Are Adam and Eve Incompatible with Evolution?

[Left Coast]

Apparently some immunologist has recently published a book arguing that evolution and the Christian belief that all humans descended from Adam and Eve are not incompatible.

Christians point to genetics breakthroughs to show Adam and Eve are not incompatible with evolution

From what I gleaned in the article, the idea is that humans descended from earlier hominids but then God also magically created Adam and Eve about 6000 years ago, and their kids Cain and Abel intermarried with other humans who had evolved naturally. So by 1CE, all living humans had some of traceable lineage back to Adam and Eve.

Personally I think this sounds like a desperate attempt to salvage a literal reading of Genesis. But I'm curious what you think? Especially those of you with more knowledge of evolution, biology, genetics, etc.

 

[exchemist]

Apparently some immunologist has recently published a book arguing that evolution and the Christian belief that all humans descended from Adam and Eve are not incompatible.

Christians point to genetics breakthroughs to show Adam and Eve are not incompatible with evolution

From what I gleaned in the article, the idea is that humans descended from earlier hominids but then God also magically created Adam and Eve about 6000 years ago, and their kids Cain and Abel intermarried with other humans who had evolved naturally. So by 1CE, all living humans had some of traceable lineage back to Adam and Eve.

Personally I think this sounds like a desperate attempt to salvage a literal reading of Genesis. But I'm curious what you think? Especially those of you with more knowledge of evolution, biology, genetics, etc.

So a great new theory from John Smartass, or Swami-***, apparently.

I agree it seems like a desperately contorted attempt to preserve a historical couple.

 

[ChristineM]

Y chromosome adam and mDNA eve existed though they lived thousands of years apart.

 

[Lazy Old Devil]

Y chromosome adam and mDNA eve existed though they lived thousands of years apart.

That's taking long distance relationships to a whole new level!

 

[Left Coast]

Also, why in the world would God do something like this? Makes no sense to me.

 

[Polymath257]

Personally I think this sounds like a desperate attempt to salvage a literal reading of Genesis.

This.

There is no other reason to take the story of A&E seriously.

 

[Wandering Monk]

Apparently some immunologist has recently published a book arguing that evolution and the Christian belief that all humans descended from Adam and Eve are not incompatible.

Christians point to genetics breakthroughs to show Adam and Eve are not incompatible with evolution

From what I gleaned in the article, the idea is that humans descended from earlier hominids but then God also magically created Adam and Eve about 6000 years ago, and their kids Cain and Abel intermarried with other humans who had evolved naturally. So by 1CE, all living humans had some of traceable lineage back to Adam and Eve.

Personally I think this sounds like a desperate attempt to salvage a literal reading of Genesis. But I'm curious what you think? Especially those of you with more knowledge of evolution, biology, genetics, etc.

If they are Biblical literalists, then Adam and Eve were created 6000 years ago. Modern humans share more DNA with chimps than chimps do with other simian kin.

 

[Dawnofhope]

Apparently some immunologist has recently published a book arguing that evolution and the Christian belief that all humans descended from Adam and Eve are not incompatible.

Christians point to genetics breakthroughs to show Adam and Eve are not incompatible with evolution

From what I gleaned in the article, the idea is that humans descended from earlier hominids but then God also magically created Adam and Eve about 6000 years ago, and their kids Cain and Abel intermarried with other humans who had evolved naturally. So by 1CE, all living humans had some of traceable lineage back to Adam and Eve.

Personally I think this sounds like a desperate attempt to salvage a literal reading of Genesis. But I'm curious what you think? Especially those of you with more knowledge of evolution, biology, genetics, etc.

There is no good reason to take the story of Adam and Eve literally. I see it as an allegorical story along with the many Jews and Christians who would also avoid taking an extreme literal interpretation of their sacred scriptures.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Apparently some immunologist has recently published a book arguing that evolution and the Christian belief that all humans descended from Adam and Eve are not incompatible.

Christians point to genetics breakthroughs to show Adam and Eve are not incompatible with evolution

From what I gleaned in the article, the idea is that humans descended from earlier hominids but then God also magically created Adam and Eve about 6000 years ago, and their kids Cain and Abel intermarried with other humans who had evolved naturally. So by 1CE, all living humans had some of traceable lineage back to Adam and Eve.

Personally I think this sounds like a desperate attempt to salvage a literal reading of Genesis. But I'm curious what you think? Especially those of you with more knowledge of evolution, biology, genetics, etc.

Well one look at the Whittakers should suffice nicely to settle the matter.

 

[Nimos]

Apparently some immunologist has recently published a book arguing that evolution and the Christian belief that all humans descended from Adam and Eve are not incompatible.

