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Growth Why Pagan Religions Before Christianity Had Stories Similar to Genesis

Nintentacle

Nintentacle

Member
There's old pagan religions that have stories about how curiosity/temptation caused evil to enter into the world, how there was a flood and ark, a layer of water over the Earth, etc.

The reason stories like this existed before the Bible, is because they actually happened.

To explain it better:
If a huge flood happened, it would only make sense that the "legend" of it would be passed down to everywhere in the world.

If there was a layer of water over the Earth, then there would be stories about it.

Etc.

I don't think I presented my point as clear as I would have liked to, but I hope you understood it.
 
Hebrews 11:1-2 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.

Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the "whole world" as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
 
From Adam to Noah to Abraham to Moses I find it impossible to believe all people held to God's command and did not stray from God. In doing so they took with them the knowledge of worshiping God, the knowledge of sacrifices and other traditions/customs. Of course those that strayed having memory of these would not adhere to them as set forth by God developing their own styles, versions and variants. It's these variants that some point to in order to claim Christianity "borrowed" what the pagans had or were doing when in truth the pagan "borrowed" from God's people in the first place.

If we are to believe all were wiped out during the Great Flood, I believe only 8 survived, Then pagans "came from" those 8.
 
The Bible reveals that before paganism came into existence, human beings knew that there was one true God but turned away from Him (Rom 1:19-25). The fact of the Flood was known by all mankind, but they conjured up their own stories regarding this worldwide catastrophe.

The Holy Bible is the only true source of knowledge about God and His dealings with mankind. All other relgions have myths and fables. Yet the supposedly learned and "Christian" scholars from the 19th century on, began to attack the Bible and started saying that it was full of myths and fables. That revealed their own unbelief and ignorance. Before that Muhammad took the contents of the Bible and corrupted them in the Koran. Prior to him, the Gnostics did the same thing. But the Word of the Lord endureth for ever (1 Pet 1:25).
 
Psa 34:8 O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

It's all the stories of the past beginning with Adam on up even with us today that make up the whole of God as we see Him revealed in all things through the spoken and written accounts that we call the Bible. How can one know God without acknowledging Him first. How can one speak of God without knowing His mercy and grace. Anything other than what was spoken into existence is that of myths and fables as a fairy tale read at bedtime. O taste and see that the LORD is good.
 
ok. but uhm what was the group who had the torah and the tanach prior to Christ called? they weren't called Christians ya know. wouldn't it be better to say this . why is the genesis account found to have similar stories about the events in Egypt, Chaldea and other areas?
 
jasonc said:
ok. #1but uhm what was the group who had the torah and the tanach prior to Christ called? they weren't called Christians ya know. wouldn't it be better to say this . #2why is the genesis account found to have similar stories about the events in Egypt, Chaldea and other areas?
Click to expand...
1. I would assume Jews.
2. This question is answered in the original post: The events were passed down, and spread to the whole world.

Hope that helped.
 
Nintentacle: There's a book called "Eternity In Their Hearts" and in it Don Richardson studies cultures from around the world and has the same premise as you have outlined. I remember hearing about it when I was listening to a CSE lecture by Kent Hovind.
 
Sometimes, memories of actual events can linger in fable and myth. Like Irish folklore about faries taking human babies and replacing them with "changelings." I read somewhere that stuff like that (only with people...enemies stealing healthy babies during times of conflict or something like that) did happen, and bits and pieces of it linger on in modified form in stories.
 
jasonc said:
why is the genesis account found to have similar stories about the events in Egypt, Chaldea and other areas?
Click to expand...

The question should be reversed since the Bible is God's revelation in God's words to men. Certainly the same events were described in other cultures, but mingled with myth, fable, superstition, and legend.

We should also keep in mind that Satan and his demons influenced quite of bit of how pagans understood the world, and made sure that all kinds of false gods entered into the picture, so that demons could be worshiped.

On the other hand, God has given to us a sober, factual, "scientific" (in non-scientific language), and completely truthful revelation about things which only God would know. The amazing thing is that God is very concise about non-spiritual matters, but gives a lot of space to the things that really matter to Him (though we may not full understand their significance). If men had put together the creation account, it would have probably filled half the Bible, because there is so much in God's creation. Yet, God covers it in 2-3 pages of Scripture.
 
