Is the Genesis creation story a Sumerian ripoff?

[buffalo]

Spyder1jcd:

I have always wondered where the idea of divine inspiration came from. It is one thing to believe that the prophets such as Isaiah actually had visions from God. That appears to be true, as evidenced by the events of the New Testament. It is another to believe that God actually told someone that this was how the earth was made and this was how man was made and so on and so forth. It seems more believable to me that the creation, the great flood, and the tower of Babel, among other things, are just myths written by earlier Jewish writers to try to demystify God and to give a concrete feel to His whole existence. For instance, the story of the flood seems to suggest that God actually made a mistake and eventually apologized to humanity. Can we really believe that God acted so hastily as to wipe out His wicked children when in the New Testament He is seen as so forgiving and loving? Doesn’t a story like that suggest that God isn’t so tolerant of His children after all?

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[Gottle_of_Geer]

redhen:

Hmm maybe it’s just me then, but when I first read the similarities in the two accounts it was clear that one was plagarized from the other.

Gen 1

1. Divine spirit created by word all matter but is independent of it
2. earth is desolate with darkness over the deep
3. 1st day: light
4. 2nd day: sky dome
5. 3rd day: dry land
6. 4th day: heaven lights
7. 6th day: creation of humans
8. 7th day: God rests and sanctifies sabbath

Enuma Elish

1. Divine spirits and cosmic matters coexist

This completely overlooks the minor detail that Genesis 1 knows of only one God, whereas the seven tablets of the Marduk poem (which is in effect what it is) mention several hundred, even thoough only about a dozen play any great part.​

And there is only very doubtfully pre-existent matter in Genesis 1.

Another detail - the building of Marduk’s holy place in Babylon, and of the city itself, receives a good deal of attention; there is no such content in Genesis. ##

1. primeval chaos; war of gods against Tiamat (the deep sea)

The God of Genesis creates by speech (a very ancient idea) - there is no war; He has nothing to fight.​

1. light emanates from the gods
2. creation of firmament (dome)
3. creation of dry land
4. creation of heavenly lights
5. creation of humans
6. the gods rest and celebrate with a banquet

Atheists delight in highlighting these similarites
anatheist.com/Articles/history_creation1.html

Similarity in form, may - or may not - go along with similarity in content. And even when two texts are similar in both form and content, that may - or may not - go with similarity in significance.​

IOW - they don’t always go together.

ANE literature is never something to be afraid of - it can greatly enrich our understanding of revelation, the Bible, and God, if we allow it to; it is not ANE literature that is a threat to faith, or a “bad thing”, but the way in which it is used or understood. It can help to undermine faith - or it can help to re-inforce it.

As for the similarities quoted above - a lot depends on which parts of the two texts one emphasises.

What point 7 omits to mention, is the great difference in the status of man in the two texts:

• In the Enuma elish, he is made from the blood of an executed god, to be a slave for the gods so that they won’t have to work any longer, so that they can rest
• In Genesis, he is made in the likeness of the only God, to work, but not to be a slave - because God is not that sort of god; He frees slaves - He does not bring into slavery. And he is created good, and is blessed with the rest of creation; he is not a makeshift devised to save gods from having to work.

So there is similarity - but difference as well. That’s a very good example of difference in significance going with a certain similarity of form and content.

Have a look at: hope.edu/bandstra/RTOT/CH1/CH1_1A3C.HTM

“According to this account, before heaven and earth were formed there were two vast bodies of water. The male freshwater ocean was called Apsu and the female saltwater ocean was called Tiamat. Through the fusion of their waters successive generations of gods came into being. As in the Genesis 1 story, water is the primeval element, but here it is identified with the gods, who have unmistakable gender.
Younger gods were created through sexual union. These younger, noisy gods disturbed the tranquillity of Apsu, so Apsu devised a plan to dispose of them. The wisest younger god, Ea, found out about the plan and killed Apsu. To avenge her husband Tiamat decided to do away with the younger gods with the help of her henchman Kingu.”

To be exact - younger generations of gods. Kingu - better, Qingu - is the god from whose blood man is made.

Here is a translation: geocities.com/spenta_mainyu/EnuEltext.htm?20064

 

[Seamus_Sully]

Social science history is written by human beings.

Biblical history is inspired by the Holy Spirit.

I think another way of saying the same idea, biblical history is salvation history.

The Old and New Testaments are salvation history. Adam and Eve, Noah and family, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph are salvation history.

They must be read and understood through Jesus Christ.