Was Eve wise or beguiled? and at which point?

[nimrod]

I often hear people saying that EVE was wise in her decision in the Garden. Here is my question:
1. Did she reason the pros and cons and make a good decision?
2. If so, was the good decision to partake of the fruit in the first instance? (obviously we know that they needed to partake so that they could populate the planet....but was she tricked into this (beguiled) or was it a conscious choice...weighing the pros and cons)
3. OR was she tricked in partaking of the fruit and her "good decision" was to get Adam to partake of the fruit, because she already had, and would be expelled, and he was commanded to be with her and multiply and replenish?

Clear as mud?

[lusciouschaos]

Eve saw the bigger picture. And in fact there are times when the rule is broken for the greater good. Think Abraham and Isaac. He didn't slay Isaac but he was fully willing to do as the Lord commanded. Eve was obedient to a higher law. Being the "mother of all living," she knew that no progression could take place as long as they stayed in the garden. A little like wanting your child to stay in kindergarten forever because they are so innocent.
I cannot wait for the day when her role is fully revealed and we can thank her for her sacrifice in bringing us to the earth.

[Justice]

Moses 4:
6 And Satan put it into the heart of the serpent, (for he had drawn away many after him,) and he sought also to beguile Eve, for he knew not the mind of God, wherefore he sought to destroy the world.

It's clear from what I've read that Adam wasn't deceived. With Eve, it's always been less clear.

I believe she was motivated to keep the first commandment, to multiply and replenish the earth. Either Satan told her that knowledge was contained in the fruit, or somehow she already knew it was.

Moses 5:
11 And Eve, his wife, heard all these things and was glad, saying: Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient.

She got what she wanted. She was able to keep the first commandment to have seed.

The truth is, I'm not sure if she was deceived. She claims she was beguiled, but that can mean many things other than deceived. Yet, it seems I remember hearing General Authorities say she was deceived. I'm just not certain exactly what about.

[Traveler]

Originally Posted by nimrod

I often hear people saying that EVE was wise in her decision in the Garden. Here is my question:
1. Did she reason the pros and cons and make a good decision?
2. If so, was the good decision to partake of the fruit in the first instance? (obviously we know that they needed to partake so that they could populate the planet....but was she tricked into this (beguiled) or was it a conscious choice...weighing the pros and cons)
3. OR was she tricked in partaking of the fruit and her "good decision" was to get Adam to partake of the fruit, because she already had, and would be expelled, and he was commanded to be with her and multiply and replenish?

Clear as mud?

Eve was beguiled. She was tricked into making the decision without Adam. Satan knew all along that Adam and Eve would at one point decide take the fruit - What Satan wanted to is cause a division between Adam and Eve. Many think that Satan played into G-d's plan but he added his twisted twist.


The Traveler

[Webster]

I don't know what she knew in the Garden of Eden.

I would suppose that she voluntarily made a conscientious choice with full knowledge to leave her paradise and enter into a fallen mortal sphere. But that may not have happened in Eden. I think it happened (as it may have with all of us) in the pre-mortal existence.

I think she and Adam made a choice in the pre-mortal realm, similar to the choice Jesus made, to sacrifice themselves and be an integral part of God's plan. I think the real choice to partake of the fruit came long before they were placed in Eden.

[Maxel]

I don't know about whether she was 'beguiled' or 'wise' in partaking of the fruit, but here's an intersting tidbit I picked up at the counselor's office yesterday.

Children are more motivated and more likely to obey rules set forth in a 'do-this' fashion as opposed to a 'do-not-do-this' fashion. I wonder what the significance is that Adam and Eve were told to 'replenish the earth' (a do-this commandment) and not to partake of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil (a do-not-do-this commandment).

My understanding has always been that the command 'replenish the earth' held more doctrinal 'weight' (if you will) than not partaking of the fruit. That is to say, it was more important that Adam and Eve multiply but the conflicting commandments set the pattern through which mankind could grow in immortality.

[foreverafter]

I believe that Eve was deceived to make the decision by herself & did not counsel with either Adam or Heavenly Father 1st. For surely her decision would affect Adam too, so it should have been agreed upon 1st & then approved by Heavenly Father.

And Adam was also deceived to make the decision to follow his wife without 1st consulting Heavenly Father, even though her explanation seemed like the right thing to do & probably was. But Heavenly Father should have been part of their decision.

Even so, modern Prophets have praised Eve for her wise & courageous decision to partake of the fruit & set the plan of Heavenly Father in motion. Adam was wise to support & follow his wife in that decision & her new role of Motherhood.

[tubaloth]

1. Did she reason the pros and cons and make a good decision?

She didn’t have the same understanding that we do.
The only Pro Eve knew was she would become more Like God and know good from Evil (and I guess have kids?)
The Con was she would die.

That’s not much of a list when you don’t know what Good or Evil is, what having children is, or what dying is.

2. If so, was the good decision to partake of the fruit in the first instance? (obviously we know that they needed to partake so that they could populate the planet....but was she tricked into this (beguiled) or was it a conscious choice...weighing the pros and cons)

Not sure. The one thing I have tried to figure out is if Adam and Eve could feel Love. Did Love exist in the Garden of Eden before the fall.
If there was any reason to partake of the fruit it was so she could become more like her Father in Heaven.

3. OR was she tricked in partaking of the fruit and her "good decision" was to get Adam to partake of the fruit, because she already had, and would be expelled, and he was commanded to be with her and multiply and replenish?

The decision was still Adam’s. The same choice process would also have to be for Adam. Did he love Eve and want to stay with her. Did he love God?

[Dr T]

I don't think (for some reason) that Eve "saw the big picture" at all. I think she was deceived and Adam was not. I think Adam put Eve above God there.

[Berean]

I think Latter-Day Saints are pretty unique in believing she transgressed but did not sin...hard for me to swallow at first too but I am glad we can procreate.