Just a Few Questions: Part IV Genesis

With ALL of these questions posed in regards to the Bible wouldn't it be nice to be able to access the questions in one place instead of flipping between blog postings? Now you can! The questions for the first five books of the Bible, the Pentateuch are now in one compilation, and there is no need whatsoever to flip-flop between various posts! Go here for your copy:
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Has it ever crossed your mind?

Please put any answers you may have in the comments section at the end of the post. If you choose to use Bible verses as a reference please include the passage location. Thank you.

Sound the trumpets! Here we are with Part IV of our journey into the questions I have in regards to the Holy Bible. I do not expect all of my questions to be answered. I do not expect that everyone would have the same questions themselves. I am simply presenting the questions I have about many of the things in the Bible that are supposed to be true, the literal and actual words of the only God. These questions of mine are part of why I DO NOT believe that the Bible is the absolute truth, the words of God. If you wish to think the Bible is absolutely true and everything that goes along with that, fine. 

Answer some of these questions if you would be so kind. I want to know how you answer these questions and how you factor in such questions into your faith. I want to know why you believe the Bible as literal truth despite these questions. Tell me why you believe and why I should believe the same as you. Give me a reason to believe.

As mentioned in previous posts answers of "because God said so" or anything similar will not be acceptable answers. If you find you do not have an answer to a particular question no worries. Simply go on to the next one.

We are still in the book of Genesis.

1. Genesis 3:22

22 And the LORD God said, "Now that the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil, he must not be allowed to stretch out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever."

Questions

     1) An easy question here: Does the Bible state man was created by God in the image of God?

     2) So, God is all-knowing of good and evil, all-powerful, and eternal, but...the man He supposedly creates in His own image knows absolutely nothing of what good and evil are, is treated as though he (man) has NO power or say, deserves NO power or say in any of the demented adventures God whips up, and in addition to all that he (man) is MORTAL?

     3) Considering the above question referencing mortality, why do some people interpret God's creation of man as God having created man in a PERFECT state?

     4) In further considerations of mortality, doesn't the fact that God also placed in the Garden of Eden the tree of life justifiably allow for the presumption that God created man as a mortal being/in a mortal state?

     5) How could man have been created in a 'perfect' state by God if God created him mortal?

     6) Can mortality exist within perfection?

     7) Can it be argued that mortality CAN exist within perfection so long as the expression of the existence itself is perfect (i.e. the beauty of a rose, animals that can withstand extreme environments)?

     8) Even if it is assumed that mortality CAN exist within perfection, and even if a perfect God created man in a mortal state, doesn't the mortality within perfection argument fail when it comes to man since his immense ignorance of good and evil, lack of true control over anything to include his mind, obliviousness to danger, and failure to recognize and understand the omnipotence of God make man's expression of existence nowhere near perfect?

     9) If God created man in a mortal state, and remember that the existence of the tree of life in the garden totally lends merit to the idea man was created mortal, how in the HELL does it make any sense that when God warned Adam and Eve about the bad tree He said that the consequence of eating the bad fruit would be that Adam and Eve would surely die?

     10) How can the threat of sure death as a consequence of eating the bad fruit be justifiably used by God in an appropriate, truthful manner when man is already mortal?

     11) Why didn't God inform Adam and Eve of their pre-existing mortality?

     12) Could it be argued that God used Adam's and Eve's ignorance of mortality against them when due to their own innocent ignorance it would be impossible for them to recognize mortality on their own, much less understand it?

     13) Knowing full well that man was already mortal why did God only inform man of the bad tree, whose beautiful but lethal fruit would serve only to further complicate and deepen man's mortality?

     14) Can it be argued that considering the above questions the idea of man being created in God's image is a mirage?

2. Genesis 3:24

24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

Questions

     1) How does God's punishment on man fit the crime?

     2) Do you really believe that curses that last forever (or at least until Jesus returns to earth) and that serve to debilitate man along with purposeful placement of enmity by God for the purpose of creating harsh living environments qualifies as JUST punishment?

     3) How can God's punishments placed upon man be considered justified when instead of sounding like just/deserved punishment God's edicts sound more like cruel, wickedly swift, intentional, totally crushing acts of annihilation?

3. Genesis 4:3-7

3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.

4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:

5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?

7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

Questions

     1) Why didn't God inform Cain and Abel of any requirements, rules or regulations in regards to sacrifice and what God wanted in regard to the same?

