Adam and Eve didnt have a childhood

[Paul_theApostle]

Is it correct to say that Adam and Eve didnt have a Childhood like we have had?

They were never like small babies or young children.

Although they were created as adults ,did they have minds like children or were they like children spiritually?

Even Christ was born and grew up from being a baby,i find it odd that Adam/Eve never were babies or never had a childhood.

 

[philial]

Children need adults to look after them. There were no other people around at the time. But they had innocence, which, I guess, would have made them very child-like - perhaps full of wonder and awe at all they saw? On a constant learning curve? Who knows, but then they ‘grew up’, and the rest is history!

Of course, that’s only if you take Genesis literally, though, I guess, there’s an argument that A & E would have existed somewhere at some time, so even a mythological Genesis is as good a way of conveying truths about ourselves as any! Which, of course, is not the point, so, to continue…

Perhaps the best hint at how A & E may have been is Jesus’ open & protective attitude to children. He understiood their simple innocence, and responded to it with His own.

 

[wardrandolph]

They were inocent untill they chose to disobey God.They did’nt have belly buttons either

 

[Petergee]

there’s an argument that A & E would have existed somewhere at some time, so even a mythological Genesis is as good a way of conveying truths about ourselves as any!

If you’re a Catholic, it’s more than “an argument”, it’s a doctrine of the Faith that Adam and Eve were real people who really existed, not myths.

To answer the OP, the Church does not specifically require us to believe that Adam and Eve were never children. As Pius XII taught in Humani Generis, It’s quite possible for a Catholic to believe that they were the offspring of some sub-human species of animal through which God created Adam’s and Eve’s bodies, and He infused Adam and Eve with immortal souls, making them human.

 

[GEddie]

They may always have had full-sized bodies, but they were childlike of mind, at least initially.

ICXC NIKA

 

[philial]

If you’re a Catholic, it’s more than “an argument”, it’s a doctrine of the Faith that Adam and Eve were real people who really existed, not myths.
.

Just to distort the OP further… Might I suggest we do not over-react to the term ‘mythology’ . There’s no suggestion the term means a lie or untruth. Rather, it is a means of interpreting events we know little about, but are common to the whole of humanity. So, the fact that A & E existed ‘somewhere, sometime’ may be true. The fact that they lost their innocence may be true. But, whether they existed exactly as Genesis states is not known. And, quite frankly, doesn’t matter, because Genesis is not intended to be a history lesson, but a conveyance of certain, central truths - God’s in charge, created everything, etc, and mankind is a weak, responsibility avoiding race of sinners!

May I suggest a search under the term biblical (or christian) mythology - might help calm the fears…

 

[Petergee]

Just to distort the OP further… Might I suggest we do not over-react to the term ‘mythology’ . There’s no suggestion the term means a lie or untruth. Rather, it is a means of interpreting events we know little about, but are common to the whole of humanity.

Who’s overreacting? Not I. I am perfectly well aware of the meaning iof the word mythology thank you.

So, the fact that A & E existed ‘somewhere, sometime’ may be true.

The Church says that Catholics are obliged to belive that it is true.

. The fact that they lost their innocence may be true.

The Church says that Catholics are obliged to belive that it is true. No maybes about it.

But, whether they existed exactly as Genesis states is not known.

Either they existed or they didn’t. A man can’t exist merely “in a way”. If you mean whether everything that is said about Adam and Eve in Genesis is literally true, well of course it’s not. Nobody believes that except fundamentalist protestants.

And, quite frankly, doesn’t matter, because Genesis is not intended to be a history lesson, but a conveyance of certain, central truths - God’s in charge, created everything, etc, and mankind is a weak, responsibility avoiding race of sinners!

Genesis is about a heck of a lot more than just that.

May I suggest a search under the term biblical (or christian) mythology - might help calm the fears…

Thank you but I don’t have any fears.

 

[Paul_theApostle]

everytime i see questions/posts about Adam and Eve ,the threads end up being arguements about whether they really existed or not…

 

[GEddie]

That’s inevitable, given we know so little about them.

 

[Paul_theApostle]

I dont get how people call themselves or who are supposed to be Christians deny that they existed

and the threads are questions about them,not whether they existed or not

like the masturbation topic also,people butt in and say its not a sin etc and preach that there is nothing wrong with it etc

 

[Petergee]

That’s inevitable, given we know so little about them.

But you do know, as you profess to be a Catholic, that they really existed; that all men are descended from them; and that they committed a sin of pride and disobedience against God, the guilt and effects of which they have passed down to all of their descendants (save only the BVM and our Lord).

 

[razredge]

See we avoid all these issues and inane questions by simply realising that Adam & Eve did not exist

 

[Paul_theApostle]

See we avoid all these issues and inane questions by simply realising that Adam & Eve did not exist

Id rather believe in the Gospel according to Luke then the gospel of non believers here

perhaps if you wrote the Gospel it would say…the son of Enos ,the son of Seth,the son of a gorilla?

Luke 3
23 And Jesus himself, when he began to teach, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as o teach, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli,
24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph,
25 the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai,
26 the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda,
27 the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri,
28 the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er,
29 the son of Jesus, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi,
30 the son of Symeon, the son of Judas, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim,
31 the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David,
32 the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon,
33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah,
34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,
35 the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah,
36 the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shon of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,
37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan,
38 the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

 

[GEddie]

But you do know, as you profess to be a Catholic, that they really existed; that all men are descended from them; and that they committed a sin of pride and disobedience against God, the guilt and effects of which they have passed down to all of their descendants (save only the BVM and our Lord).

Sure, I’m good with all of that.

We stll know very little about their life other than their wardrobe

 

[Benadam]

Our Original state enjoyed the service of the powers of nature.

Being that the human pairbond for reproductive purposes funtions to create a safe environment to raise young, the order of human life before sin didn’t include a need for that funtion.

In effect the maternal environment as we now concieve it, childhood ie; a place and time free of care to aquire the skills to survive as adults doesn’t exist before sin.

 

[Petergee]

See we avoid all these issues and inane questions by simply realising that Adam & Eve did not exist

Who’s “we”?

You describe yourself as a Catholic. The Church teaches (e.g. CCC 375) that to be a Catholic means to believe that Adam and Eve existed.