I have another couple of dumb questions

[cmac2]

So, here’s another dumb question. I’ve been struggling with the concept of original sin and how it might be effected by evolution. I’m not a very scientific minded-person by nature, but I do believe that at some put God made man through evolution. Perhaps. I know that much of Genesis, especially the first 11 chapters, have very figurative language. It’s history wrapped in figures. I could be wrong as I am very bible illiterate.
Original sin is contingent on two people in a garden making a very bad decision. These are the only two people on the planet. If Adam and Eve evolved from more primitive species, then where does Original Sin come from? Does it arrive after Adam and Eve eat the fruit of good and evil or was it there before? Did the proto-humans of evolution gain souls when God breathed life into Adam? The whole reason why we would need a spiritual mother (Mary) who is a perpetual virgin to give birth to a son (Jesus) who would make up for the grave disobedience is because of original sin, something our first parents committed. Right? I can’t seem to wrap my head around how original sin and evolution can fit inside the same box. The more I try to think about it, the more confused I get.
Also, this is really more of a commentary than a question while I’ve Genesis on my mind. Has anyone else noticed how the names of Adam and Eve mean ‘earth’ and ‘life’ (respectively) and how ‘life’ is taken out of ‘earth?’ Does that make the first couple chapters more symbolic or am I thinking too hard again?

 

[QwertyGirl]

You are better off accepting the Adam and Eve story as an allegory.

 

[TheShieldmaiden]

If you understand the Portuguese language, I would recommend the tale "Adam and Eve in Paradise by Eça de Queiroz. He was a Portuguese author from the 19th century who dealt with the same doubt during his life due to his upbringing in a religious family, followed by a secular education in Coimbra. Either way, here’s a link to the full book so you can try reading it or use an automatic translator:

Contos by Eça de Queirós

Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by volunteers.

www.gutenberg.org

In my understanding Genesis might be an allegory, yes. Souls came from the development of the mental facilities as mankind stopped being primitive and evolved into sentience, receiving souls. The Original Sin could be related to mankind, in it’s ignorance, having followed Satan’s council in the ages when they still could hear God’s voice within.

 

[TK421]

You should probably just read some books targeted on this subject since it seems to interest you enough, but here are a few things:

A) Simply put: Genesis is a little bit like Revelation in that you’re not necessarily going to find a perfectly satisfying explanation to every question.

B ) The Bible can be like an onion and there isn’t (and probably isn’t) just one interpretation to a text. Many, many insights can be drawn from one passage. So Adam and Eve can simultaneously refer to both a literal Adam & Eve and at the same time refer to something more abstract. It is not either or. Adam & Eve were real people that lived at some point and they are praying for us and loving us, but of course evolution and the age of the universe are also totally indisputable.

C) We don’t know at what point proto-humans became creatures with rational souls.

D) God transcends time and he does a lot of stuff in advance. So with the destiny of mankind being to fall and then to rise through his grace, the universe was created in such a way to correspond with it. As far as Adam & Eve’s sin: it would have happened if I were Adam also, or if anybody else was in their shoes.

 

[jimXroberts]

Adam means “the man”. Eve means “living”. They are allegories for mankind and life. It’s a little odd that Genesis has life coming from mankind rather than the other way around. “Original sin” is a concept that is far too complicated to put in a forum answer. It is to do with mankind’s inclination to evil and the need for redemption.

 

[EndTimes]

Original Sin is an essentiality for the validity of the OT and NT aka Sacred Scriptures
of which for starters, Jesus Christ / Christianity – sits squarely upon. .

For more understanding of the Church’s POV on that question,
Refer to Humani Generis by Pope Pius XII

ENCYCLICAL HUMANI GENERIS CONCERNING SOME FALSE OPINIONS THREATENING TO UNDERMINE THE FOUNDATIONS OF CATHOLIC DOCTRINE

http://w2.vatican.va/content/pius-x...nts/hf_p-xii_enc_12081950_humani-generis.html

 

[Anrakyr]

Original sin is contingent on two people in a garden making a very bad decision.

Adam and Eve gave up on an inheritance and divine state. So like your current parents getting written out of a will by extension so were you.

