The world is fast moving towards the end of those Three Angels messages to the peoples of the time before the Coming of the LORD and the hour of HIS Judgment.
Maybe in God-time, but in people time, it is slow. How long was God's Creation perfect? One day? Then how many years before he gave the Law to Moses? A couple of thousand? Then a couple more before he revealed the "true" plan of salvation with his Son Jesus. Now it's been a couple more thousand years of turmoil.
Why would he drag everything out so long? Didn't he prove himself to Noah's family? Didn't he demonstrate his power by destroying Sodom and Gomorrah? Didn't he prove he was real to the Egyptians and to the prophets of Baal? Why would people keep questioning his existence and refusing to follow his Laws?
The questions start right at the beginning, in Genesis. The story sounds mythical. The story sounds like a narrative told by some ancient story-teller. It doesn't sound like God, himself, dictated it to Moses. Plus, the stories are so similar to other creation stories, some of which predated it. I agree with Outhouse and others, that what we now know about biology, geology, astronomy and physics don't work with the explanations in Genesis.
Now, if you say it's a spiritual and religious story about a people trying to find their place in the universe, then it makes sense. They took myths from their neighboring tribes, fashioned them into something that could explain who they were and what was their place in the overall scheme of things, and then placed themselves in the center of God's plan. But, so did other people. I particularly like the Hopi's. They have end time prophecies also. And theirs are right on. They say we're all heading for disaster. You know what, I think that's a pretty safe bet. They said the Earth was destroyed several times, not just be flooding. Why aren't they right? I wonder what's their story of how the first man and woman came to be?
Ancient people told stories and tried to explain reality. Were any of them right? You say the Hebrews were right and all the rest wrong. Do you listen to the Hebrews today? No. Now you believe that even they're wrong, along with all of their other books and commentaries and explanations of their own Scriptures. That only the NT is right and how it explains the "OT". But, on top of that, only one interpretation of the NT is right, yours. But there's been many interpretations, and there's going to be many more. As things change, as we learn more and Christians have to adapt their beliefs into what we have come to know as true, they will re-interpret the Bible to fit.
With what we know right now, Genesis doesn't make literal sense to a lot of people, even some that consider themselves believers. I think it is important enough to question it. Because, if it's not literal, it's holding us all back from finding truth. However, if it is "The Truth", then it should pass the test of examination.
But, you know what, I'm happy in believing it is "The Truth" in a spiritual sense, as religious mythology. It teaches us spiritual truths, some still work, some need revising. But it was meant to hold a people together and give them something to believe in and give them hope and meaning in their lives. Just like all other religions do for their people. Why would one be better and more correct than another? Because they did work and they do work for the people that believe in them.
I don't think any of them are perfect. I think we can learn from them and grow, in a spiritual way, into something better than what we are. But then look at the bad that religion has brought. And look at those people that have abused their position of authority in religion. They have caused people to doubt and question and reject religion. Because of them, people have had to make laws limiting the power of religion. People have had to make laws that don't allow any one religion to have too much control.
So history has shown us, in a lot of ways, religion doesn't work. Of course it can, but it's too easily misused and manipulated. By who? By people claiming that they "know the truth" and that they "know what God wants" and that they "know the right way to interpret the Bible". Sorry, but I don't trust those kind of people. I don't think you are one of them, but, still, why is your interpretation the one right one?