Christians point to genetics breakthroughs to show Adam and Eve are not incompatible with evolution

From what I gleaned in the article, the idea is that humans descended from earlier hominids but then God also magically created Adam and Eve about 6000 years ago, and their kids Cain and Abel intermarried with other humans who had evolved naturally. So by 1CE, all living humans had some of traceable lineage back to Adam and Eve.

Personally I think this sounds like a desperate attempt to salvage a literal reading of Genesis. But I'm curious what you think? Especially those of you with more knowledge of evolution, biology, genetics, etc.

At first it seems interesting, but as other have said as well, it does seem a bit desperate and a bit of a long shot to be honest.

Also I honestly think it creates more problems for the bible than it solves, because it puts humans in a rather awkward position. God according to the bible created us as something other than animals, we are masters of them. So if God created Adam and Eve 6000 years ago and they somehow ended up "mixing" with apes, which would be considered animals, that is a sin according to the bible, you are not allowed to have sex with animals and is punished by death.

Exodus 22:19
19 - “Whoever lies with an animal shall be put to death.

Getting into an explanation of how animal and human DNA mixed in order to make all this possible, seems like something, at least, I would avoid were I religious.

 

[Truthseeker]

Apparently some immunologist has recently published a book arguing that evolution and the Christian belief that all humans descended from Adam and Eve are not incompatible.

Christians point to genetics breakthroughs to show Adam and Eve are not incompatible with evolution

From what I gleaned in the article, the idea is that humans descended from earlier hominids but then God also magically created Adam and Eve about 6000 years ago, and their kids Cain and Abel intermarried with other humans who had evolved naturally. So by 1CE, all living humans had some of traceable lineage back to Adam and Eve.

Personally I think this sounds like a desperate attempt to salvage a literal reading of Genesis. But I'm curious what you think? Especially those of you with more knowledge of evolution, biology, genetics, etc.

The Adam and Eve story is a mythological story, that has different meanings according to the person evaluating the story.

Yes, it is a desperate attempt to salvage a literal reading of Genesis, it seems pretty obvious to me. I didn't read the article, however, so I can't speak to the article.

 

[Brian2]

Apparently some immunologist has recently published a book arguing that evolution and the Christian belief that all humans descended from Adam and Eve are not incompatible.

Christians point to genetics breakthroughs to show Adam and Eve are not incompatible with evolution

From what I gleaned in the article, the idea is that humans descended from earlier hominids but then God also magically created Adam and Eve about 6000 years ago, and their kids Cain and Abel intermarried with other humans who had evolved naturally. So by 1CE, all living humans had some of traceable lineage back to Adam and Eve.

Personally I think this sounds like a desperate attempt to salvage a literal reading of Genesis. But I'm curious what you think? Especially those of you with more knowledge of evolution, biology, genetics, etc.

There is no need for the Bible to fit in with science 100% if science is wrong. Science does not know what happened back then.

 

[AlexanderG]

Apparently some immunologist has recently published a book arguing that evolution and the Christian belief that all humans descended from Adam and Eve are not incompatible.

Christians point to genetics breakthroughs to show Adam and Eve are not incompatible with evolution

From what I gleaned in the article, the idea is that humans descended from earlier hominids but then God also magically created Adam and Eve about 6000 years ago, and their kids Cain and Abel intermarried with other humans who had evolved naturally. So by 1CE, all living humans had some of traceable lineage back to Adam and Eve.

Personally I think this sounds like a desperate attempt to salvage a literal reading of Genesis. But I'm curious what you think? Especially those of you with more knowledge of evolution, biology, genetics, etc.

The idea that all of humanity could have arisen from one man and one woman is biologically impossible, based on everything we know about biology, archaeology, and paleontology. (Incidentally, so is the Noah's Ark story, and many many other stories from the bible.) If people want to reinterpret it to mean that there was a first couple of apes that we'd call "modern humans" who arose out of a population of hominids...ok? All the evidence would put that event waaaay prior to 6000 years ago. I also don't see how this reinterpretation gets you closer to any of the important theological concepts in the Adam and Eve story, like original sin. Not to mention talking snakes, tigers being vegetarian, etc.

I think that the Adam and Eve story was a myth about the origin of the first Hebrews being created by their favored Henotheistic god, plus some just-so allegories about why a world created by a god seemed fairly crappy and life was generally terrible for people. If I recall correctly, all the different tribes in that region at the time had their own tribal origin myths along similar lines.

Either way, I approve of this article because it's a stepping stone between Christianity and atheism. Every step gets rid of more of that pesky cognitive dissonance, and gets closer to good epistemology and secularism.

