Should Genesis 1 be taken literally or is it more metaphorical

[Thana]

First off my lady I’m in no way trying to offend you:no:, however to ask about the Noah problem. i left it out because it was strange to me if god wanted to kills all because we had become wicked that would have worked if he was an average human that could do no better. However he is god could he not simple tried to fix the problem instead of killing everyone to me it seems like an easy way out.
as for Abraham this might see trivial but if god asked you to jump off a bridge would you do it. Your first answer may be yes but think about it in doing so you are committing suicide which god says is a sin just as murder is like Abraham was going to do with his son. If this is literal then god has some serious problems allowing some sick things to happen and he wondered why he became wicked. As for taking a swing it’s not about one religion Genesis is the first five chapters of both the Hebrew Torah and the Christian Pentateuch. So please don’t believe I’m trying to enrage all Christians it’s merely just a question if it should be taken literally with some of the stuff in it.

There were many people in the bible who committed suicide, So Suicide being a sin isn't a fast and hard rule, Considering Samson did kill himself, Even if it saved thousands it was still suicide.

I could explain it too you, Atleast my interpretation of it, But I'm not sure it's worth trying. You won't see it the way I do and we'll remain at an impasse.

I'm not offended, And I don't think you're trying to offend anyone, I was just answering your questions.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

No, I don't take much of the OT literally. The Flood story, for example, is a common story in Near Eastern mythology, going back to the Sumerians. With religious scripture, no matter what religion it belongs to, the deeper metaphorical meanings of the stories are more important than any literal reading of them.

 

[roger1440]

Ok so let me ask you this sir should parts of Genesis be taken literally today or is the whole of Genesis irrelevant in modern culture.

With only those two options available to choose from, I wouldn’t be able to answer.

 

[roger1440]

When these stories of events from the past can transform our life in the present the stories then transcend time.

 

[bluegoo300]

There were many people in the bible who committed suicide, So Suicide being a sin isn't a fast and hard rule, Considering Samson did kill himself, Even if it saved thousands it was still suicide.

I could explain it too you, Atleast my interpretation of it, But I'm not sure it's worth trying. You won't see it the way I do and we'll remain at an impasse.

I'm not offended, And I don't think you're trying to offend anyone, I was just answering your questions.

Ok great it can be hard to determine if you have upset someone on the internet. Second i like to see myself as an open mind but your right i probably would not get it but as a police officer i look for constraint laws in this so when a law can be change or only in certain cases it does not apply then it can be hard to grasp. maybe thats why people like me dont follow relgion it's because there are to many "grey" areas.

 

[bluegoo300]

With only those two options available to choose from, I wouldn’t be able to answer.

ok what would be ideal for you?

 

[bluegoo300]

No, I don't take much of the OT literally. The Flood story, for example, is a common story in Near Eastern mythology, going back to the Sumerians. With religious scripture, no matter what religion it belongs to, the deeper metaphorical meanings of the stories are more important than any literal reading of them.

i agree because from a scientific prospective that would be impossible to accomplish. However the stories metaphorical meanings are deep and important to many.

 

[viole]

Why did He kill everyone but Noah and his family?

Maybe for the same reason He killed all kangaroos but left two alive. Just kidding.

I cannot imagine righteous kangaroos. Maybe He chose those two because they could not only jump but had GPS and could swim all the way back to Australia when that ordeal was finished. The same for all other pairs of marsupials, of course

Ciao

- viole

 

[bluegoo300]

Maybe for the same reason He killed all kangaroos but left two alive. Just kidding.

I cannot imagine righteous kangaroos. Maybe He chose those two because they could not only jump but had GPS and could swim all the way back to Australia when that ordeal was finished

Ciao

- viole

holy crap what kangaroos had GPS before us

 

[roger1440]

ok what would be ideal for you?

We have to start with why were these stories written? What is their purpose? Are they just mere stories from the past? There are many stories from the past. What makes these stories so different? I’ll attempt to answer your question tonight. I have to go to work now. It will give me time to think.

 

[bluegoo300]

We have to start with why were these stories written? What is their purpose? Are they just mere stories from the past? There are many stories from the past. What makes these stories so different? I’ll attempt to answer your question tonight. I have to go to work now. It will give me time to think.

great love to hear

 

[Shad]

I ask this question to anyone who will listen. I like to think of myself as a very open minded person. I have read both the bible and the Quran and Genesis has always perplexed me. If you look at it as the way i do think are very dark. Look at it from the start, it took god (Yahweh, El Shaddai) 5 days to make the earth and one to make THE ENTRIER UNIVERSE that to me is absolute nonsense considering the Earth is nothing compared to the universe. Two god has Abraham go to a mountain and tells him to kill his son only to test his faith. Third he kills everyone on earth except for Noah's family. And fourth apparently it was all ok to pass off your wife as your sister to avoid other people from killing you so they could have sexual intercourse with your wife. I guess what I’m saying is if you believe in the "bible" should you really think it’s a literal translation that you must live your life by or is it metaphorical and god is saying it would be wise for you to follow in a certain way.

I believe it must be taken metaphorically otherwise the view is in opposition to multiple fields of science and history. The view become untenable otherwise.

 

[bluegoo300]

I believe it must be taken metaphorically otherwise the view is in opposition to multiple fields of science and history. The view become untenable otherwise.

agreed

 

[roger1440]

great love to hear

I had mentioned it before on two other threads.

Thread: Comparison of Christianity and Judaism
http://www.religiousforums.com/forum/3881575-post227.html 08-12-2014, 03:49 PM



Thread: The Bible doesn’t make sense
http://www.religiousforums.com/forum/3612397-post62.html 12-25-2013, 05:10 PM

 

[roger1440]

The story of Abraham may not have happened exactly as it is portrayed in the book of Genesis. The current consensus among many scholars is that Abraham may have been the first person in that area that did not sacrifice his child to a god. I’m in agreement with that version of the story. At the very moment he refused to kill his child he heard the voice of the only true God. I do not mean that in a literal sense. It wasn’t something audible. From then on he is set apart from the others. The word holy means to separate or set apart.

 

[Sees]

The story of Abraham may not have happened exactly as it is portrayed in the book of Genesis. The current consensus among many scholars is that Abraham may have been the first person in that area that did not sacrifice his child to a god. I’m in agreement with that version of the story. At the very moment he refused to kill his child he heard the voice of the only true God. I do not mean that in a literal sense. It wasn’t something audible. From then on he is set apart from the others. The word holy means to separate or set apart.

Not sure about all that Abraham stuff but I think you have holy confused with sacred...holy is pretty much the opposite even though they became basically synonymous

 

[roger1440]

Look closer at the creation story. God rests on the seventh day. The author of Genesis didn’t choose that number at random. It has great significance. The number represents completeness. But there is more to that number then just a symbol for completeness. It’s how it relates to the other numbers that makes it special.

 

[roger1440]

Not sure about all that Abraham stuff but I think you have holy confused with sacred...holy is pretty much the opposite even though they became basically synonymous

You are to be holy to me because I, the LORD, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own. (Leviticus 20:26)

 

[outhouse]

The current consensus among many scholars is that Abraham may have been the first person in that area that did not sacrifice his child to a god.

Were do get this rubbish?


Abraham has no historicity what so ever as a real person, and scholars are all in consensus.

 

[roger1440]

Were do get this rubbish?


Abraham has no historicity what so ever as a real person, and scholars are all in consensus.

Abraham doesn’t have to be a real person. Call the guy whatever floats your boat. How bout Melvin Schwartz from Hoboken? There had to be someone at some time that said, ”Hey, this gotta be wrong, I ain’t doing it.”