Genesis Myth?

[YosefYosep]

Why does Genesis seem to have some mythical properties to it? Particularly the creation story? I have been reading some Genesis, and a lot of it seems like tall tales. I understand that some people interpret it differently, such as the world being created in 6 ages rather than 6 days. Why would God tell us 6 days and not 6 ages though? Why not tell it as it is?

 

[Iron_Donkey]

Why does Genesis seem to have some mythical properties to it? Particularly the creation story? I have been reading some Genesis, and a lot of it seems like tall tales. I understand that some people interpret it differently, such as the world being created in 6 ages rather than 6 days. Why would God tell us 6 days and not 6 ages though? Why not tell it as it is?

Hi, welcome to CAF.

This is a highly debated subject around here. Let me start by saying that either interpretation is acceptable, either as literal or non-literal.

If the non-literal interpretation is correct, then the answer to your question would be that He didn’t tell us 6 days, but rather inspired a story a long time ago that was at that time understood not to be literal, and used the “days” terminology to indicate that the world was created in an ordered way.

Genesis stands in stark contrast with the other creation stories of the time. Most other religions were saying that the world was made out of the dead body of some god or other after some other gods killed him. Those stories represent creation as chaotic and violent in its most fundamental nature.

Genesis on the other hand says that creation was done ex nihlio, in an ordered and peaceful way, and that all things are good (although after the fall, damaged). It is this distinction (and other points) that are being highlighted.

Of course if Genesis is in fact literal (I personally think it is not, but again, either position is acceptable within the Church), then it says 6 days because it’s 6 days.

 

[Rolltide]

Why does Genesis seem to have some mythical properties to it? Particularly the creation story? I have been reading some Genesis, and a lot of it seems like tall tales. I understand that some people interpret it differently, such as the world being created in 6 ages rather than 6 days. Why would God tell us 6 days and not 6 ages though? Why not tell it as it is?

Also keep in mind that God was telling this story to people who lived about 4000 years ago. Their understanding of how the world worked was almost nil. For those who believe in a non-literal interpretation of Genesis, they see it as more of a parable. No one would have understood “In the beginning, there was a cosmological Big Bang, and God created the universe in a single act of creation at about 50 million degrees, and atomic structure started to coalesce… etc.” The story simplifies it as a metaphor in a way that people who were just developing civilization could have comprehended.

Of course, it is also allowed by the church to interpret the story literally, if one so chooses.

 

[ProdglArchitect]

Why does Genesis seem to have some mythical properties to it? Particularly the creation story? I have been reading some Genesis, and a lot of it seems like tall tales. I understand that some people interpret it differently, such as the world being created in 6 ages rather than 6 days. Why would God tell us 6 days and not 6 ages though? Why not tell it as it is?

The Bible describes the creation story as it does in order that man should understand the nature of God’s creation, not the specific mechanics of how that creation occurred. The Bible’s purpose is to reveal God to us, not to tell us how he works. As a result, in writing it, language was used which conveyed the power of God, rather than the minutia of how he developed everything.

That, and try explaining scientific stuff like the formation process of a galaxy, planet, life, etc. to someone, even an educated person. It’s very difficult. Now try explaining it to ancient men, who couldn’t even begin to comprehend it… this is a another major reason.

 

[jonathan_hili]

Why does Genesis seem to have some mythical properties to it? Particularly the creation story? I have been reading some Genesis, and a lot of it seems like tall tales. I understand that some people interpret it differently, such as the world being created in 6 ages rather than 6 days. Why would God tell us 6 days and not 6 ages though? Why not tell it as it is?

Hi Yosef, what Iron Donkey was saying is right. In fact, Genesis is written as a kind of polemic against the creation stories of the Ancient Near East, especially Babylon’s. In particular, in these stories people are created by the gods to serve them and basically amuse them; the gods themselves are generally immoral beings; and many are deified objects, like the sun. Genesis, on the other hand, is stating quite definitively that God made humanity out of His goodness, and that He actually serves human beings, providing for them; He is a good and moral being; and the stars and other celestial objects are merely His creations. Thus, Genesis posits the one Almighty God against these false gods.