I don't think god told us much on how created the universe only that he did. but we digress into what is the upper and lower firmament.
 
Nintentacle said:
There's old pagan religions that have stories about how curiosity/temptation caused evil to enter into the world, how there was a flood and ark, a layer of water over the Earth, etc.

The reason stories like this existed before the Bible, is because they actually happened.

To explain it better:
If a huge flood happened, it would only make sense that the "legend" of it would be passed down to everywhere in the world.

If there was a layer of water over the Earth, then there would be stories about it.

Etc.

I don't think I presented my point as clear as I would have liked to, but I hope you understood it.
Click to expand...
:nod
 
off topic , it odd that a jew may pray in a mosque if there is no synagogue but not a church.
 
The First Apology of Justin Martyr
Saint JUSTIN MARTYR (100 - ca.165)
The purpose of the Apology is to prove to the emperors, renowned as upright and philosophical men, the injustice of the persecution of the Christians, who are the representatives of true philosophy … Christians are the true worshipers of God, the Creator of all things; they offer him the only sacrifices worthy of him, those of prayer and thanksgiving, and are taught by his Son, to whom they assign a place next in honor to him. This teaching leads them to perfect morality, as shown in their teacher's words and their own lives, and founded on their belief in the resurrection. (Summary from Wikipedia)

LINK TO AUDIOBOOK TO LISTEN TO AND OR DOWNLOAD:
https://librivox.org/the-first-apology-by-martyr/
 
jasonc said:
off topic , it odd that a jew may pray in a mosque if there is no synagogue but not a church.
Click to expand...

What makes you think a Jew cannot pray in a Christian church? Nobody stand at the door and asks people whether they are Jews or Gentiles.
 
Malachi said:
What makes you think a Jew cannot pray in a Christian church? Nobody stand at the door and asks people whether they are Jews or Gentiles.
Click to expand...
because they would be removed from the temple. what I quoted is per rabbinical decree. that is why. the jews in isreal cant enter into any of the Christian holy sights but if there was no temple they could pray in a mosque. the source that told me that is a jewish believer. im not sure he was raised in Judaism or not but he does know a lot.
 
Symbolism 102

Everything god made hid a truth. Every event god was involved in (time etc) carried a symbolic truth.

Romans 1:19-20

God's symbols:
1.You need the tree of life
2. Avoid the tree of good and evil (experience only good)
3. Kidneys clean up toxins (Jesus takes away the sin of the world)
4. Throw satan out of heaven
5. One vessel for salvation from flood of sin (in Christ)
6. The heavens tell His story
7. Genetics are a book from God
8. The lunar cycle tells as you see Jesus go so shall you see him come again

Satan's lies:
1. The tree of good and evil will make you like God
2. Follow me and I will five you temporal kingdoms (short lived), and eternal ?
3.Salvation lies in mans works
4. Satan came saying I am an alien
5. There are many ways to god
6. The stars tell your story
7. Genetics started in slime
8. The full moon brings evil

Kind of sketchy, but for every truth there is a lie to try and kill, steal, and destroy .

eddif
 
eddif said:
Symbolism 102

Everything god made hid a truth. Every event god was involved in (time etc) carried a symbolic truth.

Romans 1:19-20

God's symbols:
1.You need the tree of life
2. Avoid the tree of good and evil (experience only good)
3. Kidneys clean up toxins (Jesus takes away the sin of the world)
4. Throw satan out of heaven
5. One vessel for salvation from flood of sin (in Christ)
6. The heavens tell His story
7. Genetics are a book from God
8. The lunar cycle tells as you see Jesus go so shall you see him come again

Satan's lies:
1. The tree of good and evil will make you like God
2. Follow me and I will five you temporal kingdoms (short lived), and eternal ?
3.Salvation lies in mans works
4. Satan came saying I am an alien
5. There are many ways to god
6. The stars tell your story
7. Genetics started in slime
8. The full moon brings evil

Kind of sketchy, but for every truth there is a lie to try and kill, steal, and destroy .

eddif
Click to expand...
I wish the science of origin theories would stop and science focus more on what works and why and use it to make life better. one cant test what is around us to see how we got here as we cant observe how it came to be.
 
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