Ah, here we go

First, Michael and Ayla, I was a little too quick in my response to your two postings (as I often am). Both are really clear and good and fine. Michael, I especially like what you say about a book of "tropes."

With these three comments on Michael's post--and don't worry, it's all fine, next time just post these as separate posts, no big deal--I feel a lot of energy and a lot of openness and edge, I guess. Something at stake for everybody.

Casey, I especially like how you respond to the others.

Some general comments:

--since most of us are coming at this from a Christian background, it's important to remember that Jews regard Genesis as part of their sacred text and don't read it at all from a Christian perspective. Really really important, to know that and respect that.
--since most of us have childhood associations, it's important to remember that they're childish, or childlike, not necessarily in a bad way, but still: what it's possible for children to grasp. It may be, in other words, not that our religious education was black and white but that we were only able to understand it in black and white terms. Certainly there are other ways to understand it.
--since most of you make a distinction between spirituality and "organized religion," or churches, it's important to keep in mind our natural aversion in this culture to institutions more generally. Our skepticism. Yet we're never not a part of institutions, in some form or another. Not if we wear clothes. Eat food. Walk on sidewalks. Etc. There's never a choice between "institution" and "no institution." It's always a choice among institutions. Awareness. A choice: that we are actively choosing, not assuming some false freedom (that lets us be exploited by the multinationals, who love the trope of freedom--because it sells more SUVs).
--Also understand, with regard to organized religion and institutions, that they come in all flavors, including some very liberal ones, including some very open ones, including some that would be very comfortable with all the ideas in this class.
--Jen, you talk about being "reasonably objective," and I know what you mean and admire that impulse. But I'd say we can never be objective and never should be. That the key is for us to be aware of our various subjectivities and never assume that we're being objective, never assume that we're being naked, to be always aware that we are always wearing clothes of some sort. The reason to read is to keep being reminded of that--and to read literature in particular--and of all literature, to read the Bible in particular--because you obviously all bring such baggage and associations to it that it makes the case in capital letters for what is always true in all language (just less obviously).