dwarven said:
ummm a question
who wrote the bible?? (just curious)
and as for adam/eve or evolution
EVOLUTION all the way *nods*
The question of who wrote the Bible is not an easy one to answer. But I think it's important to at least know some of the key basics about the broader cultural contexts in which the Old and New Testament's were written. The Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew with some Aramaic, though it would be translated into Greek later on. The Old Testament was a collection of writings that was central to the religious, legal and social life of the ancient Hebrews and had been written and compiled well before the birth of Jesus. The New Testament, by contrast, was written after the birth of Jesus and in the common Greek language of the Eastern Mediterranean, which was part of the Roman Empire. It sought, particularly through the synoptic gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, to historicise Jesus and to show that he was the fulfillment of the prophetic tradition contained within the Old Testament. The writings of both Luke (in Acts of the Apostles) and Paul in the New Testament sought also to express the universality of Christianity; salvation was open to all who accepted Christ, and was no longer confined to the Hebrews.
Now, I just don't understand how Christian fundamentalists believe they can defend the position that the Bible is the infallible word of God. It strikes me as pure bibliolatry. It's very clear that the Bible was written by human beings within a particular historical and cultural context. It makes me cringe to think that people, reading their bad translations mind you, would take what's written in the book literally and apply it to today's society. Take exorcisms, for example. The gospels are full of them, but how many educated Christians today truly believe in them? How many educated Christians (if we disregard Charismatics) today actually believe in glossolalia (speaking in tongues)? Has the Holy Spirit alighted a tongue of flame above your head lately?!? I mean, come on!
Intelligent design should NOT be taught in science class, because it is not a scientific position. Teach it in religious studies class, discuss it in philosophy class, but don't try and pass it off as science. I'm sick of hearing about your watchmaker. I would be more inclined to read the story of Adam and Eve from a literary perspective, and that it is an allegory - an allegory which expresses the idea of the fallen nature of humankind - expressing the idea that human beings are inherently 'sinful'. By this I mean that human beings have an undeniable compulsion to commit 'sin', not that human beings are innately shameful or dirty, as some people read it. I think this is a way of reading the story, but I nonetheless don't think the idea is either particularly truthful or particularly constructive, in case you were wondering.
So, in my honest opinion - Evolution pwns Adam and Eve in science class for reasons which should be obvious to everyone with functioning cognition.