     2) Is God's neglect to inform Cain and Abel of the sacrifice requirements another example of God interfering with man and doing so with malice by willfully designing to fail?

     3) If Cain did not know he was supposed to sacrifice something with blood in it how could God justifiably respond to Cain in the manner in which He did?

     4) Why did God allow Abel to be killed over a misunderstanding solely attributable to God, or was it that Abel was simply the victim of divine demerits issued by God for Cain not playing twenty-questions to figure out exactly what God wanted when it came to sacrifice?

     5) If God knew that Cain misunderstood/did not know sacrifice requirements, and if God knew that Cain would respond to God's rejection of the veggie sacrifice by killing Abel why didn't God either properly inform Cain OR stop him from killing his brother?

     6) Is the silent message here that Cain still owed God a blood sacrifice, an innocent blood sacrifice, and that God was going to get that blood sacrifice owed Him one way or another and so did not stop Cain and did not warn Abel of what Cain was going to do?

     7) Can it be argued that Abel, innocent and blameless and valued and cherished (if not valued and cherished by Cain, then by Adam and Eve), ended up being the blood sacrifice Cain owed God?

     8) Can it be justifiably argued that God's willful failure to provide the sacrifice rules to Cain, purposeful rejection of Cain's veggie sacrifice and subsequent failure to stop Cain from killing Abel or to even warn Abel at all may be interpreted as extreme indifference to the value of human life, thus making God guilty of murder under the depraved heart theory?

     9) Where is the justice, where is the truth in allowing Abel to die for the misunderstanding of what God wanted?

4. Genesis 4:12-14

12 When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.

13 And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear.

14 Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.

Questions

     1) If Cain is cursed as a fugitive and a wanderer how did he stay anywhere long enough to build a city as he did in Genesis 4:17?

5. Genesis 4:17

17 And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch.

Questions

     1) So, we DO know that Cain got married, but why doesn't the Bible state which of his sisters he married?

     2) Remember, man is still in his infancy and is not much more in numbers than a handful of people who were indeed direct descendants of Adam and Eve. Now consider that up to this point the only other woman mentioned was Cain's mother Eve, who we know for sure stayed behind with Adam and popped out more children. So, again I ask you which of his sisters did Cain marry?

6. Genesis 6:2

2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

Questions

     1) So...when this type of story/belief happens in ancient mythology, such as with Zeus, such a thing is considered a fable, but when such a thing happens in the Bible it is truth?

7. Genesis 6:6

6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

Questions

     1) How is it that God regrets?

     2) What is regret?

     3) Does perfection know regret?

     4) What is the difference between regret existing in perfection as opposed to mortality existing in perfection?

     5) Is the difference in the expression of existence, in which case regret infers error of choice?

8. Genesis 6:8

8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.

Questions

     1) Isn't God 'finding favor' with Noah contrary to God's assumed perfect nature?

     2) What is the basis for God's measurement of favor?

     3) Can it be argued that God's measurement of failure is more about doing whatever God wants and not necessarily what is good for man?

9. Genesis 6:13

13 Then God said to Noah, "I have decided to put an end to every creature, for the earth is filled with wickedness because of them; therefore I am going to destroy them along with the earth." 

Questions

     1) Is the earth filled with violence due to God or man?

     2) WHO did the designing to fail?

     3) Does man fail because God has severely stunted man's power, and why would God do such a thing?

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Just a Few Questions: Part II Genesis

With ALL of these questions posed in regards to the Bible wouldn't it be nice to be able to access the questions in one place instead of flipping between blog postings? Now you can! The questions for the first five books of the Bible, the Pentateuch are now in one compilation, and there is no need whatsoever to flip-flop between various posts! Go here for your copy:
http://www.amazon.com/Turkey-Broth-Spirit-Questions-Pentateuch-ebook/dp/B00GVLQ0CY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1385651545&sr=8-1&keywords=ester+lighthorse


Inquiring Minds Want to Know

Please add any answer you may have to any question in the comment link at the end of the post. Be sure to include the passage location if you choose to use Bible verses as references. Thank you.

So, here we are again. Glad to have you back! Now, let me pick up from where I left off in part one of this series of posts discussing questions I have about the Bible. Remember, I want to know your answers. Furthermore, responses of "because I said so" or any response reminiscent of the same will be deemed unacceptable. I do NOT want you to give me the answers you think I want to hear from you. Give me YOUR answers. Give me strong reasoning as to why you think the Bible is truth. Give me a reason to believe.

