why a snake?

[seeker of knowledge]

I've been wondering this for a long time, why did Satan choose the snake to temp Eve? out of all the other animals.

[A Random Phrase]

The Pearl of Great Price says

And Satan put it into the heart of the serpent, (for he had drawn away many after him,) ....
Moses 4:6

So maybe the serpent was the only animal that would listen to him.

[David13]

It sure has ruined the reputation of snakes, hasn't it?
Or did they have a bad reputation before that?
I know I don't much like them.
dc

[inho]

I once read an excellent article, which explained that in ancient Mesopotamia serpent was a symbol God of life. It made the case that serpent is actually symbol of Christ (think of Moses and the brazen serpent), but Satan distorted it or used it in order to claim himself to be the source of salvation.

While googling this topic, I found this:
Serpent Symbols and Salvation in the Ancient Near East and the Book of Mormon by Andrew Skinner in Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 10/2 (2001)
Not sure if this is the same article I was thinking, but it has some interesting information in it.

[marktheshark]

I own a snake. He is awesome!

[abelchirino]

Moses 4:

5 And now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which I, the Lord God, had made.

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 has been suggested by some that animals, before the fall, had all the capabilities to speak and reason as men and women do. If that is true, verse five can be taken literally. It is possible that serpents were either smart, wise or as the scriptures say, subtle animals and therefore Satan chose the serpent to deliver his case with Eve. It may have been easier for the serpent with its abilities to persuade and beguile Eve, than for any other animal.

Now, I am also willing to believe and accept that there is symbolism behind the serpent that we may not know of yet. The idea that a serpent can symbolize Christ comes from the story of Moses with the brazen serpent. Any who would look at the serpent would live, just as anyone who looks to Christ may live eternally. We don't know where in America the BOM took place but we do know that many tribes held great respect for the serpent. It is very possible that the Nephites, and at times the Lamanites, passed this symbolism to their descendants being that they had knowledge of the story of the brazen serpent and the symbolism behind it as clearly explained in the BOM. It is very possible that the reverence continued among the many descendants of the BOM people because of what it could have meant to the BOM people.

Yet there is also another symbolism when you consider ancient American peoples, who clearly held the serpent in great reverence. Quetzalcoatl is one clear example and one who many believe may have originally been Jesus Christ. Quetzalcoatl is, if I'm not mistaken, two words in one. Quetzal is a specific type of bird (a royal bird) and Coatl is a serpent. Translated it could mean, the feathered serpent. Many believe that this originally represented Christ before American fell into apostasy yet it begs the question as to why they would choose a serpent and a bird to represent Christ. Some have suggested that the bird and the serpent represented heavenly and earthly characteristics of the Savior as Christ was born both of God and of an earthly woman.

I don't know how this can all tie together.

[onandagus]

I certainly think there is something to be said for the devil being an imitator and the serpent being a symbol for Christ.

There used to be a site 72languages run by a translator,David Grant Sr. (he sells his stuff on amazon now)
He claimed that legs in ancient languages (Egyptian/Mesopotamian) represented mortality or was the picture word for this mortal life. He believed that a snake was used because it did not have legs and represented, or was a way of literally writing the devil was denied mortality. He believed as others have that Moses used/referenced older records when writing.

[rewcox]

Did BY say that snakes had legs before the fall?

[passionflower]

Did BY say that snakes had legs before the fall?

According to Joseph Smith, the creature called a serpent who appeared in the tree to tempt Eve, was a bird that looked something like a chicken. As a snake, it is in its' cursed state. Why a snake? Satan was also called the "Prince of the power of the air " and he was cast down to earth for his rebellion. It follows, therefore, that this bird, whom Satan spoke through to tempt Eve, should also be "cast down to earth as a slithering, wingless,underfoot creature, and in like, share the punishment of his master, Satan.

[rewcox]

Did BY say that snakes had legs before the fall?

