly detailed scenario that is rich in interpretation. This passage entices readers to ask, “What is temptation?” or “Why are humans intrinsically drawn to sin?” This passage within the Confessions written by Saint Augustine depicts the internal struggle of temptation faced by many Christians, and it highlights the reasons that humans inevitably sin: their fleshly desires. In addition, this passage proves a solution that will help Christians …show more content…
As Saint Augustine finished writing the second book within his collection of letters, after he had explained the logistics of what occurred at that pear tree, Augustine erratically states: “I have no wish to give attentions to it; I have no desire to contemplate it. My desire is for you [referring to God]” (Augustine 34). Here, Augustine is showing a radical shift from his former, less-spiritual adolescent self. He is showing that he only desires to know more about God and His Word. In the Bhagavad-Gita, Krishna tells Arjuna in his seventh teaching about “Knowledge and Judgment”, “Of [men who are strong spiritually], I am the strength, without the emotion of desire; in creatures I am the desire that does not impede sacred duty” (Gita 72). In the Bible, in Isaiah 26:8, Isaiah, a major prophet during the Old Testament, states to the Lord, “Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts” (NKJV). According to both of these holy texts, their respective deities should serve as the main desire of the humans. Using desire in this light shows that desire itself is not evil, but desiring earthly and physical objects leads to
Since the beginning of time—specifically when Adam and Eve were first created, Christians have always struggled with the seductiveness of temptation. For instance, in the first recorded case of sin, Eve, the first human woman, falls victim to temptation by eating “pleasant fruit” that God had explicitly told her not eat (7). After this incident, humans have a severed, disconnected relationship with God. As a result, a myriad of sins were recorded within the text of the bible. For example, King David, known for being a “man after God’s own heart” fought against fornication with Bathsheba, and he loses his battle. In each case, regardless of the situation, temptation always presents sin in the face of the Christians, and …show more content…
In the letter Confessions, Saint Augustine, a converted Christian man from “humble beginnings” writes a collection of letters to God, detailing his struggle with sin and temptation more specifically regarding his sexual tensions. In the second book of his collection, Augustine depicts his first encounter of sin and temptation as a youth. In a few brief lines, Augustine creates a highly detailed scenario that is rich in interpretation. This passage entices readers to ask, “What is temptation?” or “Why are humans intrinsically drawn to sin?” This passage within the Confessions written by Saint Augustine depicts the internal struggle of temptation faced by many Christians, and it highlights the reasons that humans inevitably sin: their fleshly desires. In addition, this passage proves a solution that will help Christians …show more content…
As Saint Augustine finished writing the second book within his collection of letters, after he had explained the logistics of what occurred at that pear tree, Augustine erratically states: “I have no wish to give attentions to it; I have no desire to contemplate it. My desire is for you [referring to God]” (Augustine 34). Here, Augustine is showing a radical shift from his former, less-spiritual adolescent self. He is showing that he only desires to know more about God and His Word. In the Bhagavad-Gita, Krishna tells Arjuna in his seventh teaching about “Knowledge and Judgment”, “Of [men who are strong spiritually], I am the strength, without the emotion of desire; in creatures I am the desire that does not impede sacred duty” (Gita 72). In the Bible, in Isaiah 26:8, Isaiah, a major prophet during the Old Testament, states to the Lord, “Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts” (NKJV). According to both of these holy texts, their respective deities should serve as the main desire of the humans. Using desire in this light shows that desire itself is not evil, but desiring earthly and physical objects leads to