Genesis and Other Creation Myths

[Ryika]

On day one light was created, not the light sources. We se on day four that is when the sun, moon and stars. But by using that logic you are presenting, then I shouldn't be able to see right now since I am no using the either of those three light sources for my current light.

That's not the point. The point is that we know that the light that makes the day bright and the that is mostly missing when it is night comes from the sun, so where did the original light come from? And if it was "just there", then why did Day and Night already exist? After all, they only now exist, because the light comes from the Sun and "night" is nothing else than one side of the Earth not being directly shined at by the sun.

So it looks like God who can do everything used a Placeholder-Sun on Day 1, put it at the exact position of where the sun is now and on day 4 he placed the Sun onto the placeholder. Why would God need a placeholder instead of just creating the sun?

 

[Leoreth]

I always thought that was an odd complaint to focus on in all of Genesis.

Other creation myths (Big Bang) and even the true history of creation (Valaquenta) have light before suns exist.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

 

[Valka D'Ur]

Other creation myths (Big Bang) and even the true history of creation (Valaquenta) have light before suns exist.

Whut?

The Big Bang happened. We know that. Unlike mythology, there is evidence that the Big Bang occurred.

 

[Leoreth]

But the Silmarillion says otherwise, so it must be wrong. Maybe Eru placed wrong evidence somewhere to test our faith.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

^This is stuff I do not have a sense of humor about. I've got zero patience with mythology masquerading as science.

 

[Leoreth]

I know, I've just realized it throws the usual ancient knowledge enthusiasts and bible literalists off for quite a bit when you attack them using their own weapons. Consider it resignation as a coping mechanism.

 

[Daw]

Light is electromagnetic emission with wave length within a specific range, which makes it visible to human eye

Spoiler :

(which is actually triggering chemical processes in the receptor cells resulting in electric impulses occurring, travelling through nerves and being accepted and processed in the cerebral cortex to be associated with something, which is also an electrochemical thing).

It sure has to have the emitter to be emitted from. Sun (a star) is such an emitter. Light bulb emits that. My laptop screen also does. Flame does. Many things do.

So, light has to have an emitter but the emitter doesn't have to be the Sun. Thus, light can be before the Sun comes around.

Anyway, Léo Taxil's understanding of the scripture is the one I think to be the best so far. God with a searchlight fits there very well. So that's what I believe in.

 

[classical_hero]

That's not the point. The point is that we know that the light that makes the day bright and the that is mostly missing when it is night comes from the sun, so where did the original light come from? And if it was "just there", then why did Day and Night already exist? After all, they only now exist, because the light comes from the Sun and "night" is nothing else than one side of the Earth not being directly shined at by the sun.

So it looks like God who can do everything used a Placeholder-Sun on Day 1, put it at the exact position of where the sun is now and on day 4 he placed the Sun onto the placeholder. Why would God need a placeholder instead of just creating the sun?

Revelation 21:23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
Isaiah 60:19 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

It's pretty obvious who the source of light was.

 

[PhroX]

Light is electromagnetic emission with wave length within a specific range, which makes it visible to human eye

Spoiler :

(which is actually triggering chemical processes in the receptor cells resulting in electric impulses occurring, travelling through nerves and being accepted and processed in the cerebral cortex to be associated with something, which is also an electrochemical thing).

It sure has to have the emitter to be emitted from. Sun (a star) is such an emitter. Light bulb emits that. My laptop screen also does. Flame does. Many things do.

So, light has to have an emitter but the emitter doesn't have to be the Sun. Thus, light can be before the Sun comes around.

Anyway, Léo Taxil's understanding of the scripture is the one I think to be the best so far. God with a searchlight fits there very well. So that's what I believe in.

If the definition of light is dependent on the human eye, how can there be light before such an eye existed? It would just be a bunch of unremarkable EM radiation.

 

[Flying Pig]

Correct.

 

[Leoreth]

If the definition of light is dependent on the human eye, how can there be light before such an eye existed? It would just be a bunch of unremarkable EM radiation.

 

[zxcvbob]

Revelation 21:23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
Isaiah 60:19 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

It's pretty obvious who the source of light was.

 

[warpus]

Ahhh yes God's glorious lighthole

 

[Arakhor]

Divine beings having bright auras is hardly unique to the Bible. It's a plot point in the story of Semele and Dionysus that Zeus's aura is so brilliant that it is fatal to mortals.

Besides which, God said, "let be there light," and there was light, so it doesn't seem strictly necessary for Jehovah to manifest an aura in the first place.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Revelation 21:23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
Isaiah 60:19 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

It's pretty obvious who the source of light was.

This just in .... God has a light switch

darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters

Now the important question is, does God have a disco setting?

 

[Arakhor]

This just in .... God has a light switch

Now the important question is, does God have a disco setting?

The fiat lux energy plan seems to be working out well for him, so he can probably afford a couple of extra light fittings too.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

If the definition of light is dependent on the human eye, how can there be light before such an eye existed? It would just be a bunch of unremarkable EM radiation.

Are you suggesting that before humans evolved, our Sun was a black dwarf star, and that no other stars were undergoing normal nuclear processes?

 

[Arakhor]

No, he's saying that what we call light is simply EM radiation that we evolved to use to see with.

 

[Daw]

And Valka (apparently) and I (definitely) are saying that the light was there before us, for us to see it later and to name it light. God didn't name it. He just made it and saw it was good. Speaking of which, he must have seen it somewhat similarly to how we do, because we are supposed to be somewhat similar, too.

Anyway, other species evolved somewhat differently and may think that light is a different thing, too. Like some snakes and mosquitoes have their visually perceivable range of wavelengths shifted into what we call infrared zone. Which effectively makes them see the world unimaginably differently from how we do it. Because the light God made for them is different from the light He made for us. Praise the Lord!