"10 Sin-Cursed Animals That Still Show Divine Design"

[Skwim]

Be advised, this is from Answers in Genesis.

"Animals fascinate humans. Whether playing with the family pet or gawking at the zoo wildlife, we marvel at the variety and complexity of these creatures. In this series, we’ll discover the divine design of a few of these animals.

1. Platypus—the hodgepodge mystery

2. Honey Bee—the sweet stinger

3. Blue Whale—the mammoth of the sea

4. Giraffe—the beast that doesn’t blow its brains out

5. Bat—the only flying mammal

6. Elephant—the giant with a trunk tool

7. Incubator Bird—the turkey with a built-in thermometer

8. Bombardier Beetle—the bug with an arsenal

9. Gecko—the gravity-defying lizard

10. Emperor Penguin—the blizzard survivor


In the Bible’s first pages, we read about the real tree of life. After creating the heavens and the earth, plants and animals according to their kinds, and mankind in his own image, God placed Adam in the Garden of Eden with the tree of life. But when Adam rebelled against God, Adam brought the curse of sin and death into the world, infecting the entire human race descending from him (Romans 5:12). The curse affected the whole creation, including the animals (Genesis 3:14–19; Romans 8:20–22).​

For your reference:

Romans 5:12
12 Adam sinned, and that sin brought death into the world. Now everyone has sinned, and so everyone must die.


Genesis 3:14-19
14 So the Lord God said to the snake:

“Because of what you have done,
you will be the only animal
to suffer this curse—
For as long as you live,
you will crawl on your stomach
and eat dirt.
15 You and this woman
will hate each other;
your descendants and hers
will always be enemies.
One of hers will strike you
on the head,
and you will strike him
on the heel.”

16 Then the Lord said to the woman,

“You will suffer terribly
when you give birth.
But you will still desire
your husband,
and he will rule over you.”

17 The Lord said to the man,

“You listened to your wife
and ate fruit from that tree.
And so, the ground
will be under a curse
because of what you did.
As long as you live,
you will have to struggle
to grow enough food.
18 Your food will be plants,
but the ground
will produce
thorns and thistles.
19 You will have to sweat
to earn a living;
you were made out of soil,
and you will once again
turn into soil.”


Romans 8:20-22
20 Meanwhile, creation is confused, but not because it wants to be confused. God made it this way in the hope 21 that creation would be set free from decay and would share in the glorious freedom of his children. 22 We know that all creation is still groaning and is in pain, like a woman about to give birth.


​

Okay, but what I don't understand is AiG's assertion

"The curse affected the whole creation, including the animals."​

Thing is, I don't see any such curse in either Genesis 3:14-19 or Romans 8:20-22. And why would god curse the other animals anyway?
And is AiG saying that the unique characteristics of its ten listed animals here represent god's curse on them? OR, are these god-designed characteristics that survived the curse?

Need some help here, Christians.
.

 

[Debater Slayer]

Need some help here, Christians.

Help with what? Making a post with an overly mocking, over-generalizing tone from the get-go?

Good luck. I do agree your post needs help, though... but only in terms of its value.

 

[David1967]

Need help with what? Sounds like you have it figured out. Congratulations!

 

[Skwim]

Help with what? Making a post with an overly mocking, over-generalizing tone from the get-go?

Hey, I'm not the one making the unsupported statements. I'm just bringing them up to show there are people out in the world who have no trouble trying to snow their fellow Christians. Think of it as a cautionary "BEWARE": not everything you read by your pew-mates is worth considering. However, if you want to believe its concocted claims, be my guest. But let me ask you, Debater Slayer, what do you make of AiG's assertion that the animals it lists are "10 Sin-Cursed Animals That Still Show Divine Design"?

.

 

[A Vestigial Mote]

So... am I supposed the hate snakes? Hit them on the head? Count them as "enemies?" I haven't been doing my duty as a soldier in the war on snakes apparently.

