Should Genesis be taken literally?

[Speedwell]

Jesus taught that in the beginning, God created man and woman.

Jesus made it plain that He was referring to a text in the Bible rather than to the event itself. His use of that text does not guarantee any particular genre determination.

 

[KWCrazy]

It is almost as if you do not understand the concept of literary device.

Genesis is written as a narrative, not an allegory. Jesus quoted it as factual. There exists no passage of Scripture which supports an allegorical reading of Genesis. The creation of man and the fall of man are foundational. Without the Great Flood, the coming destruction at the return of the Savior has no foundation.

That you and others do not see a talking snake as a "hit-you-over-the-head" hint that the creation account is a bit of allegory is positively mystifying.

That anyone believes the deceiver was a simply a garden snake is almost beyond the scope of human consciousness. When I read the story to my granddaughter, SHE knew it wasn't just a snake.
The truth is hidden from those willingly deceived. Until you surrender your heart to the Lord you will never understand.

 

[expos4ever]

Well, I have enough silliness. Carry on.....

 

[HenryM]

Are you referring to those who believe they have an inerrant ability to properly interpret Scripture, unlike the rest of we mere mortals?

No, I am referring to people who trust in themselves first before God. Even one's own eyes are second seat to God. Your arrogance transcends the sadness of your position.

 

[KWCrazy]

(slandar deleted) there remains the possibility that imperfect humans will misinterpret the meaning that such inerrant text embodies.

I defer you again to the words of Hebrew Scholars who are in agreement that the author of Genesis used plain language to mean exactly what is written. No hidden interpretation. Man did not evolve. Sickness and death did not exist prior to the fall.

 

[Not_By_Chance]

Why not start with where "life" came from. Any self respecting explanation of the events that caused all the animals, fish, birds and mankind to end up on this earth..........MUST tell me where "life" came from.

I know, I know, evolution doesn't deal with where life came from.

Well, for that reason... it is dead in the water... pun intended.

Oh that's easy (LOL), it's only a 1 in 10 to the power of 40,000 chance to get from non-living chemicals to a living cell. Seems like we need a creator after all. Prof. Dawkins, are you listening?

 

[HenryM]

The truth is hidden from those willingly deceived.

There's a problem exposed in this thread, and similar threads.

When other side can't acknowledge that their position is ultimately not provable or testable, but within theory, while at the same time they demand their position to be accepted as scientific fact, what does that tell you about them and what is there to discuss with them?

If they would come forth and say, "Yes, it isn't or can't be proven but there is data that to me is compelling and which make me believe it, here's why..." then you could have a conversation. But when they grip to the science label as if their lives depended on it, something's going on. There is no much integrity in that standing, and that's probably generous assessment, and I certainly don't see it easily possible to have any meaningfull exchange with such people.

As you say, the truth is hidden from those willingly deceived, and we are witnessing it real time. I had a thought that people like that after they pass to the next phase will start looking for Darwin and his ilk to congratulate them for bringing sense to their lives. I just don't know where that road ends.

 

[Not_By_Chance]

Tens of thousands of highly trained experts all agree that evolution happened.

I would suggest you start another thread and enlighten us non-believers in the fairy tale of evolution as to how it happened and also, why we don't see it happening all around us today.

 

[AnnaliseH]

I have a question for those who believe in evolution. Where does sin come from? And how does Jesus's death cover our sin?

 

[HenryM]

I have a question for those who believe in evolution. Where does sin come from? And how does Jesus's death cover our sin?

Unfortunately, they probably can't give you those answers. They will, again probably, only try to drag your soul to some pits.

 

[Archivist]

Most German citizens went along with the holocaust, which shows you that consensus does not determine what is right.

So now those who do not believe in a literal interpretation of the Genesis creation stories are Nazis?

 

[Archivist]

I'm curious--why do those who favor a literal interpretation of genesis seem so set against those of us who view it as an allegory?

 

[AnnaliseH]

I'm curious--why do those who favor a literal interpretation of genesis seem so set against those of us who view it as an allegory?

And I'm curious - why do those who view Genesis as a myth/allegory seem so set against those who view it as literal?

 

[2PhiloVoid]

Do you believe a donkey rebuked a man? I do, because the bible tells me. You believe the red sea split in two but not a talking serpent? You believe the sun stood still? A man was swallowed by a fish? But not a serpent talking? No where does the bible say Genesis is allegory. It was there for a reason and it is true. You must understand the beginning to understand the end.

Well, let's just say that I adopt a general angle on the Philosophy of History (applicable to any kind of history written) that allows me to make more sense of the Bible as a whole. But, if you want to believe its all literal from beginning to end, be my guest. I won't count it against you, by brother in the Lord.

As far as a talking donkey is concerned--- yes, I can dig that any animal can say a few words where the Angel of God is directly stated to be present in the instance in which it is happening.

 

[Archivist]

Ans I'm curious - why do those who view Genesis as a myth/allegory seem so set against those who view it as literal?

Actually I've said several times in this thread that those who view it as literal are entitled to their own interpretation of scripture just as I am entitled to my interpretation. In return I've been called a liar and a false teacher.

 

[AnnaliseH]

So, I'll ask again. If Genesis is allegorical, then where did sin come from? And why is Jesus's death on the cross sufficient atonement for our sin?

 

[Archivist]

So, I'll ask again. If Genesis is allegorical, then where did sin come from? And why is Jesus's death on the cross sufficient atonement for our sin?

If a story is allegorical it tells us why something happened, since the definition of allegory is a writing in which the events that take place are not true but the message is true. The message of Genesis is that humans fell into sin by choosing evil over good and thus disobeying and rejecting God. The exact act doesn't matter.

Why is Jesus's death on the cross sufficient atonement for our sin? Because He took our sins upon Himself.

 

[Speedwell]

And I'm curious - why do those who view Genesis as a myth/allegory seem so set against those who view it as literal?

1. The political agenda that goes with it. None of us wants to see Protestant fundamentalism shoved up the noses of kids in public school science classes.
2. The gratuitous slander and vilification directed at non-YEC Christians. This thread has some particularly noxious examples.
3. The intentional misrepresentation of what the theory of evolution actually claims.
4. The intentional misrepresentation of the beliefs of non-YEC Christians, coupled with the steadfast refusal by YECs to learn what these beliefs actually are.

 

[JacksBratt]

I don't belive that Jesus ever told anyone to kill the men, women and children who were the refugees of war, allowing the killers to keep the female virgin children for themselves. Those atrocities were committed by men and ascribed to God. Much of the OT was written by the kind of people who killed Jesus.

"Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill

every woman who has known man by lying with him. But all the young girls

who have not known man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves."

(Moses - Numbers 31:17

I went through this before with other people in another thread.

If you study the background of nations at war of those times, the traditions and practices of the Israelite's during those days, and take the time to research the reasoning behind what was instructed of them, then, and only then, will you understand the reasoning behind the commands that God gave them.

If you just state, like you have, the instructions that they were given and look at it from our time period, then you have absolutely no understanding of the reasoning behind the instructions.

So, take some time and research a bit. Then, instead of painting God as some monster, you will get some insight into the necessities of the actions.

If you don't take the time to search, you have no right to critique.

 

[JacksBratt]

Evolution came from God, it was his technique of creation. It's in the fossil record which doesn't look anything like the creation story that the Hebrews created.

If God used evolution, why did He tell us the He formed the first man, with His hands, in His image and then breathed life into him. Then, if that is not enough, He took a rib from the man and made the very first female human..

Fit evolution into those two for a start......Pretty explicit details for it to be false and then to be told to Your creation in the first bit of information that You gave them... don't ya think?