I first read about in a book by Father Pisegna. I can't remember which book it was though. I've read several of his.
Yes, we can't learn from past mistakes if we don't acknowledge and own our mistakes. If you read the fall of man closely you will see that God doesn't lower the boom (so to speak) on Adam and Eve until after they failed to acknowledge their mistake. Up until that point it sounds like a friendly conversation where he's asking what sounds like innocent questions. Why are you hiding? Who told you you were naked? Did you eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil? Then everything changes. It's subtle. Most people miss it. But I believe it was the point of the whole account. I don't even think Jewish Rabbis are aware of it. I've never could find anything on it and I looked hard for it. These accounts were thousands of years old before they were recorded in writing. They were discussed around camp fires and probably had deep discussions about their meaning. I believe much of that original meaning has been lost through time. It's a real shame too because the depth of these accounts is staggering.
Anyway, what do I know? Apparently I'm an anti-Semite and will probably be attacked for calling Jewish Rabbis stupid because that's how the spin machine works when one values their pride above truth.
