A literal Genesis?

[Booko]

OK, I'm moving this topic here from the Evolution Vs Creationism section.

Considering there are 2 conflicting stories of Creation in the Bible, how can those stories be taken totally literally?

Genesis 1: (paraphrased)
Day 1: God creates light, divides from darkness - Day and Night

Day 2: God creates firmament (Heaven) and divides waters under firmament from waters above firmament

Day 3: God creates Earth and seas and then plants.

Day 4: God creates stars, Moon and Sun

Day 5: God creates ocean life and birds

Day 6: God creates life on land and humans

Day 7: God rests

OK, question for you literalists out there. If the Sun and Moon are not created until Day 4, and the Earth is not created until Day 3, then why by what measure do we decide that a "day" is a 24-hour period? On "days" 1 and 2 there was no earth to rotate and until "day" 4 there was no sun to define the meaning of "day."

We can start with this.

btw, in case you're wondering, I happen to believe in God, and the Bible, but I do not believe that the Bible is meant to be a science text. The point of Genesis 1 is "God made man in His own image." That is not a scientific statement -- it's a statement of faith and an understanding of our special place in Creation.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

OK, question for you literalists out there. If the Sun and Moon are not created until Day 4, and the Earth is not created until Day 3, then why by what measure do we decide that a "day" is a 24-hour period?

This is far too easy: ideation anticipates instantiation.

 

[nightwolf]

At the time when the earth was created along with Adam and Eve there would have no concept of time. The bible was written by man with the help of God. Man would have no way of understanding if God had told Adam and Eve that he did all this in 7 days with the timeframe being 24 hours=1 day, 7 days=1 week, Adam and Eve would have been completely clueless. So at the time when the bible was written, God could have told the writers that this this and this was done on this this and this day and at the time written, it would have been understandable. 24 hours in a day is mans invention, not Gods, the 24 hours just happens to fit into the cycle of daylight pretty well.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Man would have no way of understanding if God had told Adam and Eve that he did all this in 7 days with the timeframe being 24 hours=1 day, 7 days=1 week, Adam and Eve would have been completely clueless.

Speaking of clueless. What an impotent dunce of a God you imagine. And that's all it is: you imagining that you understand something. It's all rather sad.

 

[nightwolf]

Speaking of clueless. What an impotent dunce of a God you imagine. And that's all it is: you imagining that you understand something. It's all rather sad.

What is this supposed to mean? Ok, let me shine some light on my subject: lets take a person and from birth lock thenm in a room, Now at a ripe child bearing age lets let them out. Then let's ask them to describe a day (which they would have a problem understanding any language). Then let's just give that person a quick rundown of what life is all about, that person would be clueless. That is the point of my post. God made Adam out of thin air, the made Eve from a rib. Why would we even think that Adam or Eve has any concept of anything? They might have been smart people but they had to learn for themselves. If God would have told Adam and Eve about time then people would not have had to invent it.

God is perfect and all knowing, how can he/she be a dunce? I was trying to post in the light of times past. We are not born with any understanding, how could they (Adam and Eve) have any concept of anything?

 

[Abram]

I hold to the idea that God knew that this would be a question so He put it in the 10 commandments. He tells us that he created the earth in 6 days and rested on the 7th. Therefore we are to work work 6 days and rest on the 7th. The Sabbath is great proof that he did.

In fact in Exodus 31:17,18 we read where God himself tells Moses on mount Sinai that he did in 6 days then inscribes it with His finger.

There is no reason God would need any longer, he's God! I have found no reason not to take him at his word and think otherwise.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

What is this supposed to mean? Ok, let me shine some light on my subject: ...

Your subject? :biglaugh:

 

[Abram]

What is this supposed to mean? Ok, let me shine some light on my subject: lets take a person and from birth lock thenm in a room, Now at a ripe child bearing age lets let them out. Then let's ask them to describe a day (which they would have a problem understanding any language). Then let's just give that person a quick rundown of what life is all about, that person would be clueless. That is the point of my post. God made Adam out of thin air, the made Eve from a rib. Why would we even think that Adam or Eve has any concept of anything? They might have been smart people but they had to learn for themselves. If God would have told Adam and Eve about time then people would not have had to invent it.

God is perfect and all knowing, how can he/she be a dunce? I was trying to post in the light of times past. We are not born with any understanding, how could they (Adam and Eve) have any concept of anything?

God did'nt tell Adam and Even that he made the earth in any amount of time. That conversation never was recorded in the Bible. It was Moses God told.

 

[DeadVegas]

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. He then decided to make a poem about it.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

There is no reason God would need any longer, he's God!

Now that's what I call a compelling argument.

 

[Abram]

Now that's what I call a compelling argument.

As opposed to yours? Oh wait your just posting put out downs and not backing anything up? I know you debate stronger than that.
So...
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[Ody]

Trust me Abram, just saying "G-d said so" is a weak arguement, unless the debate is purely biblical in nature.

 

[Abram]

Trust me Abram, just saying "G-d said so" is a weak arguement, unless the debate is purely biblical in nature.

Did you not read my post?

I used the 10 commandments and Exodus 31. The part where God himself said he made the earth in 6 days, then he wrote it down so we wouldnt forget. That's pretty strong evidence, right?

BTW:the debate is purely biblical in nature! Its Genesis we are debating

 

[nightwolf]

Did I do something to you? I don't understand the humor in this. I post my opinion on this and you judge my interpretation of what God is...hmmm. As far as imagining, I read the bible and I imagine little when it comes to God. I think you are out of line!

Speaking of clueless. What an impotent dunce of a God you imagine. And that's all it is: you imagining that you understand something. It's all rather sad.

 

[Ody]

There is no reason God would need any longer, he's God! I have found no reason not to take him at his word and think otherwise.

This is the reason i made my above comment :tuna:

 

[Ody]

Did I do something to you? I don't understand the humor in this. I post my opinion on this and you judge my interpretation of what God is...hmmm. As far as imagining, I read the bible and I imagine little when it comes to God. I think you are out of line!​

It wasn't blatant atleast.

 

[nightwolf]

God did'nt tell Adam and Even that he made the earth in any amount of time. That conversation never was recorded in the Bible. It was Moses God told.

That was not my point. The point was that God did not tell Adam or Eve about it because they could not possibly understand since time was not invented yet.

 

[Abram]

This is the reason i made my above comment :tuna:

Do you want to debate this or poke holes in mine? What do you think?
Do we take God at his word and believe the world was made in 6 days or is it a missunderstanding?

 

[Abram]

That was not my point. The point was that God did not tell Adam or Eve about it because they could not possibly understand since time was not invented yet.

Time as we know it I suppose, but they woke up in the morning and went to sleep at night. They had to have known what a days was, right?

 

[Ody]

Do you want to debate this or poke holes in mine? What do you think?
Do we take God at his word and believe the world was made in 6 days or is it a missunderstanding?

Can we ever rationalize that maybe the story was created, due to the lack of scientific knowledge that the ancients had which would have made any story such as evolution carried out by a higher power nearly impossible to understand, to explain how the allmighty when't on and created our current world?