Adam and Eve??

Please don't start worrying away at a story that was never meant to be taken literally. These old testament myths evolved as a way of explaining the inexplicable to naive and uneducated folk. Creation stories appear in all world religions. The stories 'explaining' the rainbow are particularly fascinating.

As there originally was only Adam and Eve, Cain married his sister, but they were all perfect beings, so this was not a problem!... apparently?

I understood from my religious tutors that this was a representational tale about the story of mankind as a whole.

lol ohh noo I am not worrying...lol.it was just something I heard on the radio this week.

Didn't mean worrying about - meant worrying away at - ie picking apart and teasing out detail. I agree with susiecb these stories are symbolic and not to be taken literally.

Trouble is, some do take them literally. Well, they cherry pick the bits that suit their own agendas and prejudices.

Everybody who uses the bible cherry picks. There are a lot of really revolting stories in that book which, thankfully, one doesn't hear about much.

Precisely, baggy. Equally true of the Koran - we all pick out the bits to suit our argument at the time and to try to demolish the argument of the 'other side'!

Equally, God is said to have put a mark on Cain after he murdered his brother Abel to prevent anyone from murdering him when he was sent to the land of Nod. Who else was there to murder him? Obviously the author(s) of Genesis didn't think little details – wives, potential murderers – mattered much in the grand scheme of creation. Perhaps if they had known about the people who believe all this literally all these centuries later, they might have polished their narrative technique a bit more.

bikergran Cain killed Abel, but there was a third son as well – Seth. Both of them fathered a line of incredibly long-lived descendants, according to the Book of Genesis – Noah (of Ark fame) being the great great great great great great grandson of Seth. If there were sisters in any family, including Adam's and Jesus's, they don't get a name check in the Bible, only the brothers.

In short, then, not a good book. Not one you'd recommend to feminists.

Some feisty women in the bible though. Take Judith, a young married Jewess. Her fellow Jews were making no progress repelling the invading armies of Nebuchadnezzar, led by the general Holofernes. Judith , accompanied only by her maid, visited Holofernes in his tent. She discussed theology and politics with him for three days, leaving respectably at night and eating her own kosher food and wine, while Holofernes grew more and more enamoured. The fourth night she agreed to feast with him, and sleep in his tent. She plied him with wine until he fell into a drunken stupor, and she and her maid cut off his head with his own sword. Then they left the camp quietly and took word to their own military leader, who attacked at dawn. Holofernes' troops were so demoralised when they found him slain that they capitulated at once

They don't tell you that one in Sunday School.

I think part of the mystique is that no-one knows if there were authors as such of Genesis. Much of what we can read would have to be classed as myth and includes stories handed down by word of mouth through generations.

Myth and legend is what it is. All of it.

The question about Adam and Eve has confused people for many years As it has been previously mentioned, it is not meant to be taken literally. The word EVE isn't a single women, it is Women and the word Adam is not meant as a Man, but Men. Most of the Bible has been misunderstood because of translation. If you Read Adam as men and Eve as Women, it then makes sense. To read the bible takes a lot of seeing beneath the words you are reading. I was told by a great scholar, a lady Physicist who became a priest and then went to teach in a University, Science and religion do go hand in hand when explained by an expert. God created the Cosmos.

As a Christian, I would normally get more involved, but the thread is ten years old!

I find it really interesting that so many old threads are being dug up at the moment !

Probably because people like me - unused to Gransnet and newbies - comment on them having failed to notice THE DATE ?

Elegran loving your Biblical story of Judith, inspiring and powerful. Is it the stories themselves their literal interpretation, or whether they are fables mythologies or holy inspiration that’s important, or is it the meaning we choose to abstract from them, and so better understand our selves and others.

Bikergran, it is a pity the old lady does not extract some useful theme from the story in Genesis, instead of thinking of the story as historical fact.

I wonder is she has been taught every story in The Bible is historical fact.

Lillian, your informant was mistaken, God did not create the Cosmos; God is the Cosmos.

Caleo

Lillian, your informant was mistaken, God did not create the Cosmos; God is the Cosmos.

Old post but happy to respond if people are still interested.
Very first line of The Bible says " In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth". I think this means not just the physical universe but also the spiritual domains - He isn't 'the cosmos' (God in us). He is outside of His creation.

As a Christian I have to believe in the literal tale of Adam being created from dust with Eve created from Adam. They sinned and so are their descendants are in sin - separated from God (i.e. we no longer can 'know' him). The Bible also calls Jesus a 'second Adam' - we can be re-born through Jesus to know God. Basis of Christianity.

As for Cain's wife - Adam and Eve had other children, the Bible mentions Seth. I heard say their children were close to 'perfection' (newly created) so they could bear children without blemish. There is an ancient 'Book of Adam and Eve' that recalls them having 75 children but I don't know how reliable that book is.

I am glad to have been able to discuss this with you HolySox, and thanks for discussing it. I can understand your interpretation ' I was reared with that belief, and my dear father lived all his life in that belief.

I have come to believe that God is different from His creation only insofar as He is absolute truth whereas we are each of us only components of truth.