My theory about the Flood

[AntoineSuarez]

@Bill_II

Differing species does not require an inability to interbred. Think horses and donkeys.

The problem I am referring to is not interbreeding between differing species: Hybridization is pervasive in evolution.

The problem is that according to your assumption there was interbreeding between humans created in God’s image (Homo sapiens) and humans NOT created in God’s image (Homo neanderthalensis, Homo denisova). This is quite different from interbreeding between “horses and donkeys”: Neither horses nor donkeys are supposed to be in God’s image, are they?

Whichever way you look at it such an assumption bears problems:

If you consider sapiens, neanderthals and denisova different species, your assumption means that when God says: “Be fruitful and multiply” He is also promoting and blessing marriage between species as for instance between humans and chimps.

If you consider sapiens, neanderthals and denisova to be varieties of the same species (this controversy is still going on), then your assumption suggests that certain races today may NOT be in God’s image.

@Bill_II

No I claim that in the past a point was reached where homo sapiens could be considered as created in God’s image. Before then nobody, after then everybody.

I fully agree to your claim that “in the past a point was reached where homo sapiens could be considered in God’s image. Before then nobody”. Whether the point is 50,000 BCE or it is 3,500 BCE, we both advocate that creation in God’s image happens at a clear-cut moment and, although just before this moment the Homo sapiens individuals were biologically not distinguishable from us, they were not in God’s image.

You further claim: “after then everybody”.

If I understand well you claim that all the hundreds of thousands Homo sapiens living at 50,000 BCE became in God’s image at once.

However, the pericope of the “sons of God” in Genesis 6:2-4 clearly suggests that in the days before the Flood there were still Homo sapiens creatures becoming in God’s image.

On the basis of this pericope I assume that:

• One couple or a little population of Homo sapiens became in God’s image at about 3,500 BCE.

• Hundreds of thousands became in God’s image before the Flood: This was part of the population living together with Noah in Sumer (other human persons living with Noah were obviously descended from Adam and Eve through biological reproduction, and were in God’s image as well).

• All the rest (several millions) living outside Mesopotamia far away from Noah became in God’s image at the End of the Flood.

• During this gradual process there was no interbreeding between people in God’s image and creatures NOT in God’s image.

In summary, as far as I can see the only really relevant difference between our accounts is that my account fits better to Scripture and avoids having marriage between humans in God’s image and creatures NOT in God’s image.

@Bill_II

You have never answered my question about the evidence left of religious activity way before 3,500 BCE.

I apologize. The question you address has been raised by George in the thread about “Original sin’s transmission”. This was my answer:

@AntoineSuarez

Dear George,
In my view the idea you are proposing is really serious and far reaching.
Here some first thoughts on my part:

Yes, I think this piece reveals sort of proto-religious awareness: Although much more evolved, it can be compared to ritual practices we are recently discovering in Chimps.

It does not reveal responsibility to God’s law and capability of sinning. It is rather a symbol for archaic religiosity, characteristic of humans which have not yet been endowed with free-will. I find very inspiring your idea that this could have been the kind of religious perception “of humanity beyond the realm of Noah’s flood”, in Germany but also in regions more far away like Australia and America.

Interestingly enough: In the perspective you propose, idolatry like in the episode of the Golden Calf (Exodus 32) could be interpreted as falling back into archaic proto-religious practices to evade responsibility to God’s law. Such a motivation might subconsciously determinate certain current atheistic beliefs as well.

For posting a reply to this answer I would like to suggest you use the thread about “Original sin’s transmission” where the question is already being discussed to some extent.