Does the book convey that all biblical characters are myths?

[Bertha Jackson]

If the author contends that Adam and Eve are myths, what about Moses and the other biblical characters? Are we to believe that they are like Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny?

[Maddie Atkinson]

I think that they are not necessarily myths, but rather the stories in the Bible have basis on events that did happen and made into metaphors with some sort of moral message. Some people and events in the Bible are historical fact, but some of them are just stories to send a message. Moses is likely to have existed but the events of the release of the Israelites happened, but Adam and Eve are not likely to have existed because science, as the author says, proves that we evolved from apes, so there can't have been a first man and woman. That's what I got anyway, but you are entitled to your opinion (as long as it's not harmful of course )

[twinkle09]

I don't think it necessarily does that. Some people and characters did exist ,as the author himself believes Jesus did exist. But the powers we attribute to those living and breathing humans in our mind distances them from reality, makes them capable of super powers, because God in our belief is a super power. However,I don't believe Eve was born from a rib taken from Adam's left side.

[Sushan Ekanayake]

In any ancient scripture there are various stories that seems unlikely to happen. Those stories were included for various reasons and not to just tell a story to the reader. So whether the characters are true or not (which we cannot exactly know of) what we have to do is take the hidden values behind such characters and their tales

[Kaye_Bo2020]

I didn't take it so much as he believed they are all myths, but more so that they lived and their stories are twisted when wrote in the bible. His take on how he views the bible being twisted and turned by human nature reminds me much like the game telephone and how things get changed as we hear them. I feel this can also happen in writing too, as those who interpret or copy something write it in the way in which they have interpreted it.

[Twylla]

The Old Testament stories were passed down orally for generations - they inevitably were embellished or diminished. The New Testament manuscripts were copied by hand and were inevitably changed over the ages, even if it was unintentional. But the symbolism and basic message still ring true. Even if the specific people were myths, the message of the story is still valid. I don't think the book implies that all Biblical characters are myths.

[readsbyarun]

Some of the incidents described doesn't seems to be true. or it has really occurred in this world. So I consider my answser is partially yes.

[Nedbrian]

Saying that the existence of Adam and Eve are myths comes from the view of failing to understand that creation started from God and not from Evolution. Once this is understood then one can conclude that neither is Adam and Eve myths but the rest of the people spoken about in the bible are real individuals who are privileged to be spoken about.

[Ayindelaw]

The author cannot be serious! Adam and Eve are myths? It is a joke! Although the book is tongue-in-cheek saying that Bible characters are myths, It is not explicitly saying it.
Moses wrote the book of Genesis and God personally buried him. Adam and Eve existed. If we evolved then why haven't we seen new species evolving right before our eyes?

[Vine Michael]

The author cannot be serious! Adam and Eve are myths? It is a joke! Although the book is tongue-in-cheek saying that Bible characters are myths, It is not explicitly saying it.
Moses wrote the book of Genesis and God personally buried him. Adam and Eve existed. If we evolved then why haven't we seen new species evolving right before our eyes?

This what I have been saying. To even think that biblical characters are myths just shows where she's coming from. If we evolved from apes then there is no need for procreation. New humans would just evolved from apes. Adam and Eve existed point blank. For me I know I came from Adam and Eve but she probably evolved from apes.

[Fozia RYK]

A few people and occasions in the Bible are verifiable truth, yet some of them are only stories to communicate something specific. Moses is probably going to have existed however the occasions of the arrival of the Israelites occurred, yet Adam and Eve are not liable to have existed on the grounds that science, demonstrates that we developed from gorillas, so there can't have been a first man and lady.

[Maddie Atkinson]

The author cannot be serious! Adam and Eve are myths? It is a joke! Although the book is tongue-in-cheek saying that Bible characters are myths, It is not explicitly saying it.
Moses wrote the book of Genesis and God personally buried him. Adam and Eve existed. If we evolved then why haven't we seen new species evolving right before our eyes?

Evolution is a very slow process. An ape didn't just pop out a human one day and be like 'oh look at that, I just created a new species'. It is a slow process over time which involves adapting to different climates resulting in changes in species. Also, an ape might have had sex with another ape which had a slightly different gene and over time that gene became the dominant one in the species, allowing a new species to evolve from it. The ancestors of sharks and crocodiles were around at the time of the dinosaurs, and those species have evolved into what we see today. Evolution does exist, it is indisputable.

Adam and Eve may indeed have existed, and we know for sure that Moses did and Jesus did, they are historically documented. The author is merely suggesting that a lot of the stories, in the Old Testament especially, are more stories with a moral to them based on real events. Just like Greek myths, they are stories that have a historical basis. Also, we do not have any surviving copies of the original Biblical manuscripts. They were copied down by hand which means that meanings have changed over time. Adam and Eve may indeed have been the first humans, but that story wasn't even written down at the time. The story was told over time until writing was invented and then it was written down. They is no mention of evolution because what would that add to a story about morality? It would be a boring science lesson!!! Basically what I am saying is, the author isn't saying that the stories are myths, but rather have changed over time from true events, which is what makes them stories, but it doesn't mean they aren't true!

