A Missing Chapter of Genesis – Found, Again!

Due to a combination of being very busy this week and being lazy this weekend, I am not yet ready with the blog I am currently working on. However, instead of leaving a blank Monday I decided to repost one of my earlier blogs.  In fact, it is the one that has had the most views on my site.  First posted on May 23, 2012 here it is again.  Enjoy. 

I came across some interesting news today.  It seems that in some caves located in the deserts of northern Israel they have found a hitherto unknown section of Genesis, one that has apparently been lost and forgotten about for almost 2,000 years (there are cryptic references to it in some of the writings of Christians and Jews up to around 100 CE, but then all mention of it stops).    This section, consisting of probably three or four chapters, is not intact and there are obviously pieces missing, but what is there provides a whole new insight about the Bible and God.

Below is the translation of the first of the two sections from the lost chapters of Genesis that were found. 

“One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them.  The LORD took Satan aside and said to him, “Where have you come from?”

Satan answered the LORD, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth in it.”

Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered the problem of Adam and Eve?  They have been banished from Eden and yet still are in danger of sinning further.  They are not following my commandment to be fruitful and increase in number; to fill the earth and subdue it.  Instead, they work and talk, talk and work, but do not do that which will increase their numbers as I have commanded. “

Satan answered the LORD, “Yes LORD, I have considered the failings of your creations, Adam and Eve. I have discovered why they do not procreate as you have commanded.”

Then the LORD said to Satan, “Then tell me why before I smite them and you again.”

Satan bowed to the LORD and answered him, “Because they are afraid O LORD.  When you banished them from Eden you told the woman that you will make her pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor she will give birth to children.  And you told the man that because he listened to his wife and ate fruit from the tree about which you commanded him, “You must not eat from it,” that the ground would be cursed and that only through painful toil will he eat food from it.  That the land will produce thorns and thistles for him and that he will eat the plants of the field only by the sweat of his brow. Now Eve is afraid to become with child and Adam is loath toil in more fields in order to feed more mouths.”

The LORD bowed his head in thought and then asked Satan, “Have you considered this problem Satan?”

“Yes my LORD,” answered Satan.  “Whilst in the Garden when there were no cares or fears and all came easy to them the fact that sex brought as much pleasure as drinking a warm glass of milk, to be engaged in only on nights when one or the other could not sleep was of no moment. 

But now, oh LORD, the milk has curdled.”

The LORD nodded and said, “Have you considered the solution then to this vexing problem Satan?”

Satan bowed and answered, “I have my LORD.  With your permission I will increase the size of the woman’s breast so that instead of being but slightly noticed hills upon a prairie field they shall rise up like majestic mountains and thus attract the gaze and desire of Adam. 

For Adam, I will increase the size of his member so that instead of rattling around like a thin stick in a cooking pot it shall provide a pleasurable sense of fullness for the woman so that the Eve will no longer be able to ignore it’s presence as before.

For both, I shall make the experience of love a thing to remember, an event of fireworks and blissful earthquakes; an act that they will enjoy so much that they will engage in it again and again and never consider the consequences.  Their own natures will help with that given how easily they were persuaded to eat of the apple. “

The LORD said to Satan, “Very well, everything that you need to accomplish this deed is now in your power. Go and do so, but no more than this.”

Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.”     

Now that is the end of the first fragment found of this long missing section.  There was one more fragment found though which I post below:

“After the LORD had said these things to Michael, he turned to Satan and said, “I am angry with you and your works.  Now that you have increased the size the Adam’s member and Eve’s breasts, now that you have increased the size of the pleasure that they know when intimate together; because of all that you have done they have wondered into new sins and know it not. Now I will have to teach the man and woman that most of their newly discovered pleasures are also sinful and will result in my wrath if continued.

The man now not only loves his wife but spends many hours playing with his member on his own and wasting his seed.  Or spends it in other openings of Eve not meant for procreation.  And Eve, she not only goes joyfully into her husband’s arms but also into the arms of goats, dogs, and other creatures not her husband.   

I foresee that as they procreate and fill the earth that both will know not only each other but each of them will know each of their sons and daughters, their grandsons and granddaughters, their great-grandsons, and great-grand daughters and so on down all the years of their lives!”

“LORD”, said Satan, “I only did as you asked so….”

And that is, unfortunately, all we have.  The rest of the chapter is missing.  As I said earlier I think though what we do have sheds some light on the Bible and its meaning.