 

[danieldemol]

There is no need for the Bible to fit in with science 100% if science is wrong. Science does not know what happened back then.

It has a better idea than the human writers of Genesis did.

In my opinion.

 

[Brian2]

If they are Biblical literalists, then Adam and Eve were created 6000 years ago. Modern humans share more DNA with chimps than chimps do with other simian kin.

I don't think that non literalist means that you think every bit of the story of A@E is non literal.
'Days' in Genesis 1 being longer than a 24 hour day could even be seen as literal considering the possible meaning of "day" in Genesis 1@2.

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

Apparently some immunologist has recently published a book arguing that evolution and the Christian belief that all humans descended from Adam and Eve are not incompatible.

Christians point to genetics breakthroughs to show Adam and Eve are not incompatible with evolution

From what I gleaned in the article, the idea is that humans descended from earlier hominids but then God also magically created Adam and Eve about 6000 years ago, and their kids Cain and Abel intermarried with other humans who had evolved naturally. So by 1CE, all living humans had some of traceable lineage back to Adam and Eve.

Personally I think this sounds like a desperate attempt to salvage a literal reading of Genesis. But I'm curious what you think? Especially those of you with more knowledge of evolution, biology, genetics, etc.

Genetics is not compatible with this nonsense.
"mitochondrial eve" and "y-chromosome adam" are the youngest common ancestors of all humans (in respectively female and male lineages anyway) and both are FAR older then 6000 years and both also lived many thousands of years apart from each other.

And perhaps more importantly, it is entirely unnecessary to propose such a thing. There is zero evidence for it, lots of evidence against it and it idd smells as nothing but a pathetic desperate attempt at trying to keep biblical nonsense relevant.

 

[Brian2]

It has a better idea than the human writers of Genesis did.

In my opinion.

The scientists are the ones guessing, based on the scientific evidence and the naturalistic methodology of science.
The methodological presumption of no God input has imo led science astray at times.

 

[Brian2]

The idea that all of humanity could have arisen from one man and one woman is biologically impossible, based on everything we know about biology, archaeology, and paleontology. (Incidentally, so is the Noah's Ark story, and many many other stories from the bible.) If people want to reinterpret it to mean that there was a first couple of apes that we'd call "modern humans" who arose out of a population of hominids...ok? All the evidence would put that event waaaay prior to 6000 years ago. I also don't see how this reinterpretation gets you closer to any of the important theological concepts in the Adam and Eve story, like original sin. Not to mention talking snakes, tigers being vegetarian, etc.

I think that the Adam and Eve story was a myth about the origin of the first Hebrews being created by their favored Henotheistic god, plus some just-so allegories about why a world created by a god seemed fairly crappy and life was generally terrible for people. If I recall correctly, all the different tribes in that region at the time had their own tribal origin myths along similar lines.

Either way, I approve of this article because it's a stepping stone between Christianity and atheism. Every step gets rid of more of that pesky cognitive dissonance, and gets closer to good epistemology and secularism.

Is there anything wrong with God choosing a hominid specimen and changing a couple of things to get Adam and then breathing the human spirit into Adam to bring him back to life as a human instead of an ape?
"Spirit" might not be supported by the science but that does not worry me and maybe as a "free thinker" it should not bother you also.
I don't think tigers were vegetarian btw.

 

[Audie]

The scientists are the ones guessing, based on the scientific evidence and the naturalistic methodology of science.
The methodological presumption of no God input has imo led science astray at times.

Overguessing is the core of religions.

Rigorous application of evidence is not guessing.

But it is anathema to revealed religions

We can cite plenty of times religion led science
astray or forced it to halt.
I doubt you can give any example of 'presumption of no God" ever being hindrance
to science.

 

[gnostic]

I don't think that non literalist means that you think every bit of the story of A@E is non literal.
'Days' in Genesis 1 being longer than a 24 hour day could even be seen as literal considering the possible meaning of "day" in Genesis 1@2.

Genesis 1 never mention "hour", but it does say "evening and morning" for each "day".

A cycle of evening and morning do equate with a "day", because the "evening and morning" do provide specific context as to what the Hebrew word "yom" mean.

So yom is not some unspecified period of time, because "evening and morning" do specified that yom is a day, and there are 6 instances when yom being mentioned connection with "evening and morning" in Genesis 1 (verses 5, 8, 13, 19, 23 & 31).

It is rather poor scholarship, and quite dishonest, to read or interpret yom being unknown period of time, or being "a thousand years", which some Christians do from 2 Peter 3:8, a verse that was never meant to be taken as literal.