I dont see humanity as the true authors in the "fall" it is the action of Satan, it is a tale of his turning away from God in all its finality, because he destroys and seeks to poison the greatest in God's creation, via man, because of the reciprocal and special relationship, to poison God's self.
That's one way to look at it, although as a whole the Bible still focuses primarily on "human beings" and God's interactions with them. The Satan concept doesn't comprise a lot of the Bible, the concept changes throughout scripture and isn't even handled consistently, and in the end the view seems to be that the Satan figure is destined for destruction and is not worth thinking about further. To sum it up, Satan has already lost and is not really worth the time or effort or respect to consider in great detail -- he is irrelevant.
... and if that's not good enough for you, just pop in a few Carmen CDs and I am sure you will be convinced.
It is Satan that is fallen, incontrovertably so, mankind was a victim, a pawn, I dont believe it was inevitable or a consequence of man's nature.
From the framework you have chosen to interpret the Bible in, yes, that's what you believe.
My point was merely to say that, in my reading from different perspectives, I was kind of fascinated that the Jews -- with such close ties to Christians -- actually read the Genesis stories much differently than I had been taught within my faith.
And who decides what the "right meaning" of such stories are? Certainly not you or me.
I dont know how people can consider it a good thing, the advent of death, the disapperence of paradise. Its a uniquely modern thing to somehow put a positive spin on that and consider what was gained as some how preferable or equivocal to what was lost. It was a lousy trade and mankind were the losers.
Uh... I don't think it's a "modern" thing. Although postmodernism definitely contributes to that sort of thing occurring.
The genesis story is a metaphor anyway, a parable which is important because it can be thought or reflection provoking.
Then why not let it provoke your thoughts and reflections a little bit, before immediately dismissing viewpoints from other prominent faiths? It sounds more like you're just trying to clinch a definitive view here. Why not reflect a little bit instead?