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Never Mind Reality, Give Me Theology

Today I listened to a religious talk show radio host ask (paraphrased)” Every time science contradicts the word of God, why do we choose science instead of God’s word. “

The reason for this, religious talk show radio host, is that science is based on reality testing.  What it finds has been tested and examined against the world around us.  It consistently delivers verifiable results.  That is why the well established theories such as atomic theory, quantum theory, big band theory, relativity theory, evolutionary theory, germ theory and so forth the vast, vast majority of scientists accept them as true. 

Do you see that sort of agreement within religion? 

No.

The reason is that theology is too often not concerned with any sort of reality testing, or at best a weak, incomplete one.  Instead it relies on a person’s interpretation of the Bible (or Qur’an or any other sacred work).  This results in widespread disagreement about almost everything. 

What these people do not seem to realize is that all words have to be interpreted.  The more complex the work, the more this is true.  And the Bible is indeed a complex work containing; history, theology, ethics, culture, poetry, and so forth.  

It is not so much rejecting the word of God as rejecting man’s understanding of the word of God.

Both the atheist and the liberal theist have this in common – they both believe in reality testing, which is why they agree on science. 

Evolution – liberal theist and atheist agree.

Big Bang theory – liberal theist and atheist agree.

Definitive science contradicting the Bible, then science wins – both liberal theist and atheist agree. 

However the literalist and fundamentalist are not interested in reality testing.  And some religious people are only willing to go partway towards accepting the results of reality testing.

 

Consider this story, from http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/47677809/ns/today-books/ about the Vatican’s negative reaction towards a nun’s book about sexuality.  

The book is “Just Love:  A Framework for Christian Sexual Ethics” and the nun is Sister Margaret Farley, a member of the Sisters of Mercy and a professor emeritus of Christian ethics at Yale University.  From the above article. 

“Farley writes that masturbation, particularly in the case of women, “usually does not raise any moral questions at all” and that it “actually serves relationships rather than hindering them”.

The Vatican said the Church teaches that masturbation is “an intrinsically and gravely disordered action”.

and

“Farley writes that “same-sex oriented persons as well as their activities can and should be respected”. The Vatican notification reminded her that while homosexual tendencies are not sinful, homosexual acts are “intrinsically disordered (and) contrary to the natural law”.

“Farley writes that homosexual marriage can help reduce hatred, rejection and stigmatization of gays. The Church opposes gay marriage.”

What Sister Farley has written is something that is something that is supported by science – not as well as evolution or germ theory but nonetheless has considerable support.  Instead of acknowledging this though the Catholic Church instead relies on theology. 

While the Catholic Church gets kudos for getting it right on evolution and big bang, it still has a hang up about sex so that reality gets ignored in favor of doctrine.   Because of this it is trying to influence public policy in ways which would be harmful and detrimental to women and society in general. 

In other words on this issue they are just like the literalists and fundamentalists in whom it doesn’t seem to matter what the reality is, if it conflicts with theology reject it anyway.    

I should also mention that even atheists can be and too often are like the theistic literalists and fundamentalists in using pure logic and words and incomplete ideas to determine their views of the world, with a lack of or an incomplete testing against reality of those beliefs.  This includes things such as homeopathy, alien astronauts, UFO’s, the Loch Ness monster, big foot, psychics, bigotry and prejudice, and so forth. 

Without this grounding in reality doctrines and beliefs can go very far astray no matter your religious beliefs.   Just take a look at the different ideas that have cropped up in religion and in philosophy throughout history.  Without an anchor in the world around us logic and words can lead us anywhere.  

The problem though is that this reality testing, this analytic way of examining the world and our beliefs is counter to our own evolutionary heritage and not something that comes naturally or easily to us.    

This is one of the reasons why we will never get rid of religion totally or even mostly get rid of it.  It’s form will change as it has always changed, but it will still exist a thousand years from now.  Something that I will be discussing further in a soon to be finished later blog. 

But to return to the question that started this blog – why do people so often choose science over the Bible when the two conflict – the answer is because people value the truth.

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A Missing Chapter of Genesis – Found!

I came across some interesting news today.  It seems that in some caves located in the deserts of northern Israel they have found a hitherto unknown section of Genesis, one that has apparently been lost and forgotten about for almost 2,000 years (there are cryptic references to it in some of the writings of Christians and Jews up to around 100 CE, but then all mention of it stops).    This section, consisting of probably three or four chapters, is not intact and there are obviously pieces missing, but what is there provides a whole new insight about the Bible and God.