Also, the language in Genesis is essentially poetry and you can recognise a lot of poetic devices used in the first few chapters. I think the whole talk of “six ages” or “six days” is missing the mark - its not supposed to be an accurate scientific account but rather a theological one. It certainly contains truth about God, our creation and our first parents, but don’t expect to go back in time and discover a fig life with Adam’s signature.

 

[aidanbradypop]

A wiseman told me once that all Myth was born of a Truth.

 

[Steve_Jay]

Hello,
if I may.

I think (Note “I think” God might know otherwise) the purpose was to give an account that was easy enough for mankind to understand. Mankind didn’t really understand science. A good example might be in the fall of mankind. Adam and eve sinned and the rest of creation suffered. Adam and Eve were told they would die. How could they have had a concept of death? They could have if nature was already dying. God knew before the fall and may have created the animals etc accordingly.
If the book of Genesis had said that the fruit will poison the blood and it will carry in to the dna to pass on to the descendants, then who until more modern times would have understood a word of it? DNA? That means “Don’t no anyfink”
God later gave the Ten Commandments and made one of them the Sabbath day. “Keep Holy the next ten thousand years because that’s how long it took me to rest.” A day symbolic of ten thousand years made easy to understand at the very beginning. God knew at the beginning he would be making a Commandment “Keep Holy the Sabbath day.”

I think so anyway.

 

[PennyinCanada]

The idea of God working 6 days and resting on the 7th is recorded in such a way so that we would also work 6 days and rest on the 7th. (I think it’s nice to read it like a child going with dad to his workplace. What on earth would God consider ‘work’??? lol ) It’s not meant to be scientific explanation. Being the children of God, we follow His example. Regardless if it’s ‘tall tales’, it doesn’t mean that God wasn’t in the center of creation.

When society is pushing more and more for people to work 7 days a week, it coincides with pushing God more and more out of our lives. When we chose to rest on the 7th day and honor God in this way, we are choosing to be a child of God and to receive His blessing. (Obviously doctors, nurses, emergency response do not rest, but rather rest from ‘non-essentials’.)

 

[Jeanne_S]

The idea of God working 6 days and resting on the 7th is recorded in such a way so that we would also work 6 days and rest on the 7th. It’s not meant to be scientific explanation. Being the children of God, we follow His example.

When society is pushing more and more for people to work 7 days a week, it coincides with pushing God more and more out of our lives.

 

[Birdpreacher]

Even in most conservative interpretations of genesis it is viewed as a creation myth.

 

[edwest2]

Also keep in mind that God was telling this story to people who lived about 4000 years ago. Their understanding of how the world worked was almost nil. For those who believe in a non-literal interpretation of Genesis, they see it as more of a parable. No one would have understood “In the beginning, there was a cosmological Big Bang, and God created the universe in a single act of creation at about 50 million degrees, and atomic structure started to coalesce… etc.” The story simplifies it as a metaphor in a way that people who were just developing civilization could have comprehended.

Of course, it is also allowed by the church to interpret the story literally, if one so chooses.

Incorrect. God was telling people what He knew and could have easily added technical details in simplified form.

"The Time Question

Much less has been defined as to when the universe, life, and man appeared. The Church has infallibly determined that the universe is of finite age—that it has not existed from all eternity—but it has not infallibly defined whether the world was created only a few thousand years ago or whether it was created several billion years ago."

"Real History

"The argument is that all of this is real history, it is simply ordered topically rather than chronologically, and the ancient audience of Genesis, it is argued, would have understood it as such.

"Even if Genesis 1 records God’s work in a topical fashion, it still records God’s work—things God really did.

"The Catechism explains that “Scripture presents the work of the Creator symbolically as a succession of six days of divine ‘work,’ concluded by the ‘rest’ of the seventh day” (CCC 337), but “nothing exists that does not owe its existence to God the Creator. The world began when God’s word drew it out of nothingness; all existent beings, all of nature, and all human history is rooted in this primordial event, the very genesis by which the world was constituted and time begun” (CCC 338).

“It is impossible to dismiss the events of Genesis 1 as a mere legend. They are accounts of real history, even if they are told in a style of historical writing that Westerners do not typically use.”

Source: Catholic Answers library

Peace,
Ed

 

[aprilfloyd]

Also keep in mind that God was telling this story to people who lived about 4000 years ago.