According to Joseph Smith, the creature called a serpent who appeared in the tree to tempt Eve, was a bird that looked something like a chicken. As a snake, it is in its' cursed state. Why a snake? Satan was also called the "Prince of the power of the air " and he was cast down to earth for his rebellion. It follows, therefore, that this bird, whom Satan spoke through to tempt Eve, should also be "cast down to earth as a slithering, wingless,underfoot creature, and in like, share the punishment of his master, Satan.

Interesting.

[buffalo_girl]

Did BY say that snakes had legs before the fall?

According to Joseph Smith, the creature called a serpent who appeared in the tree to tempt Eve, was a bird that looked something like a chicken. As a snake, it is in its' cursed state. Why a snake? Satan was also called the "Prince of the power of the air " and he was cast down to earth for his rebellion. It follows, therefore, that this bird, whom Satan spoke through to tempt Eve, should also be "cast down to earth as a slithering, wingless,underfoot creature, and in like, share the punishment of his master, Satan.

Wasn't there a 'chicken legged' snake in one of the Abraham papyrus facsimiles? As a child, I seem to recall being fascinated by that silly looking creature when I discovered it in the Pearl of Great Price. Is it still there?

Maybe it was a small flying dinosaur willing to cooperate with lucifer in order to transition into human history....but then, lost its legs & wings over the deal?

[Bee Prepared]

Snakes look like Satan, creepy.

[Joel]

Perhaps Satan chose a snake because snakes turn into chocolate. Eve and chocolate, that does sounds like a transgression waiting to happen:

Preachers tell congregation to eat snakes ‘because they’ll turn into chocolate’



Put your faith in God, we’re often told. Then you’ll get chocolate, we’re told not quite so often.

That’s what a congregation in South Africa did, when a preacher ordered them to eat a live snake – and promised that it would become chocolate in their mouths.

In a series of pictures posted on social media, the congregation can be seen performing the stunt at South Africa’s End Times Disciples Ministries in Pretoria, after pastor Prophet Penuel gave the bizarre request.

And it worked, according to the not at all questionable accounts of the congregation.



‘I did as I was commanded and tasted the chocolate. It was different but tasted good’, one said.

Another added: ‘I was not sure at first but when I bit the snake I realised it was the best chocolate I have ever eaten’.

Prophet Penuel has form for his belief in divine transformation – having previously encouraged his worshippers to drink petrol, which he claimed would transform into pineapple juice.

Earlier this year, he also ask the congregation to remove their clothes, so that he could sit on their naked bodies and pray.

[oneClimbs]

Personally I think it's entirely symbolic. The Genesis account may have been passed down orally for years and years before it was written down. Most of these ancient stories incorporated symbolism to help emphasize certain things and preserve the architecture of the story so that the principles could be passed on.

I think you would need to explore what a serpent meant to the ancients of that area of the world and then how that would fit into the context of the story. That is a whole other journey. As for me, personally, I care more about the principles than the literality. I do believe in a literal Adam and Eve, but I value the principles more than trying to figure out the literal narrative.

[passionflower]

Did BY say that snakes had legs before the fall?

According to Joseph Smith, the creature called a serpent who appeared in the tree to tempt Eve, was a bird that looked something like a chicken. As a snake, it is in its' cursed state. Why a snake? Satan was also called the "Prince of the power of the air " and he was cast down to earth for his rebellion. It follows, therefore, that this bird, whom Satan spoke through to tempt Eve, should also be "cast down to earth as a slithering, wingless,underfoot creature, and in like, share the punishment of his master, Satan.

Wasn't there a 'chicken legged' snake in one of the Abraham papyrus facsimiles? As a child, I seem to recall being fascinated by that silly looking creature when I discovered it in the Pearl of Great Price. Is it still there?

Maybe it was a small flying dinosaur willing to cooperate with lucifer in order to transition into human history....but then, lost its legs & wings over the deal?

After reading what Joseph Smith said ( and this was in "Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, I think(?) ) I thought it was interesting that Dinosaurs have been found to have many characteristics in common with birds. Satan is reported to have been in the Garden of Eden for at least some time before he tempted Eve, where he "drew many after him". I have wondered if dinosaurs were also once glorious birds who were punished with a simliar curse.
In the creation account, we see the 'creation' of birds, fish, land animals, and insects, but reptiles are not mentioned.

