What was God's original plan for mankind?

[LearnMe]

Originally Posted by phetaroi

I took that differently than I think you did. I saw it as meaning that man wants explanations of life around him and why things happen, and there was an 'instinct' to want to attribute a lot of things to a 'greater power'.

Perhaps semantics?

Either way, I'm not as quick to describe these inclinations of man as "religious instinct." I think there are other better ways to describe and/or understand man's inclinations along these lines. All that has gone into dealing with all we humans have not understood as well as we would like. Or not understood at all.

Our quest for discovery is profound, but not born of any "religious" instinct. Religion is just one of the many manifestations of what compels us toward discovery. A very common manifestation. Not an instinct. I suspect the term "religious instinct" is a term born of religious bias once again rather than the truth of this matter.

[MysticPhD]

Originally Posted by LearnMe

I'm just as perplexed by the notion religious instinct is intrinsic to man. Not really sure what that even means. You had me look up the definition of the word instinct as I was scratching my head about this notion too...

in·stinct
noun
/ˈinstiNG(k)t/
an innate, typically fixed pattern of behavior in animals in response to certain stimuli.

I really doubt any of us humans have ever been born with a "religious instinct." After the first humans dealt with the stimuli about the world around them that had them coming up with all sorts of explanations that couldn't really be called religious, eventually those notions (imaginations, stories, myths, speculations) evolved into what we now know as religions and/or other non-religious notions. After those first humans, all those various notions were passed down to the next generations and that learning also had nothing to do with any "religious instincts."

All man's creation in any case. Without exception. Man's creation coupled with man's inclination to pass what they think they know to the next generation for all manner of reasons that also too often have little to do with the truth of these matters, but rather, what suits us to believe.

What EscalaMike is referring to is our instinct with regard to our spiritual responses (consciousness) not our physical responses. Our unique awareness invokes instinctual responses not typically observed in other animals. Of course, according to what you would consider my confirmation bias, there is the consciousness of God within which our Reality is embedded that would be the underlying source of such spiritual instincts or promptings, what EscalaMike calls Divine Inspiration.

[LearnMe]

Originally Posted by MysticPhD

What EscalaMike is referring to is our instinct with regard to our spiritual responses (consciousness) not our physical responses. Our unique awareness invokes instinctual responses not typically observed in other animals. Of course, according to what you would consider my confirmation bias, there is the consciousness of God within which our Reality is embedded that would be the underlying source of such spiritual instincts or promptings, what EscalaMike calls Divine Inspiration.

The further we deviate from the typical or common definition of instinct, in particular as we begin to layer our own notions over these sorts of definitions, I can agree with you. The more we are called upon to accept our own personal versions of these definitions and accept the validity of what others believe, as in valid for them but not necessarily others, the more I can agree with you.

This is generally the opposite direction I'm inclined to go when it comes to separating the facts and truth of these matters from our universal truths, but if the direction you describe instead is the one we decide to take, believe me I get it. Of course. What Esca is referring to is another matter. Indeed.

[Matthew 4:4]

Originally Posted by normstad

We all know the biblical story of how mankind fell because the eating of the fruit from the tree of knowledge.So, lets wonder what would have happened if Eve and Adam didn't try that fruit.Who can answer:

• What was God's original plan for man?
• Was there a heaven before original sin?
• How big was the Garden of Eden?

God's original ' purpose ' ( plans can change such as if it rains a picnic can be cancelled )
Thus, God's original purpose was what He said at Genesis 1:28
God did Not cancel His purpose and that is why He sent pre-human Jesus to Earth for us.

People were to multiply until earth was full. Earth was to be populated and Not over populated.
Heaven was never offered to human creation, but everlasting life forever on Earth was the offer for people.
The Garden of Eden was large enough to have rivers flowing in it as mentioned at Genesis 3:10-14.
Adam & Eve and their descendants were to enlarge Eden until the whole Earth was a beautiful paradisical garden as Eden was the sample garden (blueprint) to go by.
By the end of Jesus' coming 1,000 year reign over Earth mankind will see the fulfillment of God's purpose for Earth.
- 1st Corinthians 15:24-26; Isaiah 25:8; Isaiah chapter 35