Learning Lessons from Paradise Lost

• God should be obeyed
• God doesn't make idle threats 
• Woman should be ruled over by man
• Wife dragging down husband 
• Female autonomy has terrible consequences
• Man giving into woman leading to bad things
• Reason can be tricked
• Passion can lead to danger
• Not to follow duty to anyone but God
• Ambition leading to greater fall
• Sin was 'freely' chosen
• Responsibility for own actions
• Man made same choice to fall as woman though for different reasons - in their sin they are equal
• Doubting God is wrong
• Idolatry is wrong
• Making self into own God is wrong
• Temptation is powerful
• Sin as corrupting and destructive force - breaks relationships and earth down
• Not to trust the unknown
• Importance of unwavering faith
• Not to love anything else more than you love God
• God is generous - giving humanity earth and free will
• Not calvinistic suggestion that God ordained that mankind would sin
• Danger of rebellion - becoming what you are rebelling against
• Animals not given speech - humanity elevated beyond
• The idyllic nature of pre-lapsarian life
• Marriage as supposed to be romantic, mutual, loving
• Power corrupting
• Meritocracy where God is rightfully at the top
• Selfishness leads to misery
• Sin leads to more sin - snowballing into evil
• Evil not natural state - even Satan has to consciously choose to be evil
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