[sushi_chef]

does this bird have some kind of power from the unseen world???

Brown-eared bulbul
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_ ... red+bulbul" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aBy_UbZUos" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://search.yahoo.co.jp/search?ei=UTF ... d%20bulbul" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
:-B

[A Random Phrase]

... a preacher ordered them to eat a live snake – and promised that it would become chocolate in their mouths.
...
Prophet Penuel has form for his belief in divine transformation – having previously encouraged his worshippers to drink petrol, which he claimed would transform into pineapple juice.

Earlier this year, he also ask the congregation to remove their clothes, so that he could sit on their naked bodies and pray.

He sounds like a nut-case, sorry. And dangerous. I wonder how many people who drank the gasoline got sick.

[Joel]

... a preacher ordered them to eat a live snake – and promised that it would become chocolate in their mouths.
...
Prophet Penuel has form for his belief in divine transformation – having previously encouraged his worshippers to drink petrol, which he claimed would transform into pineapple juice.

Earlier this year, he also ask the congregation to remove their clothes, so that he could sit on their naked bodies and pray.

He sounds like a nut-case, sorry. And dangerous. I wonder how many people who drank the gasoline got sick.

Apparently he is called a Prophet, it is not uncommon for people to think that a prophet is crazy. According to the news story people ate a snake and they tasted chocolate as the prophet said.

[A Random Phrase]

The power of the mind is incredible. People can walk over live coals without even raising a blister (at least according to pictures and articles in National Geographic, which usually has honest contributors).

The guy isn't a true prophet. He's an attention hog. True prophets call people to repentance. (I SO sound like Tony in this paragraph.)

Unless there is some info I'm not getting. Like how the parlor tricks and emotional/mental frenzy are actually saving souls?

[Joel]

The guy isn't a true prophet. He's an attention hog. True prophets call people to repentance. (I SO sound like Tony in this paragraph.)

:))

The power of the mind is incredible. People can walk over live coals without even raising a blister (at least according to pictures and articles in National Geographic, which usually has honest contributors).

You may like to watch some of these videos about research on the placebo effect http://programinplacebostudies.org/media/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Powerful stuff!

Unless there is some info I'm not getting. Like how the parlor tricks and emotional/mental frenzy are actually saving souls?

I really do not know much about this prophet and his main message. There many people that claim to be a prophet or other people call someone else a prophet, that's cool.

[Sirocco]

Did BY say that snakes had legs before the fall?

According to Joseph Smith, the creature called a serpent who appeared in the tree to tempt Eve, was a bird that looked something like a chicken. As a snake, it is in its' cursed state. Why a snake? Satan was also called the "Prince of the power of the air " and he was cast down to earth for his rebellion. It follows, therefore, that this bird, whom Satan spoke through to tempt Eve, should also be "cast down to earth as a slithering, wingless,underfoot creature, and in like, share the punishment of his master, Satan.

a Cockatrice?
The BoM mentions one, and for those who don't know they're a Chicken-Dragon-thing.

[Sirocco]

Snakes look like Satan, creepy.

Doesn't seem like an unreasonable little guy, really...
Snakes seem to generally have an attitude I can agree with "leave me alone-I leave you alone"
and I respect that.

[Thinker]

Thanks for the laughs, even it took me a few years to get the jokes.

I agree that it’s symbolic - snakes shed skin to survive representing change or die (spiritually/physically). The 1 constant is change.

[Alexander]

I've been wondering this for a long time, why did Satan choose the snake to temp Eve? out of all the other animals.

It was a Seraph/serpent which tempted Eve and gave her forbidden knowledge; an angel of light, burning one, or messenger.

[Niemand]

Snakes do perform a useful role in nature. They keep the numbers of rats and mice down, for example.

There are a number of ideas as to why a snake. Some people say that it is a male symbol, some the kundalini energy wrapped around the spine (as the Hindus think), others for the simple reason that snakes and trees have a long association.

The World Health Organisation uses a snake as its logo. There is a Greek mythological background to this, but it is an odd choice for a medical symbol in the modern age.