All my adult life I have been faced with a dichotomy of Biblical proportions -- how to reconcile what I have been taught by science (the rational mind) and what I have been taught in church, as well as by my parents. My church has taught in sober determination and finality of how "God" created everything. On the other end of the teeter-totter I have seen the evidences all around me of an entirely different set of reality -- of rocks that are billions of years old; of plants and animals that are incredibly old and what seemed to me a more probable explanation of creation than what was being taught in church.
When I went through my first LDS temple ceremony, I was instructed again about the story of earth and mankind's creation with the story coming to life by the literal presence of Adam, Eve and other Biblical personages. There was no way to reconcile the Biblical story of creation with what, at least appeared to be true about evolution. In fact, the entire temple story lost validity if there was no fall from grace by Adam and Eve, as there would then be no need for a Savior.
Was Adam "really" created in an instant our of the dust of the earth? Was Eve "really" created out of a rib of Adam's? It seemed impossible to me -- but here were "Mormon" temple officiators claiming solemnly that it was so. Everyone else in the room seemed to believe it completely. My internal thoughts said, "Wow! How in the world can this be true? But I'm here to learn. I think I'll at least try to understand what they are saying." What followed was a symbolic threat of death in several gory ways if I should ever turn away from what I was being taught. (that tends to get your attention and stifle questioning)
I decided to try with all my heart to understand what simply HAD to be true -- that Adam really lived, was created in the likeness of God and the entire creation followed the Biblical tradition.
...... more in my next post.....
When I went through my first LDS temple ceremony, I was instructed again about the story of earth and mankind's creation with the story coming to life by the literal presence of Adam, Eve and other Biblical personages. There was no way to reconcile the Biblical story of creation with what, at least appeared to be true about evolution. In fact, the entire temple story lost validity if there was no fall from grace by Adam and Eve, as there would then be no need for a Savior.
Was Adam "really" created in an instant our of the dust of the earth? Was Eve "really" created out of a rib of Adam's? It seemed impossible to me -- but here were "Mormon" temple officiators claiming solemnly that it was so. Everyone else in the room seemed to believe it completely. My internal thoughts said, "Wow! How in the world can this be true? But I'm here to learn. I think I'll at least try to understand what they are saying." What followed was a symbolic threat of death in several gory ways if I should ever turn away from what I was being taught. (that tends to get your attention and stifle questioning)
I decided to try with all my heart to understand what simply HAD to be true -- that Adam really lived, was created in the likeness of God and the entire creation followed the Biblical tradition.
...... more in my next post.....
No comments:
Post a Comment