JO BETH WHARTON

Eve is said to be the first woman to have lived. In the Bible, she is depicted as the person who tempted Adam to eat the fruit of knowledge, which caused them both to be dejected fro the Garden of Eden. This parable allowed the Church to define women as deceivers; the ultimate downfall of men. Throughout history, women were blamed for the despicable acts of men. Men were indefensible against the wiles of women, just as Adam had been when it came to Eve. A Biblical story that appears in the first book of the Bible has aided in the justification of the unfair treatment of women for centuries.