Criticism of the Adam and Eve story Science VS Religion – By Rebecca Leech 9a1
It is easy for me to say that the story of creation is unrealistic and therefore unbelievable; a world created in a mere six days where everything was considered “perfect” and “fully developed”. However we must consider it’s relevance in comparison to scientific facts and maybe we shouldn’t discard the theories and concepts which are hidden behind the biblical story of creation. For example, the story recognises that water came before land, like sea creatures came before land animals. This kind of information is scientifically proven and was unknown at the time of origin of these stories, making me wonder if these seemingly untrue tales hold a greater depth of truth and meaning to them than they appear. Another aspect we should consider is the somewhat impossible timing that the bible makes reference to. It has been pointed out that “six days” could represent six hundred years or be to a completely different time scale completely. This could be easier to comprehend than the simplistic, direct link to the words of the story. Maybe all this part of the story is doing is recognising that time is needed for rest. Another view, is the religious concept that if God is indeed our maker, an infinite being, who holds ultimate control over us, then is it really so inconceivable for him to create a world. Does the timing only seem unrealistic to us because we are incapable of doing the same? As humans we are used to being superior on Earth, we hold power and the concept of someone so powerful above us is frightening. Or is it basic human nature that has made us reject the idea of God over time? There are numerous theories to support this some of which I have considered below.
Over time, people have killed, betrayed and devoted their lives to the idea of “power”. The English Civil War shows us how two sides fought so desperately over power, refusing to allow the other side complete control until one was murdered. Another being; Macbeth and his ambition for power that lead to his demise and unravelling. Yet, in Macbeth another thing loomed over him and that was his fear of what would happen to him in the afterlife. This fear that religion holds over us could be a reason many have driven it away. To me, it seems pointless to sacrifice so much for power, if ultimately God is the most powerful anyway and our time on Earth is just a small, faint scar in the time of our being. If God is all-powerful then some may feel their devotion to power has been pointless or they could be afraid of the control God has. Banishing Adam and Eve and flooding the world seem like good reasons for fear.
An alternative perspective on how human nature clashes with religion incorporates my last two examples. We read in the bible of how God punishes Adam and Eve, the pain of childbirth and the exile from paradise. If God is forgiving and indeed omnipotent, then why is there still suffering? Good people living in the cold grasp of poverty, children taken from life, murder, natural disasters. Is this the God we should accept? Rely on? The human nature to blame others and to feel spite could be the reason religion isn’t as accepted and why people fail to believe the story of creation. Humans don’t want to believe and trust in someone who does so little to help the world falling around them, even if it’s demise is our fault. Many reject the idea of religion because they scorn a God who seemingly has lost interest in their prayers and their hopes but maybe he refuses to help now because people refuse to believe.
In saying this, I feel that religion is intrinsic to human nature. We all so desperately want to believe that we will be infinite or at least unafraid in death. To us, we always have the potential to investigate what is in fact a mystery to us…venturing further into space, searching for cures, developing technology and researching the thing that
