Beginnings

[exchemist]

I've also heard it argued that Adam and Eve in the bible don't represent the first human beings, but rather the first Hebrews. And that the origin stories of other religions represent he fist Egyptians or the first Babylonians and that none of them were originally interpreted to mean the origins of the entire human race.

That's interesting. I had not come across that interpretation.

 

[QuestioningMind]

That's interesting. I had not come across that interpretation.

I hadn't either until a couple years ago. The same individual suggested that the interpretation of 'An Eye for and Eye and a Tooth for a Tooth' to be a harsh proclamation that goes against the idea of a loving and merciful god has been misinterpreted. The argument is that at the time the common response to someone taking your eye or one of your teeth was kill the offender and their entire family for the offense. This was a call for a much milder response, one that says if someone offends you by taking your eye, the proper response is to simply take one of their eyes, not their entire life or the lives of their loved ones.

I realize this is off topic, but it came to mind and I thought I'd share.

 

[Quintessence]

I don't worship God, but I do worship gods. Considering my gods are various aspects of reality itself, it'd be pretty silly not to accept the mechanisms by which the gods operate (e.g., biological evolution). "Believe in" is really not the right way to put any of this, though.

 

[MJ Bailey]

View attachment 41104 For people who believe in God do they also believe in the Big Bang and evolution? if not when do they think the world began?

Personally, yes. From the Big Bang, yet with influence from other "Big Bangs"

 

[QuestioningMind]

So God created the universe then a long time after that the big bang happened or did God create the universe with the big bang?

I believe that the argument is that the Big Bang was the method that god used to create the universe in its current form.

 

[Jimmy]

I believe that the argument is that the Big Bang was the method that god used to create the universe in its current form.

So who created the ball of dense matter?

 

[QuestioningMind]

So who created the ball of dense matter?

I can only tell you what certain believers have told me, but they'd say it was god who created it.

 

[VoidoftheSun]

There are no such evidences for a historical Adam and Eve. They are mythological in nature, meant to stand in symbolically for humankind in a storyline.

Mythological is the wrong word, as it implies that they are only fictive metaphors.
You have the gist though. Adam is metaphysically all of humanity, to which God "breathed" in us the Spirit (Nafesh/Nuach/Nuh/Purusha). Everything that happens in the 'World of Adam' corresponds to the material world in a hidden manner. His events are our collective events manifest.

 

[Windwalker]

Well you told me that Adam and eve symbolize the first Homo sapiens which is scientific aint it?

I did not say those words. I would not think that. Homo Sapiens is a scientific term. What I said was that Adam and Eve represent humanity. That's very different. That has to do with more than just our biological form.

Further, I did not say "the first humans". Never said that. Don't believe that. Adam and Eve are symbolic of our struggles as self-aware humans. That is not a scientific matter. It's a philosophical/religious matter.

Does that clarify?

 

[Windwalker]

Mythological is the wrong word, as it implies that they are only fictive metaphors.

Your understanding of metaphors falls quite short of mine. "Only fictive" is completely an inaccurate description of what I said, or think on any level.

They are poetic expressions of truths, not nothing but fictions. That is a tragic misunderstanding of what mythology is.

You have the gist though. Adam is metaphysically all of humanity, to which God "breathed" in us the Spirit (Nafesh/Nuach/Nuh/Purusha).

I do not think you understand what metaphysics are. Metaphor is the correct word to use here, not metaphysics. They are symbols of our human struggles. "Why is there suffering in the world". It's a mythology that addresses that existential reality.

Everything that happens in the 'World of Adam' corresponds to the material world in a hidden manner. His events are our collective events manifest.

Hence, it's a mythology. It symbolically represents the human struggle.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

For people who believe in God do they also believe in the Big Bang and evolution? if not when do they think the world began?

As far as I know there is nothing to disprove the ' Big Bang ' because great power was used and Scripture teaches that God has Great power, Great Strength at His disposal - Isaiah 40:26; Psalms 104:30.

If God used some lower forms of evolution He certainly did Not use any form of evolution in creating people - Genesis 2:7.
Adam was formed (fashioned) by God from the existing dust of the ground, and dead Adam ' returned' to where he started as per Genesis 3:19.
Because of the accuracy of microwaves then CMBR ( cosmic microwave background radiation ) seems to be accurate in dating the Earth and Universe.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

So who created the ball of dense matter?

Since the God of the Bible is from everlasting ( No beginning ) then God created....... Psalms 90:2

 

[URAVIP2ME]

I can only tell you what certain believers have told me, but they'd say it was god who created it.

I find those in Heaven agree with Revelation 4:11 that their God is: Creator.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

....... The same individual suggested that the interpretation of 'An Eye for and Eye and a Tooth for a Tooth' to be a harsh proclamation that goes against the idea of a loving and merciful god has been misinterpreted........

Eye for eye, tooth for tooth was Not meant as harsh but represented: equal justice - Exodus 21:23-27; Leviticus 24:20; Deuteronomy chapter 19.
In connection to what Jesus said at Matthew 5:38-39 indicated that a Christian does Not need to pay back blow for blow, retaliate, take vengeance for a slap.
Avoid problems by Not replying or reacting in kind, do Not become provoked to fight such as what was meant by a slap on the cheek.

 

[Thief]

View attachment 41104 For people who believe in God do they also believe in the Big Bang and evolution? if not when do they think the world began?

Someone had to be First
in mind and heart

focus

 

[blü 2]

Yes. Evolution is God creating.

Do you mean God-creating?

You only have to glance at the bible to see God evolving.

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

For people who believe in God do they also believe in the Big Bang and evolution?

Are you aware that the cosmologist who came up with big bang theory, was also a catholic priest?
Well, he was.... The Belgian named George LeMaitre.

Having said that, the majority of christians, including the vatican, has no problems with science at all and thus they accept the findings of science. That goes for big bang theory and evolution as well as all other scientific theories.

if not when do they think the world began?

By magic.

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

they guess Adam and eve could've been made 50 to 200,000 years ago.

No, they understand that Adam and Eve are mythical people that at best merely represent mankind in an allegorical story conveying a message about mankind and the nature of humans as a whole.

Those people didn't literally exist.

But why did God have to make 2 people when there Were Homo sapiens in droves on the earth already evolving? Something seems weird

The only weird thing here, is you thinking that evolution accepting people believe that god created 2 humans from scratch. No. People who accept science, understand that genesis is not to be taken literally.

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

With a whole metaphorical lineage too I guess.

Yes.

Then I guess the whole Bible is metaphorical

Most of it, yes.

 

[exchemist]

I hadn't either until a couple years ago. The same individual suggested that the interpretation of 'An Eye for and Eye and a Tooth for a Tooth' to be a harsh proclamation that goes against the idea of a loving and merciful god has been misinterpreted. The argument is that at the time the common response to someone taking your eye or one of your teeth was kill the offender and their entire family for the offense. This was a call for a much milder response, one that says if someone offends you by taking your eye, the proper response is to simply take one of their eyes, not their entire life or the lives of their loved ones.

I realize this is off topic, but it came to mind and I thought I'd share.

Yes I had come across that one, I think.

Anyway, these examples go to show the care one needs to exercise in considering the meaning, or meanings, of biblical verses.