In response to post #3, people who try to become God-like because they hunger for power or control are not God-like at all. I think when the Bible suggests that we should seek to be God-like, it is talking of the other qualities you mentioned like kindness and generosity. God...
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In response to post #3, people who try to become God-like because they hunger for power or control are not God-like at all. I think when the Bible suggests that we should seek to be God-like, it is talking of the other qualities you mentioned like kindness and generosity. God is not controlling. He offers us suggestions and recommendations but he does not demand that we follow them. I think of the Garden of Eden much in the same way I think of a child growing up. Yes, it is a part of life but sometimes it is a sad part. Children are innocent, pure, and happier because they do not know and have not experienced many of the darker parts of life. Adam and Eve felt shame, fear, and many dark emotions after they learned of the knowledge of good and evil. They were no longer care free and happy. Was it inevitable? Probably. Does that make it right? I don't know.
This is an interesting question. I think that people who try to become like God in order to have control are tipping the scale on the evil side. People who want power, and want to make everyone do their bidding, cannot be good. However, people who want to model their behavior after God and be a servant of mankind, look out for others, be kind, forgiving, and generous, are good in my book.
The problem with your quote seems to be more with semantics than interpretation.
God's comment about Adam and Eve should be restricted to the comment that they now knew "good and evil." The prevailing belief is that before the two consumed the forbidden fruit, they lived in an innocent state, without knowledge of good and evil. Genesis says that they were both naked, and were unashamed. God apparently wished to protect them from this knowledge; however after the fall, this was no longer possible.
As far as the quote to "be perfect," this does not mean that Christians should become as God; but rather they should aspire to be Godly. John Wesley posed two questions to new ministers in the Methodist Church: Are you going on to perfection; and do you expect to achieve it in this life. Perfection was/is a goal, not a command.
To seek perfection is not to become as God but to become as God-like (Godly) as possible. God's comment about Adam and Eve implies that they know knew more about good and evil than he had originally anticipated, again, not that they became as God. So to become Godly is good; to aspire to be God (or "as God") is evil.