Among all of the Creation Myths - Why Genesis?

[Guest]

What is so special about the Genesis creation myth that some Christians spend a significant part of their lives trying to rationalize it with modern science?

Why do creation myths coming out of the area of the fertile crescent command so much attention while almost no attention is paid in the west to the hundreds of other creation myths from other parts of the world that humankind has come up with since we learned to tell stories?

[_DrW]

Last fall, I attended a lecture by Richard Dawkins. He spoke at some length about the hundreds of creation myths that humankind has come up with throughout history.

His point, and he made it very well, was that the creation myth in Genesis is not unique and has a great many features in common with myths from other parts of the world - myths that humans came up with, both before and after the time of Genesis.

RIchard Dawkins then asked what it was about the Genesis creation myth that should recommend it above all of the other creation myths, many of which came directly from the deities in question, and several of which were more elegant and well thought out than the one in the Old Testament.

Of course, there is nothing about the Genesis creation myth that really distinguishes it from the other myths that are taught and believed in any number of other cultures on the Earth.

I noted that a number of the creation myths that Dawkins described reflected a much closer and ongoing relationship between the deity and humankind than does the Genesis myth, and found this quite interesting.

Perhaps the faithful on this thread could come up with reasons why the Genesis myth should be given any more weight than the Norse creation myth or a number of very pleasant creation myths from Oceania and the Southern Islands, or any of the hundreds of other myths in the world.

[_Kishkumen]

I think the answer to this question is "historical circumstance." Had the Romans not become Christian, this myth would be just as insignificant as all of the other mythical footnotes in human history.

[_schreech]

I love this OP and i am actually forwarding it to all my buddies as I would love to get their responses (several of them are good friends with shermer and hill so i would love to hear their thoughts). I need to read up on the "genesis" stories before i can comment but you have inspired me. Thanks and happy NY!!!

[_DrW]

I think the answer to this question is "historical circumstance." Had the Romans not become Christian, this myth would be just as insignificant as all of the other mythical footnotes in human history.

I agree. But that can't be the whole story.

Look at all of the Old Testament stories that also ended up in the Koran. These myths in the Koran were not seeded into human culture via the Romans. Yet, there they are, believed by many, if not most of the 1.3 billion adherents of Islam.

[_Kishkumen]

I agree. But that can't be the whole story.

Look at all of the Old Testament stories that also ended up in the Koran. These myths in the Koran were not seeded into human culture via the Romans. Yet, there they are, believed by many, if not most of the 1.3 billion adherents of Islam.

I don't think there is really all that much more to make of it. Two empires carried the same myth forward.

[_huckelberry]

Genesis is a story of Gods covenant relationship to Abraham and his childrent. The creation is just a framing preamble introducing some repeating themes. Belief in what that covenant entails is what has kept people interested. If it was just the creation story, well a couple of creation stories, then it would be pretty much forgotten as being nothing special.

[_Quasimodo]

I think the answer to this question is "historical circumstance." Had the Romans not become Christian, this myth would be just as insignificant as all of the other mythical footnotes in human history.

I agree. But that can't be the whole story.

Look at all of the Old Testament stories that also ended up in the Koran. These myths in the Koran were not seeded into human culture via the Romans. Yet, there they are, believed by many, if not most of the 1.3 billion adherents of Islam.

Aren't both Christianity and Islam spin offs of the Torah? "Happy Days" into "Lavern and Shirley"?

From an outsider's' (my) point of view, they are all the same religion with some tweaks.

I think you're right about "historical circumstance". Any other belief system that gained prominence would have had the same effect.

I guess the Romans melded several religions into what is now Christianity. No one talks about Apollo or Mithra any more. They were just as important to Christianity as Jesus ( December 25th?).

Personally, I love the Native American creation stories.

[_bcspace]

What is so special about the Genesis creation myth that some Christians spend a significant part of their lives trying to rationalize it with modern science?

Because Christianity is what Judaism became.

[_Drifting]

What is so special about the Genesis creation myth that some Christians spend a significant part of their lives trying to rationalize it with modern science?

Because Christianity is what Judaism became.

So Mormonism wants to be classed as what Judaism became?