Part II continues where Part I left off in the Old Testament book of Genesis.

1. Genesis 2:18-20

18 And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

19 And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air, and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.

20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.

Questions

     1) Which way should these verses be taken to mean? These are some of the verses that are very clever in their semantics. The creation story in chapter one of Genesis clearly states that man was the LAST thing God created, all of the animals and living creatures being created prior. 

Here it can be argued that, because of the language structure of these verses the Lord God formed animals from the dust of the ground and THEN, as each animal was created, brought them to the man, Adam, to name. It can also be argued that the language structure of these verses convey the idea that AFTER the animals and Adam were created in the order Genesis chapter one says that God created them, God then brought each animal before Adam to name. So...button, button, who's got the button? Which interpretation shall we go with?

     2) Why in the first chapter of Genesis when God is creating the animals does the semantics of the verses make it sound like God simply poofed every animal into existence from absolutely nothing, but here in this verse it says that God formed the animals out of the dust of the ground?

     3) If both Adam and all of the animals were formed from the dust of the ground, if both are formed from the very same substance, is it so far fetched for science to search for and study man's genetic links to animals such as the apes?

     4) If the animals were created before man and existed within their environments BEFORE man was created how was Adam able to name the animals that lived in the bottom of the sea, in the arctic regions, in the jungles of Mexico, in Australia, in the Black Hills, in the Yukon, in the Gobi Desert, in the Great Basin, in the highest of mountain ranges and the lowest of valleys...the list goes on and on? 

     5) If the verse is intended to be interpreted as God literally took these animals from their environments, put them before Adam who then named them, and then put the animals back into their natural environments HOW did God do this without killing the animals? For example, there are species of fish at the bottom of the ocean that have a special physiology that allows them to live at great depths and pressures in the ocean, but these same fish would not survive very long (if at all) on the surface. 

So, how did God do this? And I know this sounds trite, but is it supposed to be because of His greatness and since He is God He can do whatever He wants to do whenever He wants to do it however He wants to do it? Seriously, if this is your answer tell me. I know I previously stated that I would not accept any answers reminiscent of "because God said so" crap, but this is my one exception to my own rule. Please answer.

     6) Is there a reason why Adam may NOT have named ALL of the animals of the earth? Is such a thing possible? It can be argued that in this verse it clearly says that God brought the beasts of the field and the fowl of the air before Adam to name. It does not say God brought forth the fish at the bottom of the sea or the creatures of the arctic or of the jungles. It doesn't even say that God brought before Adam ALL of the animals of the earth to be named. When I was a kid I was taught Adam named ALL of the animals. The verse only mentions the beasts of the field and the fowl of the air. So, how should this verse be taken?

     7) According to what the Bible says it can be surmised from the mention of the Euphrates River that the Garden of Eden was somewhere in the Middle East. If, for the sake of argument, Adam only named the beasts of the field and the fowl of the air how did Adam name the birds that exist ONLY in areas of the world far, far away from where the Garden of Eden supposedly was? 

     8) Have you ever heard the argument that it would be impossible for Adam to name all of the animals of the earth, and I do mean all, and because of that the Bible is proved false? Sometimes the response to this is a directive to read the verse literally. Since this verse only says "fowl of the air" in regards to birds this means Adam did not name the penguin since it is NOT a fowl of the air. What about other flightless birds like the dodo, ostrich, emu, kakapo, or flightless cormorant? If this verse is taken literally, WHO named all of the other animals on the earth, animals both seen and unseen?

     9) This verse says that God put the beasts of the field before Adam to be named. Does this mean that God only put before Adam only the animals that literally inhabited fields? If so, what about the polar bear, mountain goat, cliff-dwelling creatures, salamanders, amphibians, insects, tigers (which generally live in swamps, grasslands, and rain forests), platypus, sea otter, desert fox, and pretty much every creature you can think of that does not spend its existence in a 'field' habitat?

     10) So, for the sake of argument let us say that Adam did name all of the beasts of the field. Snakes can be included in the 'beasts of the field' category since there are some species of snakes that live in fields. The Northern Copperhead, one of some 27 species of snake that reside in Maryland, USA, can often be found in fields. How did Adam name this snake? Does the verse pertaining to this question mean that Adam simply said what kind of creature it was (a SNAKE) and the verse was not intended to be interpreted as meaning Adam gave the field animals specific species names (another example would be Western Diamondback Rattlesnake or a Corn Snake)?