These are the only two people on the planet.

We don’t know that.

Does it arrive after Adam and Eve eat the fruit of good and evil or was it there before?

After.

Did the proto-humans of evolution gain souls when God breathed life into Adam?

That’s more or less what people accept.

Does that make the first couple chapters more symbolic

That’s the general consensus.

 

[Mintaka]

Remember, “symbolic” doesn’t mean “did not happen.”

God is perfectly capable of working with free-willed human beings, in history, and letting symbolism arise from both their free actions, and the way they are recorded and remembered.

(And in the same way, God was able and willing to “foreshadow” and prophesy the historical actions of Jesus in various ways, through the free-willed actions of both good and bad human beings, and how their story was recorded in the OT Bible. God is pretty good at this stuff.)

 

[De_Maria]

So, here’s another dumb question. I’ve been struggling with the concept of original sin and how it might be effected by evolution.

I’ll give you my opinion. I believe it is in line with Catholic Teaching. If you find that it isn’t, disregard.

I’m not a very scientific minded-person by nature, but I do believe that at some put God made man through evolution. Perhaps. I know that much of Genesis, especially the first 11 chapters, have very figurative language. It’s history wrapped in figures. I could be wrong as I am very bible illiterate.
Original sin is contingent on two people in a garden making a very bad decision. These are the only two people on the planet. If Adam and Eve evolved from more primitive species, then where does Original Sin come from?

I’m not sure what you mean. Let me rephrase.

Where does original sin come from? Original sin basically means, “the first sin”.
What caused the first sin? Disobedience to God’s command.
Why did they disobey? They were tempted to do so by Satan.

Does it arrive after Adam and Eve eat the fruit of good and evil or was it there before?

No, they were created in Original Justice and Righteousness. They were pristine. No sin on their souls.

Did the proto-humans of evolution gain souls when God breathed life into Adam?

No. Adam and Eve gained souls when God breathed life into them.

The proto-humans of evolution, had spirits of animals. They were animals.

The whole reason why we would need a spiritual mother (Mary) who is a perpetual virgin to give birth to a son (Jesus) who would make up for the grave disobedience is because of original sin, something our first parents committed. Right?

I think so. But I think you’ve complicated the matter. The sole reason God became man is to reverse the consequences of the disobedience of Adam.

I can’t seem to wrap my head around how original sin and evolution can fit inside the same box.

I hope my responses have helped.

The more I try to think about it, the more confused I get.
Also, this is really more of a commentary than a question while I’ve Genesis on my mind. Has anyone else noticed how the names of Adam and Eve mean ‘earth’ and ‘life’ (respectively) and how ‘life’ is taken out of ‘earth?’ Does that make the first couple chapters more symbolic or am I thinking too hard again?

I was told that Adam meant “man” and Eve meant “life”.

You’re not thinking too hard. It’s good that you’re thinking about these things. Remember to always obey and submit to Catholic Teaching. But where Catholic Teaching has not specifically addressed the issue, we are free to speculate.

But, when the Church has addressed the issue, be prepared to drop all your theories and obey the Church.

Good questions. Keep them coming.

 

[Dovekin]

this is really more of a commentary than a question while I’ve Genesis on my mind. Has anyone else noticed how the names of Adam and Eve mean ‘earth’ and ‘life’ (respectively) and how ‘life’ is taken out of ‘earth?’ Does that make the first couple chapters more symbolic or am I thinking too hard again?

Adam does mean clay, dirt, mud, earth. It can mean a person, or all people. Sometimes ir can mean a man, or male persons, but there is another word for that. Of course, English has its own problems distinguishing person and man that confuses translations.

Eve is about life, and she is the mother of all the living. The story uses figurative language through and through, because figurative language is all we have. All language uses metaphors and imagery to convey new ideas to people. Our task isto figure out how the symbols are being used and what they are intended to say. Earth and life say something about our origins, but also about our own selves, composed of earth and what makes us alive, our bodies and our souls.

 

[Mishakel]

Jesus believed in Adam and Eve and said they were the beginning. He believed in Abel being killed by Cain and all the other OT prophets.

God didn’t leave the creation of you to chance.