Adam and Eve??

From a split second after the Big Bang, it isn't just our subjective reality. Traces were left of everything that happened since that cataclysm. The universe expanded and is expanding still, and if you run it backwards in time there is nothing before then. Time (the fourth dimension, which we live comfortably in without noticing it) did not exist before that.

What happened after it took far longer than we imagine. See the timeline chart. The bare uninhabited earth (and all the other planets round all the other suns in the universe) coalesced from the meeting of fragments of whatever it was that blew up so spectacularly, and gradually weathered and changed until it became more or less as it is today. Fragments of dust and chemicals combined in the mix of hydrogen and oxygen that formed water until minute specks of life developed and themselves combined into more complicated organisms until there were plants. All this took more long eras of time. There were still no animals for a long time, and no humans until a lot later. We are animals, yes. We have animal bodies and our brains still have evidence of our animal origins.We have one special power - our ability to think abstractly and to communicate our thoughts to one another, and to record those thoughts so that they can be communicated directly to others even when we are not present. Right now we are doing exactly that online.

flexbooks.ck12.org/cbook/ck-12-middle-school-life-science-2.0/section/4.12/primary/lesson/timeline-of-evolution-ms-ls/

volver

We're not though. Whatever you believe. 🤷🏼

That's your belief Volver. You don't know.

No arguing from me here.

And Volver there’s nothing to argue about it’s only our individual subjective reality. Not a right or wrong good or bad.

My mistake it was Hetty 58 who said we were just animals infesting the earth. How how can you make assertion on what’s constitutes the “truth” that is rooted in just your own opinion.

We all are Stormystar. I wouldn't have chose the word "infesting", but I'm not going to argue with it.

But what you choose to believe Volver is no more the Truth than those who believe otherwise. Your asserting the impossible. But its not an issue, you are are in your words an animal infesting the planet nothing more, so be it.

We're not though. Whatever you believe. 🤷🏼

For me Volver just for me thinking myself as just an animal infesting the earth would be nihilistic
Me too. I believe we are so much more.

Nihilistic's a funny word to use. Does it mean "meaningless"? Life without the supernatural isn't meaningless. It's just lived now, not expecting some as yet unseen force to give us jam tomorrow.

But yes, this is a spiritual/religion forum and of course everyone is absolutely free to believe what they like (I hope that doesn't sound sarcastic, it's not meant to be). But let's take the big bang. What's more enthralling than a sudden burst of energy that creates a whole universe for us to inhabit? One that can give rise to organic life, as well as everything else. That's much more exciting than any recourse to the supernatural could ever be.

For me Volver just for me thinking myself as just an animal infesting the earth would be nihilistic. I have no desire to impose my understandings on others why would I. But this is a Spiritual forum where mystery magic other worldly thinking can be explored and expressed.

I'd choose a slow nihilistic death over believing in fairy tales...

I place no more faith in religion than I do in fairy tales.

Not the same thing.

The Adam and Eve story was a total invention by the later Church. In the original Hebrew, it was never about man and woman at all. an invention, like so many others in te Bible, to demonize women.

Elegran

They don't tell you that one in Sunday School.

Oh, they did I was sent to the Vestry for asking the same question aged 15. That was the end of my religious education in Chapel. I did enjoy my O Level R.E which was all about the stories in Genesis and further books until we came to David. and the archaeology etc. which "might" support or dispute this.

On the contrary, I respect anyone's right to believe in whatever they choose. All I'm saying is that I place no more faith in religion than I do in fairy tales. That's my belief.

We're all entitled to our beliefs. Classifying them as fairytales isn't respectful.

Can I just make a plea to those who think that believing that we are "just" animals leads to a slow nihilistic death?

As an atheist, I believe this is the life we've got, and nothing is going to come after. Nobody put us here for a reason and there is no great plan. That means we have to do our absolute best while we are here because there's no second chances. There's nobody watching me to see if I'm a good girl and to reward me if I am.

Make this world the best it can be. This is all there is.

Absolutely Blondiescot we’re all free to live by the beliefs we choose. And they can change and transform over time. There’s no judgement because it’s all just opinion and perspectives. Ultimately life is such an incredible mystery, and I’ve come to the understanding I know practically nothing. But I most certainly respect all peoples viewpoints whatever gives them peace in their hearts

nadateturbe

The Big Bang is only a theory. It doesn't explain the beginning, where the initial dense hot spot came from. I find it easier to believe in a God.

The Big Bang is a theory based on observable evidence and explains how the Universe behaved after t=0. It's not a random hypothesis that somebody has just thought up.

It doesn't try to explain what happened before, so you can believe that it was set off by God or even the Flying Spaghetti Monster, and nobody can contradict you.

However, on the balance of probabilities and based on scientific calculations, I think that there was another universe that collapsed in on itself before inflating again into the one we have now. Which will eventually collapse again. Etc.

Please do not waste what remains of our short lives considering this!! Honestly it is just a story, like for instance The Hungry Caterpillar.

The Big Bang is only a theory. It doesn't explain the beginning, where the initial dense hot spot came from. I find it easier to believe in a God.

That should have read ‘daughters of Lilith’

Actually, according to other sources...Adam originally was with a woman named Lilith. She regarded herself as equal to a man and refused to knuckle under and obey him. God then dismissed her and made a new woman out of part of Adam's body. She was the more compliant Eve.

Maybe Adam’s sons married daughters or Lilith.

I love myths and legends.

Callistemon I have been wracking my brains about this, but we are going back about 65 years! I do seem to remember that the parting of the Red Sea was explained as a type of Tsunami. It was definitely a hard backed Text Book type, rather than popular non-fiction. If I ever remember I’ll let you know.