Christian Evolutionists: Why would god make a mythological book like genesis as account of the creation?

Question

This question is specifically for those that A) are christians and B) believe in evolution. If you are one of those Christians that wants to spam this saying how "fake" evolution is or not both A & B apply to you, please do not respond.

Answer 1

Well I am a Jewish evolutionist is that close enough?

The bible was written so that it could be understood by its own time. If you look at the references to Semitic culture they are all over the Bible.

As such to explain to a bunch of people living 3,500 years ago about a big bang, cosmic clouds forming, and evolution from simple to complex would be beyond the people of the time.

I think is important to point out that Genesis dose even point this out. You dont see poof and everything was created all at once.

Its gradual while still within the understanding of the time. First came light or energy then mass was formed. After that simple plant life developed. In the end fish animals then man was created.

while rough it dose fit generally within how science explains the origins of the Universe.

Answer 2

That's a loaded question but I'll do my best to answer. I'm sure I'm going to get a lot of criticism for my answer also.

I am a Christian and I believe the universe is as old as astronomers tell us 15 billion+ years.

The story in Genesis is recorded oral stories from a Bronze Age culture. It was not written by God but inspired by him. It includes mirror and similar stories of creation with other Mediterranean cultures.

Does this make God less? No, absolutely not, it makes the concept even greater than anything I can hope to imagine. I do know that ours is a loving God who does speak to us, we only have to listen. Any entity that can create a universe as expansive as this one can surely make a virgin conceive. What's more wonderful is that as we have matured both physically and culturally the truths he has laid before us are as pertinent as ever.

Why God chose to reveal himself to us through his son when he did I can not fathom a guess. I am happy he did, and I am happy to know a small fraction of some truths he has shown us. To ignore some of his facts because they may make him appear less is as great a heresy as to deny him at all.

Faith sustains me in my life and faith in God sustains me for the next life. I don't think I am less of a soul because physiologically I'm an ape. God put me here now for a reason, I don't always know that reason always but I know it to be true.

Answer 3

The book of Genesis was written by the Hebrews while they were in captivity by the Babylonians (after 575 bc) and being indoctrinated to the Babylonian pagan ways and their story of faith -- The Epic of Gilgamesh. So they took the polytheistic story of Gilgamesh and wrote the creation stories and the flood story to contradict the pagan's multigod theology with the Hebrew's monotheistic theology that pointed towards their god -- Yawheh. Thus, the book of Genesis was never written as a literal story but rather a story of their faith in the one God of Israel, which contradicted their captures beliefs.

Answer 4

God didn't make Genesis, it was Man who wrote it down as a bronze-age interpretation of the beginning of time. It does, though, follow the evolutionary pattern, in terms of what was created when, but the time frame is off.
While the book may not be historically accurate, the moral teachings are invaluable.

Answer 5

Because it's not a mythological book.
Do you call it such because you do not understand it?
It's a deep study and is an integral part of the whole.
You can learn something new every time you study it.
What parts don't you understand?

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Answer 6

This is a great essay by an OT scholar on a non-literal reading of Genesis 1.

http://www.asa3.org/ASA/resources/WTJ/WTJ58Kline.html

Answer 7

No myth--hon. You just WISH it were.

We know you want to be your own king. IT WON'T WORK!!!