Survival is really the root of all evil

[obriencp]

very interesting thread. I think I understand where the OP was going.

We've discussed money, love of money, selfishness, and survival instincts.

Money is a tool we all use to get things for survival. If we amass too many things we're considered by many as selfish. But doesn't being selfish stem from a survival instinct to ensure we, individually, survive regardless of what our fellow man is going through?

I wonder if our survival instinct traces back to when man fell and was no longer afforded access to the tree of life? God certainly placed that tree there as well as the tree of knowledge of good and evil. It was his plan that man would fall. Was it also his plan that the strong, intelligent, and genetically superior would survive? Otherwise we'd all have died off before Jesus came to redeem us and give us a choice of serving God.

Once salvation was poured out we have the option of: a. seeking out our own means of survival - or - b. seeking the kingdom of God and his righteousness. If we choose B, we ultimately deny our survival insticts and trust in God to provide.

^that may be a little far out, but I was thinking out loud regarding survival.