When a conversation with my sister turned to the topic of affairs, things got interesting. Talks with my sister often get into deep water fast. With her being a nurse and me being a marriage and family therapist, our conversations look at many aspects of people and health. In this case, we discussed affairs and fantasies.
I told her about an upcoming webinar I was working on. She then asked, “Can you take it back to the Garden?” to which I responded, “What do you mean?”
She replied, “The Garden of Eden!”
I told that I had not done so and did not think that readers were ready for dealing with affairs in terms of how it related to events in the Garden of Eden. After a moment of silence, she told me “You should”.
At that point, the discussion went into the events at the Garden of Eden and their connection to affairs & fantasies. It became clear that the promise “Ye shall be as gods” was a fantasy like appeal used in seducing the woman. The serpent tempted the woman with the fantasy that she would be ‘god-like’ if not a goddess herself.
Given that many fantasies involve playing the role of ‘god’ with the person having the self-centered fantasy being the center of receiving sexual pleasures or attention, I conceded that she may be onto something. It was definitely clear that the seducing fantasy occurred prior to the actual occurrence of sin.
We discussed how fantasies occur before the actual acts. In the case of the garden, the fantasy, in the form of the lie, preceded what she did. Perhaps believing lies is when you buy into a fantasy, whether yours or someone else’s.
The conversation proceeded into various aspects of affairs from a theological perspective. We continued discussing whether it was God’s will that people ever have affairs and how despite their occurrence, that God manages working through some of the train wrecks people make of their lives with affairs.
We discussed several examples from Scripture of affairs along with affair-related issues and how they turned out. I also discussed the role of fantasies in the life of Bob Crane and his sexual addictions, which she had never heard about before.
We also explored the wide implications of how many people have been unfaithful and are in need of restoration, whether or not any adultery was involved in their lives.
She encouraged me again to discuss this issue with my readers and that they may find it helpful.
So, at the recommendation of my sister, the nurse, I decided on posting our discussion related to “Affairs and the Garden”. I welcome your feedback as to whether or not you found this post helpful or useful, or whether you didn’t. Your feedback will help me and my sister settle our discussion of whether such discussions should be posted.
Best Regards,
Jeff Murrah
