The Invention of "Paradise"

In Abrahamic Religions, the so-called Garden of Eden, The Garden of God or The Terrestrial Paradise is, for instance, described in Genesis 2-3 and Ezekiel 28 + 31 of The Bible. Also it's mentioned in Joel and Zechariah. This very beautiful and peaceful place, brimming with plants and animals, is ruled by a sort of "king", the so-called god, who is known by the name of Yahweh. The garden is guarded by one of the beings he is supposed to have made, namely the human Adam. 

The consort of this Adam is his wife, Eve, and her role in the Paradise-drama is to be the scapegoat of the expulsion of the couple from this wonderful place. Her subordinate position vis-a-vis Adam is not indicated by her name which literally means "living one", "source of life", "breath" and "mother of all living" which mirrors the power of the old female gods who were not only "consorts", but the supreme gods themselves. I take it that The Biblical Genesis-myths tell a sort of flip-flop-story of how the male sex gained power by demeaning the female and simply steal her power. The more powerful she was, the more she has to be demeaned - and demeaned she is for many hundred years. What was a myth is turned into a historical event, and Eve is the culprit who made Adam do what he was not allowed to do: Eat of the "forbidden fruit".

For those who see the Biblical myths and legends as history there is one question: Where is this Paradise situated geographically? In John Steinbeck's famous novel "East of Eden" it's primary position is supposed to be the very fertile Salinas of California, which has been dubbed "The Salad Bowl of the Nation". That's because he only makes use of  the myths of Paradise as a prop for his novel: The Bible knew nothing of the USA which wasn't its birthplace. No, as we know, with The Bible we are in The Middle East which is something quite different. 

It may be understandable that a place that is described in the so-called "holy book", The Bible, shouldn't be considered a mere figment of the imagination by the old folks, the early Church Fathers, etc., but we, modern people, have to accept it. Genesis said:

"And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became four heads. The name of the first is Pishon; that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; and the gold of that land is good; there is bdellium and the onyx stone. And the name of the second river is Gihon; the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Cush. And the name of the third river is Tigris; that is it which goeth toward the east of Asshur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates."

That might be from a map of some genuine, geographically situated place, but it's not. Much has happened since the early days, but not that much that it has eradicated The Garden of God from the planet.

Not only was Adam expelled from Eden, but he, and everybody after him, were tormented with the alluring visions of this wonderful garden without being able to find it. Had he and the coming generations followed the directions of the Genesis, they would have to find the exact place of the four ancient rivers Tigris, Euphrates, Pishon and Gihon, which I'm sure many have tried, but in vain. Still, even people of today talk of Paradise as a reality where "they shall meet their dear ones after death". 

Well, it's understandable, and if it's a consolation to them, then I suppose it's OK, except for one particular issue that makes it hard for me to accept religious ideologies: The Abrahamic religions are and have always been used for the subjection of women. When the Biblical myths are turned into "the truth" or "history" women would fare much better if they not only left these fairy tales, but those who gained power by presenting them as "the truth".