The Human Project: Trial Run?
Hey all. It's amusing how Ben and I both pledged to do our weekly postings on Saturday, but somehow or other couldn't really fulfill our solemn vows to each other. So here I am, a day later than he signed in. Forgive me if I seem a little detached from sanity, it is 2.35 a.m.
I didn't read Ben's post below save the first few introductory lines. Was afraid his knack of making sense might scare me out of expressing the random smatterings of my mind. Don't be fooled. These seemingly neat and formatted paragraphs are but an illusion, an attempt to hide the disorder you're about to encounter... or so I think.
*deep breath*
thoughts on genesis
Genesis is supposed to be the great tale of how God created the world, man screwed it up, and the serpent (with sin in tow)
That's true.
But looking back at what I read, Genesis seems more like the tale of a scientist whose creation kept going wrong. (Of course, God is much more than a mere scientist, but just bear with me for this post) After the initial success of the test runs, the prototype(s) never failed to start malfuctioning.
DESIGN VERSION 1: 'The Perfect World'
result: FAILED
cause: defenses crumbled in presence of 'bacterii' (ala 'The War of the Worlds') in which the prototype couldn't resist
DESIGN VERSION 2: 'Natural Selection'
result: FAILED
cause: dominant gene that causes sinfulness (intercourse between 'good' and 'bad' lineages results in 'corrupted' species)
DESIGN VERSION 3: 'One Man Selected'
result: FAILED
cause: 'One Language'
And what's confusing is what God does next...
DESIGN VERSION 4: 'One Man Selected (ver 2)'
result: FLAWED
causes: unbelief, immorality, selfishness, infighting, jealousy, etc.
After failing to reboot the Human Project by starting over again with Noah, God decides on some guy named Abram from Ur. And so begins a long narrative, starting with Abram's calling and ending with his great-grandson, Joseph's death.
But what struck me as interesting was how Abram and descendents weren't given much guidance in the form of laws apart from a covenent of circumcision. So in a way, most of the patriachs would have been stoned if they had been thrown into the future where the Law of Moses was in effect. It seemed as if God had just let them mess things up, to create the basis for some parts the Law (I daren't say all).
For example, Jacob (although he didn't want to) married two sisters who battled with each other daily, competed to bear children, and even once traded plants for a night with Jacob. The law that was passed as a result? Don't marry two sisters.
In Philip Yancey's 'The Bible Jesus Read' (which I'm struggling to get through at the moment), he talks about how often we ignore the Old Testament and concentrate on the New. He also made an interesting comment, the teachings in the NT tell us how the world is supposed to function, however the OT shows us how the world really functions. Wars, betrayal, cruelty. All these are things we see everyday. And where can we find lessons and examples of how to handle them in the Bible? The OT of course. And Genesis is a good book to learn about what not to do (Judges is a little too way out for us to easily find any relevance to our everyday lives). For example, don't practise favouritism when raising children, lest jealousy get out of hand.
Alright, it's been an hour since I started writing. Really sleepy now. If by the time you reach this line you're perpetually scratching your help and or maybe even suffering from a head-splitting migraine, forgive me. I should have written this in a more conscious state. Goodnight then. Remember, all C&C is welcomed. Please, reprimand me if I have said anything wrong. Adieu.