     11) If these verses are intended to be interpreted as meaning that Adam more or less did the equivalent of looking at an animal and saying, "Ah, that's a cow, that's a horse, that's a donkey," in essence meaning that Adam was very generalized in his animal naming, why does verse 20 say that Adam named all of the cattle? If Adam is naming the cattle he is doing far more than just pointing at the animal and calling it a cow, right? Wouldn't that mean Adam is going a step further and naming the type of cow? So, again I ask you how did Adam name all the cattle of the earth?

2. Genesis 1:14

14 And God said let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and for years.

Questions
     1) Where is the firmament? I am not asking about heaven. The verse clearly conveys the firmament and heaven are two different things. Again I ask you, WHERE is the firmament?

     2) Okay, this verse says that the lights are placed in the firmament of heaven, right? Even if you go by the oft mentioned claim that the firmament is another name for earth's atmosphere you are still screwed when it comes to this verse because the sun and the moon ARE NOT IN earth's atmosphere. So, how is this verse explained?

     3) When I was a kid I asked why this planet has bouts of terrible weather where conditions are so extreme people often die? Why did God create a planet with so many variations of hostile environments? I was informed that it was because of the fall of man, that the reason the entire planet is not one big giant lush garden as intended by God was directly due to the disobedience of man. The moment man ate of the wrong fruit was the very same moment dangerous weather/environmental conditions staked a claim on this planet, never to leave. In essence, I was informed that there was absolute, one hundred percent perfect weather on the earth at all times BEFORE man fell.

If this is indeed the case why does this verse say the lights in the firmament are for signs and seasons and days and years? Doesn't the word 'seasons' infer that the entire planet is NOT one big lush garden but did in fact possess difference in seasons BEFORE the fall of man? Thus, wouldn't there be, in addition to the environment of the Garden of Eden, jungles, deserts, extremely hot, and extremely cold regions on the planet?

     4) So, for the sake of a very delusional argument let us say that there really WAS perfect weather everywhere on the planet BEFORE man fell. Did God create all the animals on this entire planet? For this question I do not care whether or not Adam named the animal, I just want you to answer whether or not God made ALL of the animals? 

Now I want you to consider did God make the polar bear, emperor penguin, seal, snowy owl, snow leopard, the Japanese Macaque (which, by the way, live in the coldest climate environment of any nonhuman primate), Arctic fox, Musk Ox, Arctic hare, Caribou...would you say that God made these animals? Did God make these animals during CREATION as described in Genesis chapter one? If God did make these animals...the amazing and unusual extreme-temperature fitted creatures that they are... HOW in the freaky-deaky world could the entire planet have been one big lush garden before the frigging fall of man?

3. Genesis 2:16-17

16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:

17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Questions
     1) God never explained good and evil to Adam and Eve, so how in the hell would they even have the slightest clue as to what good and evil are? For Pete's sake, the verse itself fucks up what it is trying to say because right there in black and white it says it is the tree of knowledge of good and evil and if they eat of it they will die. This means they HAVE NOT YET eaten of the bad fruit and thus have no FUCKING idea whatsoever as to what God is talking about. How can these verses be a valid directive from God to man when man has ZERO knowledge of what good and evil are? 

     2) If the above question is not specific enough for you or you are having issues wrapping your mind around my question here, let me present it in a different way, okay? Let us take a look at Genesis 3:5, which says, 

     "For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil."

In interpreting this verse we may justifiably conclude that Adam and Eve do not know what good and evil are UNTIL they eat the bad fruit, thus God can tell them all He wants, until He is blue in the face, that if they eat of the bad tree they will die...and this directive will mean dick.

Would you agree that disobedience can be considered evil, bad, the opposite of good...in other words, SIN? Sure, BUT...if Adam and Eve do not know about good and evil (which is actually necessary in order to understand consequences and thus act on an informed decision/voluntary action) they will not know that NOT listening/not doing what God said is wrong. They have ZERO concept of this. To disobey is wrong/evil, but remember we have already established that Adam and Eve do not know what good and evil are. 

So, WHERE is the watershed moment BEFORE the eating of the bad /forbidden fruit where Adam and Eve became aware of what good and evil are supposed to be?

