2 ms·

Cain was a human bad guy, right?

• HarryHirsch 9y ago
  It's more subtle than that. According to the Bible, Cain was the first human born on Earth. It think that's meaningful, we are all human and all of us have Cain's nature in ourselves.
  • humanrebar 9y ago
    He murdered his brother out of raw jealousy. Aesthetically and poetically there's plenty to draw from, but I think it's hard to argue that Cain's behavior was in any sort of grey area.
    • HarryHirsch 9y ago
      But what happens next, after the murder, isn't what you see with comic book villains. God says to Cain the farmer "If you till the ground, it shall no longer give you its produce." Cain replies "My punishment is too great to bear" and "Anyone may kill me at sight." God relents, assuring him "If anyone kills Cain, Cain shall be avenged seven times", and he becomes the ancestor of blacksmiths. This is odd, Cain isn't even sent on a quest to make up for his deed, like Hercules and Orestes were.
  • goatlover 9y ago
    Yes, but in the story God warned Cain not to give into sin, but Cain did anyway and killed his brother out of jealousy. So God cursed Cain. We would have tried him for premeditated murder. There's nothing gray about killing someone out of jealousy. Sure, it's a human emotion, and we can all feel jealous at times. Doesn't make the act of murder a moral gray area.