Below is the translation of the first of the two sections from the lost chapters of Genesis that were found. 

“One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them.  The LORD took Satan aside and said to him, “Where have you come from?”

Satan answered the LORD, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth in it.”

Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered the problem of Adam and Eve?  They have been banished from Eden and yet still are in danger of sinning further.  They are not following my commandment to be fruitful and increase in number; to fill the earth and subdue it.  Instead they work and talk, talk and work, but do not do that which will increase their numbers as I have commanded. “

Satan answered the LORD, “Yes LORD, I have considered the failings of your creations, Adam and Eve.    I have discovered why they do not procreate as you have commanded.”

Then the LORD said to Satan, “Then tell me why before I smite them and you again.”

Satan bowed to the LORD and answered him, “Because they are afraid O LORD.  When you banished them from Eden you told the woman that you will make her pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor she will give birth to children.  And you told the man that because he listened to his wife and ate fruit from the tree about which you commanded him, “You must not eat from it,” that the ground would be cursed and that only through painful toil will he eat food from it.  That the land will produce thorns and thistles for him and that he will eat the plants of the field only by the sweat of his brow.    Now Eve is afraid to become with child and Adam is loath to feed more mouths.”

The LORD bowed his head in thought and then asked Satan, “Have you considered this problem Satan?”

“Yes my LORD,” answered Satan.  “Whilst in the Garden when there were no cares or fears and all came easy to them the fact that sex brought as much pleasure as drinking a warm glass of milk, to be engaged in only on nights when one or the other could not sleep was of no moment. 

But now, oh LORD, the milk has curdled.”

The LORD nodded and said, “Have you considered the solution then to this vexing problem Satan?”

Satan bowed and answered, “I have my LORD.  With your permission I will increase the size of the woman’s breast so that instead of being but slightly noticed hills upon a prairie field they shall rise up like majestic mountains and thus attract the gaze and desire of Adam. 

                               

For Adam, I will increase the size of his member so that instead of rattling around like a thin stick in a jar it shall provide a pleasurable sense of fullness for the woman so that the Eve will no longer be able to ignore it’s presence as before . 

For both, I shall make the experience of love a thing to remember, an event of fireworks and blissful earthquakes; an act that they will enjoy so much that they will engage in it again and again and never consider the consequences.  Their own natures will help with that given how easily they were persuaded to eat of the apple. “

The LORD said to Satan, “Very well, everything that you need to accomplish this deed is now in your power.  Go and do so, but no more than this.”

Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.”     

Now that is the end of the first fragment found of this long missing section.  There was one more fragment found though which I post below:

“After the LORD had said these things to Michael, he turned to Satan and said, “I am angry with you and your works.   Now that you have increased the size the Adam’s member and Eve’s breasts, now that you have increased the size of the pleasure that they know when intimate together; because of all that you have done they have wondered into new sins and know it not.  Now I will have to teach the man and woman that most of their newly discovered pleasures are also sinful and will result in my wrath if continued.

The man now not only loves his wife but spends many hours playing with his member on his own and wasting his seed.  Or spends it in other openings of Eve not meant for procreation.  And Eve, she not only goes joyfully into her husband’s arms but also into the arms of goats, dogs, and other creatures not her husband.   

I foresee that as they procreate and fill the earth that both will know not only each other but each of them will know each of their sons and daughters, their grandsons and granddaughters, their great-grandsons, and great-grand daughters and so on down all the years of their lives!”

“LORD”, said Satan, “I only did as you asked so….”

And that is, unfortunately, all we have.  The rest of the chapter is missing.  As I said earlier I think though what we do have sheds some light on the Bible and its meaning.

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The Accurate Frame

Sexual perversions.  Sexual deviants.  Choosing sin and filth.  Obscenity.  Unnatural. 

 As is usually the case with issues that stir up the emotions, the answers lie in how you frame the issue.  Those who are opposed to gay marriage and homosexuality usually use some of these words when defending their views.  They wish to frame the argument like this: 

 

 However that is not the correct frame for this picture.  Instead this provides a more accurate framing:

 

 This is not about sex, not about “perversion”.  Not about a “choice”. 

It is about allowing two people who love and care deeply for each other but happen to be members of the same gender to have the same rights to express and act on those feelings as do those who have those feelings for someone of the opposite gender. 

It is not a sexual perversion issue.  It is a fairness issue.  It is a human rights issue.

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