"Your food will be plants," - man, a lot of people (many Christians included) seem to have forgotten this one. How many have meat at nearly every meal, I wonder? Quite a few I'd wager. Also this - "You will have to sweat to earn a living;" you Christians had better get your butts back on the plows and earn your food - according to the text you're not suffering as much as you should be by going to the grocery store. I'm surprised God hasn't smitten all grocery stores for this very reason.

Also "you were made out of soil, and you will once again turn into soil.” - why the hell do we have coffins? Why try and protect the body from the soil? Seems to go against God's wishes/plan/understanding.

Geez... you'd think something as perfect as The Bible wouldn't be filled with such dumb stuff.

 

[Debater Slayer]

Hey, I'm not the one making the unsupported statements. I'm just bringing them up to show there are people out in the world who have no trouble trying to snow their fellow Christians. Think of it as a cautionary "BEWARE": not everything you read by your pew-mates is worth considering. However, if you want to believe its concocted claims, be my guest. But let me ask you, Debater Slayer, what do you make of AiG's assertion that the animals it lists are "10 Sin-Cursed Animals That Still Show Divine Design"?

.

I make nothing of it other than that I think it's based on myth. Your question is weird to ask of an atheist.

And if you did intend your post to show something, why the "Help me" comment? It sounds like you had decided what you wanted to do from the beginning without any help.

 

[Skwim]

Need help with what? Sounds like you have it figured out. Congratulations!

Yeah, I know it's far more convenient to ignore the questions rather than address them. It certainly isn't the first time it's been done here on RF. But on the slight chance that you may have missed them, I'll repeat the three.

Why would god curse the other animals anyway?

Is AiG saying that the unique characteristics of its ten listed animals here represent god's curse on them?

OR, are these god-designed characteristics that survived the curse?

.

.

 

[Skwim]

I make nothing of it other than that I think it's based on myth. Your question is weird to ask of an atheist.

Wasn't aware you were anything but a Born-again Glompist, and that they're atheists.

And if you did intend your post to show something, why the "Help me" comment? It sounds like you had decided what you wanted to do from the beginning without any help.

The "help me" is incidental to the main objective of the post, which is to show there are people out in the world who have no trouble trying to dupe their fellow Christians, and that this is one of them.

.

 

[David1967]

Ok. First off, I do not look to AIG for anything. I don't look at the bible as a science book and think that the folks at AIG (well meaning as they may be) are wasting time trying to turn a spiritual book into a school science and geology book. I think that much of what is in early genesis is allegorical. Literal tree, literal garden literal serpent 6000 year old earth? Not so much. Doesn't make me not believe in God. Just don't find the need to cram my concept of God into a shallow box to make me feel better. But, I will make an attempt anyway for the sake of your thread to answer;

Why would god curse the other animals anyway?

I don't know.

Is AiG saying that the unique characteristics of its ten listed animals here represent god's curse on them?

Probably. And I think they are silly for implying such a ridiculous thing.

OR, are these god-designed characteristics that survived the curse?

Honestly never think about it. But the platypus does look like it was thrown together from spare parts.

 

[Skwim]

Ok. First off, I do not look to AIG for anything.

I don't look at the bible as a science book and think that the folks at AIG (well meaning as they may be) are wasting time trying to turn a spiritual book into a school science and geology book.

I think that much of what is in early genesis is allegorical. Literal tree, literal garden literal serpent 6000 year old earth? Not so much. Doesn't make me not believe in God. Just don't find the need to cram my concept of God into a shallow box to make me feel better. But, I will make an attempt anyway for the sake of your thread to answer;



I don't know.



Probably. And I think they are silly for implying such a ridiculous thing.



Honestly never think about it. But the platypus does look like it was thrown together from spare parts.

.

 

[A Vestigial Mote]

Help with what? Making a post with an overly mocking, over-generalizing tone from the get-go?

Good luck. I do agree your post needs help, though... but only in terms of its value.

I agree with Skwim that these types of things should be called out, should be examined, should be mulled over. All too often believers take at face value the things that are stated by the leaders or other members of their faith, or (especially) things that are stated in The Bible. But they have never really contemplated the issues on their own, or else they look to The Bible as the "authority" on the matter and don't even worry about using their own discernment to make a decision. The Bible already made it for them!

