Why aren't Catholics permitted to believe in polygenism? I don't believe polygenism poses any serious problem to the doctrine of Original Sin: A group of early humans are given a soul, worship God, then reject God and do their own thing, and this is the Fall of Man. How does that interfere with Original Sin in an allegorical reading of Genesis?
2006-10-30 23:57:00 · 4 answers · asked by Nowhere Man 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Uh, it's a scientific term, if you didn't know. It means the human species is descended from a group of humans, rather than one pair (such as Adam and Eve), which is monogenism.
2006-10-31 00:01:28 · update #1
Where did you hear of the term polygenism???????
OK, the old Scopes trial debate, right? I suppose some people say the Bible is literal and others believe in science and Darwin.
Does this effect us today? Should kids be taught polygenisis or Genesis???? Why not teach both and let them decide?
2006-10-30 23:59:30 · answer #1 · answered by jsb3t 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is no basis for considering Genesis allegory and it does destroy original sin. The Bible teaches one man Adam as the federal head of all and in like manner it teaches Christ as the last Adam a federal Head of all those who are saved form Adams fall. The entire doctrine of substitutinary atonement then is attacked.
2006-10-31 08:05:05 · answer #2 · answered by beek 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You can read just about anything you want into the Bible. Nobody, in fact, really takes the Bible literally, even if they claim to. So, they pick and choose what parts they really follow.
One thing that humans don't lack is the ability to rationalize away any contradictions if they want to believe something strongly enough.
2006-10-31 08:01:06 · answer #3 · answered by nondescript 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I always believed that. After all, Cain's wife had to come from somewhere.
2006-10-31 08:27:50 · answer #4 · answered by sister steph 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