Discussion Group Report

The creation story in the book of Genesis in the Old Testament contains a number of contradictions and superstitions, some of which grow out of scientific ignorance, Utah Humanists member Earl Wunderli pointed out at the last meeting.

This tale was put together by priestly hands soon after the time of the exile of the Jews to Babylonia in 586 BCE. It is widely accepted among scholars today that the story "was, in fact, a version of the Babylonian creation myth, purified of polytheism and grossness, and put into the loftiest and most abstract terms of which the Jewish priesthood was capable," according to Isaac Asimov. This plus some other portions of the first few books of the Bible are part of the "Priestly document," which is usually designated as P. There are two strands in the Hexateuch: the first, an early one, is known as the "J document" because of its characteristic use of "Jehovah" (Yahvew) in connection with God. The second, the "E document," uses Elohim for God. There are actually two creation stories, one in chapter one of Genesis and the other in chapter two

Contradictions in the myth are: First, on the third day God created grass, herbs and fruit trees (1:11-13), but the sun on the fourth day (1:14-19) [Grass, herbs, and fruit trees cannot live without sunlight]. Second, on the first day God created light to divide night from day (1:3-5); but the sun and moon on the fourth day (1:14-19). Third, he made birds from the waters (1:20-23), but he formed every fowl out of the ground (2:19). Fourth, the order of creation in the P account were fowls (1:20-23), then beasts (1:24) and man and woman (1:26-27), but in J it is man (2:7), beasts and birds (2:19) and then woman from man (2:21).

Then there are the superstitions of the story: God commands Adam not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (2:17). Adam named every living creature (2:19) [Science has shown that there are millions of species]. God made Eve from the rib of Adam (2:21-23). The serpent persuaded Eve to eat the forbidden fruit (3:4-5). God is vengeful. Because of disobedience, woman was to bring forth children in sorrow (3:16), and the ground is cursed bringing forth thorns and thistles (3:17-18).

Concepts growing out of scientific ignorance were the Pre-Darwinian idea that plants reproduce "after his kind" (1:11-12) and the pre-Copernican notion that God put stars in the firmament to give light upon the earth.

Some values taught by the creation story can have a harmful effect upon people. The view that man is to have dominion over every living

thing (1:26, 28) has been used as justification for unwise destruction of the environment, which could leave future generations with an unhealthy and unpleasant world in which to live. God's commandment to "be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it" encourages overpopulation, a major cause of poverty. Attributing Adam's disobedience to Eve's temptation of him unjustly and chauvinistically pictures women as the source of men's evil actions, and thus fails to hold men responsible for their own actions. Sexism and patriarchal exploitation and abuse of women are sanctioned by the injunction that, because of Eve, a woman's "desire shall be to her husband, and he shall rule over thee."

Experience suggests that contradictions in the teachings of scriptures don't matter to the True Believers. They simply dismiss them, as a duck sheds water off its back. Even harmful doctrines usually don't dissuade the faithful. It is likely that the only effective approach to the problem of superstitious belief is extensive education.