Story Time - Part One

This is actually all from one long post but, for the sake of not making anyone go blind reading "that" much information on the screen at once, I am going to split this into a few parts.  Below is the first one.
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In the beginning, some time after God created "everything out of nothing", Adam and Eve were hanging out in the garden one fine sunny day, just enjoying each others' company.  Suddenly (cue the menacing music), the serpent - aka Satan - appeared on the scene.  He tricked the two unsuspecting humans into leaning against opposing trees, then he duct taped them securely into place (oh the many uses of duct tape).  He poked them, prodded them, tickled them and pricked them. He screamed at them one moment then was their best buddy the next.  He made each watch as he did horrible things to the other as he repeatedly tried to make them each take a single bite out of the forbidden fruit of the garden.  They held firm for day after day after day.  Eventually though, the crafty serpent forced them each to eat of it using a technique that resembled a cross between a Vulcan mind meld (Star Trek reference) and a Jedi mind trick (Star Wars reference).  And in that fatal moment, they sinned and sin came into the world.

If you are not familiar with the story of creation and what many know as "the fall", then you may believe that first little tale.  However, if you do know the actual story, then you know that the above is not even close to what happened.  What actually happened was that "the serpent" offered the temptation and they (Adam and Eve) took it.  No duct tape or Jedi mind tricks involved.

Many people blame Satan for sin being present in the world and for the "fall of mankind".  But is he really to blame for it all?  Do not get me wrong here, am no fan of his by any means and cannot say feel any affection for him in any sense of the word.  However, I find myself wondering if we have been slandering him a bit in this and, knowing how much God dislikes slander, find it worth the mention.  Satan did not force anyone to do anything, he merely made an offer.  It was humanity (at the time) who accepted it.  Now granted, one could argue that they had no concept of what a lie or what deception was in their innocence but they were still the ones who "did the deed" and disobeyed God in the first place.  And God did come down heavy on Satan for his part in it, but came down hard core on Adam and Eve and God does not tend to level off punishment or judgement against those who do not deserve it.  So whose fault is it, if we are going to lay blame?  Ours.  If we want to lay blame, it is our (humanity) own fault.  That is, if we do intend to lay blame that is.

****To Be Continued***