Prime example - I was in a Bible study group once where the topic of homosexuality came up. Me being a staunch atheist, who has thought over the idea of homosexuality on its own merit, got straight to work throwing down rebuttals to everyone in the room. I had thought out logic and reasoned comments at every turn for their faith based ideas, and at one point, one of the guys who hadn't spoken yet piped up and started in with "If you believe what The Bible says...", and then he stopped short when he looked at me. The look on my face must have been something terrifying for, I kid you not, his eyes got wide, he looked away hurriedly, and tried to stammer forward. I can only guess that he suddenly realized that I didn't "believe what The Bible says", and upon realizing THAT WAS ALL HE HAD, his resolve failed him completely.

And yes, sometimes mockery is the chosen avenue of questioning... because just relaying the information in other ways has either proven to be ineffective time and time again, doesn't get anyone responding or caring, doesn't rise to the forefront of discussion, etc. or else the one trying to raise the questions, trying to shine the light on the blatant idiocy is fed up - tired of trying to "play nice" - and so an edge enters the mix. Happens on both sides, and both sides reprimand one another for it all the time. Why not just accept it, and either stop taking offense or just rail right back at the person? To hell with the "high road"... they're just words, for goodness sake. Until they are sticks and stones I, personally, am going to take crying as a sign of abject weakness.

 

[Kemosloby]

That's a good one, Romans 8:20. The creation itself is cursed.

 

[Kenny]

Be advised, this is from Answers in Genesis.

"Animals fascinate humans. Whether playing with the family pet or gawking at the zoo wildlife, we marvel at the variety and complexity of these creatures. In this series, we’ll discover the divine design of a few of these animals.

1. Platypus—the hodgepodge mystery

2. Honey Bee—the sweet stinger

3. Blue Whale—the mammoth of the sea

4. Giraffe—the beast that doesn’t blow its brains out

5. Bat—the only flying mammal

6. Elephant—the giant with a trunk tool

7. Incubator Bird—the turkey with a built-in thermometer

8. Bombardier Beetle—the bug with an arsenal

9. Gecko—the gravity-defying lizard

10. Emperor Penguin—the blizzard survivor


In the Bible’s first pages, we read about the real tree of life. After creating the heavens and the earth, plants and animals according to their kinds, and mankind in his own image, God placed Adam in the Garden of Eden with the tree of life. But when Adam rebelled against God, Adam brought the curse of sin and death into the world, infecting the entire human race descending from him (Romans 5:12). The curse affected the whole creation, including the animals (Genesis 3:14–19; Romans 8:20–22).​

For your reference:

Romans 5:12
12 Adam sinned, and that sin brought death into the world. Now everyone has sinned, and so everyone must die.


Genesis 3:14-19
14 So the Lord God said to the snake:

“Because of what you have done,
you will be the only animal
to suffer this curse—
For as long as you live,
you will crawl on your stomach
and eat dirt.
15 You and this woman
will hate each other;
your descendants and hers
will always be enemies.
One of hers will strike you
on the head,
and you will strike him
on the heel.”

16 Then the Lord said to the woman,

“You will suffer terribly
when you give birth.
But you will still desire
your husband,
and he will rule over you.”

17 The Lord said to the man,

“You listened to your wife
and ate fruit from that tree.
And so, the ground
will be under a curse
because of what you did.
As long as you live,
you will have to struggle
to grow enough food.
18 Your food will be plants,
but the ground
will produce
thorns and thistles.
19 You will have to sweat
to earn a living;
you were made out of soil,
and you will once again
turn into soil.”


Romans 8:20-22
20 Meanwhile, creation is confused, but not because it wants to be confused. God made it this way in the hope 21 that creation would be set free from decay and would share in the glorious freedom of his children. 22 We know that all creation is still groaning and is in pain, like a woman about to give birth.


​

Okay, but what I don't understand is AiG's assertion

"The curse affected the whole creation, including the animals."​

Thing is, I don't see any such curse in either Genesis 3:14-19 or Romans 8:20-22. And why would god curse the other animals anyway?
And is AiG saying that the unique characteristics of its ten listed animals here represent god's curse on them? OR, are these god-designed characteristics that survived the curse?