[Maddie Atkinson]

A few people and occasions in the Bible are verifiable truth, yet some of them are only stories to communicate something specific. Moses is probably going to have existed however the occasions of the arrival of the Israelites occurred, yet Adam and Eve are not liable to have existed on the grounds that science, demonstrates that we developed from gorillas, so there can't have been a first man and lady.

Exactly! Or they may just have been the first documented man and women to do something memorable with their lives. It is more of a morality story. But as you said other events, like Moses and the Israelites, or Jesus, did happen, they are have historical facts and evidence behind them, Adam and Eve do not.

[Ayindelaw]

The author cannot be serious! Adam and Eve are myths? It is a joke! Although the book is tongue-in-cheek saying that Bible characters are myths, It is not explicitly saying it.
Moses wrote the book of Genesis and God personally buried him. Adam and Eve existed. If we evolved then why haven't we seen new species evolving right before our eyes?

Evolution is a very slow process. An ape didn't just pop out a human one day and be like 'oh look at that, I just created a new species'. It is a slow process over time which involves adapting to different climates resulting in changes in species. Also, an ape might have had sex with another ape which had a slightly different gene and over time that gene became the dominant one in the species, allowing a new species to evolve from it. The ancestors of sharks and crocodiles were around at the time of the dinosaurs, and those species have evolved into what we see today. Evolution does exist, it is indisputable.

Adam and Eve may indeed have existed, and we know for sure that Moses did and Jesus did, they are historically documented. The author is merely suggesting that a lot of the stories, in the Old Testament especially, are more stories with a moral to them based on real events. Just like Greek myths, they are stories that have a historical basis. Also, we do not have any surviving copies of the original Biblical manuscripts. They were copied down by hand which means that meanings have changed over time. Adam and Eve may indeed have been the first humans, but that story wasn't even written down at the time. The story was told over time until writing was invented and then it was written down. They is no mention of evolution because what would that add to a story about morality? It would be a boring science lesson!!! Basically what I am saying is, the author isn't saying that the stories are myths, but rather have changed over time from true events, which is what makes them stories, but it doesn't mean they aren't true!

I agree with you. Evolution is a very slow process. I am a fan of various science shows, but whenever I hear the odds that Earth had to beat in order to be created and also spring life, I just refuse to believe in evolution. There has to be someone somewhere controlling stuff and making them adhere to the rules. Hence, I don't agree with the author that Biblical events have been significantly altered. Utterly fantastical things still happen.

[Maddie Atkinson]

The author cannot be serious! Adam and Eve are myths? It is a joke! Although the book is tongue-in-cheek saying that Bible characters are myths, It is not explicitly saying it.
Moses wrote the book of Genesis and God personally buried him. Adam and Eve existed. If we evolved then why haven't we seen new species evolving right before our eyes?

Evolution is a very slow process. An ape didn't just pop out a human one day and be like 'oh look at that, I just created a new species'. It is a slow process over time which involves adapting to different climates resulting in changes in species. Also, an ape might have had sex with another ape which had a slightly different gene and over time that gene became the dominant one in the species, allowing a new species to evolve from it. The ancestors of sharks and crocodiles were around at the time of the dinosaurs, and those species have evolved into what we see today. Evolution does exist, it is indisputable.

Adam and Eve may indeed have existed, and we know for sure that Moses did and Jesus did, they are historically documented. The author is merely suggesting that a lot of the stories, in the Old Testament especially, are more stories with a moral to them based on real events. Just like Greek myths, they are stories that have a historical basis. Also, we do not have any surviving copies of the original Biblical manuscripts. They were copied down by hand which means that meanings have changed over time. Adam and Eve may indeed have been the first humans, but that story wasn't even written down at the time. The story was told over time until writing was invented and then it was written down. They is no mention of evolution because what would that add to a story about morality? It would be a boring science lesson!!! Basically what I am saying is, the author isn't saying that the stories are myths, but rather have changed over time from true events, which is what makes them stories, but it doesn't mean they aren't true!

I agree with you. Evolution is a very slow process. I am a fan of various science shows, but whenever I hear the odds that Earth had to beat in order to be created and also spring life, I just refuse to believe in evolution. There has to be someone somewhere controlling stuff and making them adhere to the rules. Hence, I don't agree with the author that Biblical events have been significantly altered. Utterly fantastical things still happen.

I understand why it is so difficult to believe in science when something seems so perfectly placed and timed to just be a coincidence and therefore God must have caused it. My way of getting around it is that God caused the Big Bang and therefore had a plan to cause everything that has happened on Earth and the Universe, including evolution, but he let those things happen naturally, he just was the catalyst for everything if that makes sense?