     3) Adam and Eve were supposedly created by God and placed in this voon-der-bar garden where there is a bad tree whose fruit carries the power to kill/cause death by virtue of the knowledge of good and evil, right? How can these verses be a valid directive from God when Adam and Eve have ZERO concept of death? They have not seen death or 'tasted' death as everything around them is in a very fresh state of perfection. Everything simply IS.

When Adam and Eve come into the scene EVERYTHING in the universe is already in existence. Adam and Eve had never experienced (either by personal experience or direct observation) being without. They have ZERO experience of 'having' something or someone and then 'losing' that same someone or something. They do not know loss, and what is death itself but LOSS? 

All that Adam and Eve know FOR SURE is that they exist, the garden exists, and God exists; they likely would not have even been able to even fully understand and appreciate and articulate what existence is. They do not know of or suspect the possibility of another state of existence OTHER THAN the one they experienced prior to eating the wrong fruit.

Adam and Eve know not loss and thus know not death or anything remotely similar. Considering these things how can it be justified that God's directive was understood, valid, and binding?

4. Genesis 2:25

25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

Question
     1) Look, human beings are born into this world fully naked. Sure, we have decency laws that demand we cover ourselves but think about the possibilities as to why such laws came into being in the first damn place, right? For whatever reason some people just cannot control themselves or their urges when viewing another person naked. Then of course you have people covering themselves to various degrees in accordance and response to their environment.

Nakedness in and of itself is not wicked or bad or evil, no. What IS wicked and bad and evil is the aberrant behavior. Thus, as it became painfully obvious that there are morons in this world who cannot handle nakedness and respond to such violently, cultures and societies responded and the manner in which they did and the degree of which they did can be found within human history. 

But Adam and Eve had never experienced any of this because they were supposedly the only people on the entire earth, and thus far I have not found one verse in the entire Bible that so much as insinuates ANY kind of situation between Adam and Eve that would justify a shame of nakedness.

Now, the use of the word 'ashamed' in this particular verse is interesting. This verse implies that Adam and Eve were aware of the possibility of shame, the emotion of shame. But this verse is misleading, because as stated above Adam and Eve have no concept of good and evil, and isn't it justified to place the emotion of shame into the category of the knowledge of good and evil? 

5. Genesis 3:1

1 Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

Question
     1) 'Subtle' has a good number of synonyms one of them being the word 'crafty.' Obviously, here 'crafty' does not mean crafty in the constructive/creative sense, but in the willfully destructive, subversive sense. Why, why, WHY...didn't God inform/warn Adam and Eve about the serpent? How were Adam and Eve supposed to know the serpent was subtle/crafty if they have no concept of good and evil either by instruction or experience?

6. Genesis 3:5-7

5 For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.

7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

Questions
     1) Now, God created man in His image and after His likeness, correct? If this is the case there is a serious problem. God knows everything there is to know. God knows everything about good and evil. God is the purpose of everything. 

While it would stand to reason that God would not create man in His own image and after His own likeness to the extent that man possesses ALL of the same powers and attributes of God, it also stands to reason that the likeness in which God supposedly created man includes at least a working knowledge, a basic understanding as to what good and evil are.

So, which part of the man that God created is in the likeness and image of God? Would the man God created in His own image be so ignorant, so misunderstanding, so trusting of the crafty serpent and his sack of shit lies? 

     2) Is there a possible defense for Adam and Eve and their actions that would exonerate them of the crime God tossed them out of the garden for? Were Adam and Eve warned and informed enough so that when they chose to eat of the fruit of wrong tree it could be a justified claim to assert that they assumed the risk of their actions in relation to the danger?

Boy, I tell you there were a b-zillion times when I was a child in Sunday School where we were taught that Adam and Eve KNEW they were being disobedient when they took and ate of the wrong tree. Since they acted on purpose and in willful defiance of God's instruction they deserved the harshest punishment.

Of course, this is pure bullshit. Consider that God never mentioned ANYTHING about what right and wrong are, what good and evil are, what shame is, who the serpent is, and what death is. God NEVER tells or explains anything to Adam and Eve. How, HOW can Adam and Eve be held accountable for assumption of the risk when God failed to provide them with necessary information? 

Because God NEVER said anything to them and because they do not know the depth of the risk let alone that there is even a risk to begin with, Adam and Eve cannot be guilty by virtue of assumption of the risk because...THERE WAS NO INFORMED CONSENT. 

So, WHERE is the justification for God not only kicking man out of the garden, but also for God immediately slapping those He created as well as all of their descendants with loathsome curse after loathsome curse?

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