Need some help here, Christians.
.

I agree completely, you need help!

 

[The Kilted Heathen]

That's a good one, Romans 8:20. The creation itself is cursed.

Well, now that we've got Paul of Tarsus' opinion on the matter, I guess that's settled.

 

[lostwanderingsoul]

AiG is just the opinion of the person who wrote it. Better not put you whole religious belief in it.

 

[Skwim]

AiG is just the opinion of the person who wrote it.

That and the AiG poobahs who sign off on it.

Better not put you whole religious belief in it.

Which is why I never have.

.

 

[Kemosloby]

Well, now that we've got Paul of Tarsus' opinion on the matter, I guess that's settled.

Yep

 

[The Kilted Heathen]

That was sarcasm, kemo.

 

[omega2xx]

Be advised, this is from Answers in Genesis.

"Animals fascinate humans. Whether playing with the family pet or gawking at the zoo wildlife, we marvel at the variety and complexity of these creatures. In this series, we’ll discover the divine design of a few of these animals.

1. Platypus—the hodgepodge mystery

2. Honey Bee—the sweet stinger

3. Blue Whale—the mammoth of the sea

4. Giraffe—the beast that doesn’t blow its brains out

5. Bat—the only flying mammal

6. Elephant—the giant with a trunk tool

7. Incubator Bird—the turkey with a built-in thermometer

8. Bombardier Beetle—the bug with an arsenal

9. Gecko—the gravity-defying lizard

10. Emperor Penguin—the blizzard survivor


In the Bible’s first pages, we read about the real tree of life. After creating the heavens and the earth, plants and animals according to their kinds, and mankind in his own image, God placed Adam in the Garden of Eden with the tree of life. But when Adam rebelled against God, Adam brought the curse of sin and death into the world, infecting the entire human race descending from him (Romans 5:12). The curse affected the whole creation, including the animals (Genesis 3:14–19; Romans 8:20–22).​

For your reference:

Romans 5:12
12 Adam sinned, and that sin brought death into the world. Now everyone has sinned, and so everyone must die.


Genesis 3:14-19
14 So the Lord God said to the snake:

“Because of what you have done,
you will be the only animal
to suffer this curse—
For as long as you live,
you will crawl on your stomach
and eat dirt.
15 You and this woman
will hate each other;
your descendants and hers
will always be enemies.
One of hers will strike you
on the head,
and you will strike him
on the heel.”

16 Then the Lord said to the woman,

“You will suffer terribly
when you give birth.
But you will still desire
your husband,
and he will rule over you.”

17 The Lord said to the man,

“You listened to your wife
and ate fruit from that tree.
And so, the ground
will be under a curse
because of what you did.
As long as you live,
you will have to struggle
to grow enough food.
18 Your food will be plants,
but the ground
will produce
thorns and thistles.
19 You will have to sweat
to earn a living;
you were made out of soil,
and you will once again
turn into soil.”


Romans 8:20-22
20 Meanwhile, creation is confused, but not because it wants to be confused. God made it this way in the hope 21 that creation would be set free from decay and would share in the glorious freedom of his children. 22 We know that all creation is still groaning and is in pain, like a woman about to give birth.


​

Okay, but what I don't understand is AiG's assertion

"The curse affected the whole creation, including the animals."​

Thing is, I don't see any such curse in either Genesis 3:14-19 or Romans 8:20-22. And why would god curse the other animals anyway?
And is AiG saying that the unique characteristics of its ten listed animals here represent god's curse on them? OR, are these god-designed characteristics that survived the curse?

Need some help here, Christians.
.

First you need a better translation.

Gen 3:14(NASB) - To Satan: because you have don this thing, cursed are you...

Gen 3:17...Cursed is the ground because of you...

Part of the curse is that now there would be death of all living things. Not only death, now there will be evil in the world; now there will be calamities like earthquakes and tornadoes. Now there will be hate and bigotry. Now there will be lawlessness. The list goes on and on.