whirlingmerc
Well-Known Member
Since Moses spoke face to face with God over 40 years and was the writer of the first five books, which include Genesis, I would say no part is the stuff of myth. In fact the attention to details and places and times is not at all consistent with the literature style of myth.
God may allow superficial similarities in some ways to prepare the world for Jesus to come
'in the fullness of time'
Genesis was not myth, rather a "Myth Buster"
quote
Not Just Another Myth
Is there any merit to the idea that Genesis was written as myth, like Ancient Near Eastern myths? While some details are similar, they are told in a style that highlights the contrast between pagan myths and historical reality.
Superficial Similarities
from
Genesis—The Original Myth Buster
God may allow superficial similarities in some ways to prepare the world for Jesus to come
'in the fullness of time'
Genesis was not myth, rather a "Myth Buster"
quote
Not Just Another Myth
Is there any merit to the idea that Genesis was written as myth, like Ancient Near Eastern myths? While some details are similar, they are told in a style that highlights the contrast between pagan myths and historical reality.
Superficial Similarities
- The Hebrew word deep in Genesis 1:2 sounds like the word for the goddess Tiamat of the Ancient Near Eastern creation myths.
- Both have waters above and beneath separated by a firmament.
- Both have light before sun, moon, and stars.
- Both describe mankind’s failure to please deity.
- Both refer to plants that confer immortality.
- Both mention a serpent.
- Both describe a global flood.
- Battle elements. Genesis does not envision creation as a war of the gods.
- Pantheistic elements. Genesis does not talk about natural elements as gods.1
- Creative activity as sexual activity. Genesis does not describe God’s creation in this way.
- Poetic language. Genesis does not have “synonymous parallelism” (restating the same idea in two ways) in every description.
- Reference to time. Genesis speaks of creation “in the beginning” and “days,” contrary to myths, which speak more about seasons.2
from
Genesis—The Original Myth Buster
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