http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLp7vWB0TeY
And what does Cain do? Well the logical thing would be listen, because if the structure of reality itself tells you something, it's best to listen. Since there's no way out of it. But that's not what Cain does. He's so incensed by his essential vulnerability, compromised and exacerbated by his failure to make the appropriate sacrifices and conduct himself appropriately that he decides, then and there, number one, to destroy his ideal, to reduce the tension that he feels when that ideal exists as a contrast point. And, number two, to destroy the favorite son of God. And so, he goes out into the field and kills Abel.
And God comes along and says, "Where's my favorite son?" And Cain says, "I killed him." And it's so interesting to me that that story is placed...really it's the third story in the old testament, it's with the archaic stories. And, it's a story that reveals, as far as I can tell, that there are really two essential patterns of reaction to the self-conscious, vulnerable conditions of existence.
And one is humble approach to infinity with determined attempts to make the appropriate sacrifices. The other is arrogance, resentment, the keeping of everything good for oneself and the degeneration of the soul into something that's homicidally murderous."
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But God doesn't punish Able. He marks him. And he propagates. And he marries, and has children, and the marking propagates also (my condensation)
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"...This stunningly brilliant story says...the motivation that drives the worst human atrocities is an inevitable social consequence of the refusal of the self-conscious individual to make the sacrifices appropriate to establishing a harmonious life. And their consequent degeneration into a kind of murderous and resentment filled rage, propagating endlessly, through its variations in society. Until everything comes to an end.
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And the next story? Is the flood. And it's not surprising.
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