What is God saying today about this?

 

[grannymh]

Even in most conservative interpretations of genesis it is viewed as a creation myth.

While not exactly a “Catch 22” there is a “catch” (a tricky or previously unsuspected condition or drawback) in the Creation account in the first three chapters of Genesis.

The posts in this thread are excellent in their approaches to the “six days” account in Genesis, chapter 1. The catch is that there is the additional account of human creation, Genesis 1: 26 and following. This account is specifically addressed in another thread, “Should Catholic apologists teach the reality of Adam & Eve?”
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=721102

Information is provided above in order to not derail this thread.

 

[Steveabrous]

Incorrect.
Ed

Really!!! Really!! Incorrect is a bold statement to accuse someone of on a subject that has been debated for centuries and the church has left the door wide open for belief.

I don’t believe this poster was saying God didn’t do what he says he did.
Also what the poster said did not contradict the Catechism quotes you gave. They may have contradicted the beliefs of the author of the Catholic answers article. But that article is not infalible.

I’m beginning to think there are people out there who browse this forum looking for someone to pounce on. I have seen this happen a lot on this forum, and it’s very disturbing.

 

[edwest2]

Really!!! Really!! Incorrect is a bold statement to accuse someone of on a subject that has been debated for centuries and the church has left the door wide open for belief.

I don’t believe this poster was saying God didn’t do what he says he did.
Also what the poster said did not contradict the Catechism quotes you gave. They may have contradicted the beliefs of the author of the Catholic answers article. But that article is not infalible.

I’m beginning to think there are people out there who browse this forum looking for someone to pounce on. I have seen this happen a lot on this forum, and it’s very disturbing.

Uh, why don’t you let the other poster respond instead of posting for him? No offense was meant.

 

[Della]

What is God saying today about this?

The same as he did to the Patriarchs, the Prophets, and the Apostles–that he, God, is the Creator of all that exists, that he created man in his image, that man fell from grace through disobedience, that we, the descendants of Adam and Eve, because of their fall, have lost the graces, and thus the relationship with God, we would have had, which Christ restored to us through his life, death, and resurrection. What more do we really need to know?

 

[tabycat]

Six days or six ages, 10,000 years or 14 billion years (4.5 billion for earth), one thing to remember is that the Bible telles had to go to heaven, not how the heavens go.

 

[YosefYosep]

Wow guys these are amazing responses! Thanks, they’re really helping me to widen my view on Genesis. I’m still having trouble though. I mean how does Genesis separate itself from the myths and legends of its time. There’s people who live to 900 years old, talking animals, magical trees. I’m having a hard time believing that God decided to speak poetically and symbolically about one of his most critical messages to mankind.

 

[grannymh]

Wow guys these are amazing responses! Thanks, they’re really helping me to widen my view on Genesis. I’m still having trouble though. I mean how does Genesis separate itself from the myths and legends of its time. There’s people who live to 900 years old, talking animals, magical trees. I’m having a hard time believing that God decided to speak poetically and symbolically about one of his most critical messages to mankind.

It is the Catholic Church which discerns the Divine Truths about Adam, etc., This was done under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. (Source: Chapter 14, Gospel of John)

 

[PJM]

=YosefYosep;10473470]Why does Genesis seem to have some mythical properties to it? Particularly the creation story? I have been reading some Genesis, and a lot of it seems like tall tales. I understand that some people interpret it differently, such as the world being created in 6 ages rather than 6 days. Why would God tell us 6 days and not 6 ages though? Why not tell it as it is?

This my freind is a excellent example of why One NEEDS [absolutely] a trained and God GUIDED person to explain the bible.

Rom.10: 17 “So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes by the preaching of Christ”

John.14: 26 “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”

Parts of Genisis are factual: Adam, Eve and and their fall from Grace.

The Creation story is true in that it recounts that GOD CREATED EVERYTHING OUT OF NOTHING… that friend is the LESSON God desires we understand. Time does not and HAS NEVER existed for God for whom EVERYTHING is “present” [as in right now].

What is “an age” compared to “a day”? Both are vague term telling a reality; a truth but not factually froma time standpoint necessarily. God WILLED into exostence the Universe. It couls have been in seconds?