I was surfing the net the other day and was reading a discussion group that I visit from time to time. I like to visit different discussion groups so that I see Christians interact with each other and what and how they believe. Since I don’t participate in discussion groups anymore, I either discuss what I’ve read with friends and/or post discuss it on my blog. The topic of this post is something that I read on a Christian discussion group. I do not wish to criticize nor disparage the group but I do want to discuss how important it is to stick with God’s written word and not try and make it say more than what is stated. I am simply using what I read as an example of why it’s so important to not look for hidden meaning make more of the text than what is simply stated.
In the discussion I read, the author stated that when Adam was created, he was both male and female. The reasoning was because God had not yet taken the rib from Adam and created the woman. Another member of the group questioned the statement regarding Adam being both male and female, the author’s response was that since the male gender possesses nipples, it was proof that Adam was once both male and female. In other words, based only on these two factors, an astounding leap was made and this author was teaching members of his discussion group that Adam was a hermaphrodite.
While this certainly is a jaw-dropping, extreme example, it is this type of methodology or hermeneutics that gives rise to the insane theology that is out there in the world.
The Word of God is not confusing nor is it meant to be confusing. It should be read as a historical, grammatical document. In other words, it is to understand the meaning of a passage or book of the Bible as it would have been intended to mean to the original audience. It may have several applications but one meaning.
In the above example, God is giving us a history of creation. There is nothing in the text that indicates that Adam was created as a hermaphrodite. The author of the post not only had to work really hard to come to the conclusion he did but the conclusion has no scriptural support.
Reading more into the text can be dangerous and even deadly such as in this case. Sometimes in reading Christian discussion sites, it appears that I’ve stumbled upon a really bad science fiction episode. UFO’s in space ships zooming in and out of the space-time continuum believed to be demons. I’ve always wanted to ask why would demons need space ships? Can’t they get around without space ships? Where are these demons building these space ships? I’ve seen photos found on the internet of dead “aliens” as proof of their existence which, in a simple search, proves to be a hoax photo.
All these sci-fi theories would be humorous if it were not so sad and damaging.
I would say to the person that jumped to the conclusion that Adam initially was a hermaphrodite – please read the scripture for what it plainly states:
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
Genesis 1:27 (ESV)
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12 comments
Harlequin
September 30, 2010 at 5:17 pm (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Blog Lady T.,
Thank you for reminding me why I never go to Christian discussion groups. I could easily imagine several people positing such an idea. I think the theological term for this type of argument is: ‘silly’. I don’t even have to read the interaction to know what all was said.
I’m actually speechless now.
Harlequin
September 30, 2010 at 5:24 pm (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Oh, and good to see you post here. Keep in touch whenever it moves you, even if it’s not now. You know that’s okay with me.
Tishrei
October 3, 2010 at 1:43 pm (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Thanks!!!
Margaret
October 1, 2010 at 9:04 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Tishrei,
What can I say?…. The vain imaginations of some are gross…. There is no “straightening them out” because they are too in love with their imaginations.
As one thinks about how people invented all sorts of idols and means of “worshiping” these things, one can see people haven’t changed….. It’s good to know you’re still around….
Margaret
Sirrahc
October 19, 2010 at 8:44 pm (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Totally agree with you re Adam.
As for UFO’s,… the most sensible approach, both biblically & scientifically, that I have come across is by the guys at Reasons to Believe. They wrote a book called Lights in the Sky and Little Green Men. But, they have several free articles on the website, e.g., http://www.reasons.org/ufos-three-general-explanatory-hypotheses
Check ‘em out! ;->
Glen
November 10, 2010 at 12:57 pm (UTC -7) Link to this comment
First…God is neither male nor female.
Second He is all things; but not a hermaphrodite.
The Bible states God crated all kinds of living things BOTH male & female. And then He created man, clearly if man was of a different sexual orientation, God would have said so.
Good post Tisheri, thanks for pointing this out.
Glen
Hillary Hunt
July 17, 2011 at 9:16 pm (UTC -7) Link to this comment
I can’t believe u people are so stupid. The Bible was written by humans, no one has ever demonstrated that god’s message interacted with a specific part of the human brain. Any lunatic can say they are writing the word of god. Thus, no proof exists that the bible is the language of god. It is an example of Mediteranean culture of the Antiquity, reflecting in particular its male dominated bias (God the Father, Son, etc.–woman need not apply). Adam’s appearance has a problem with the Begining, since dinosaur remains predate any found human remains, how could Adam have existed prior? No remains ever prove Adam and Eve existed. Adam had to be a hermaphrodite since he gave birth to a female, he had to have the ability to give birth which is an exclusively female attribute. Thus he has both sexual capabilities. Moreover he had sex with this ‘daughter’ thus committing incest, where the Mormons get their incest incentive. This move thus takes what is exclusive to women, the power to give life, and metaphorically hands it over to the male, thus the sexist claim about this religion or Bible. None of this is provable and frankly, you who call evolution silly, you mean to tell me this incestuous affair is any less silly?
pr sergio holanda
July 22, 2011 at 8:45 pm (UTC -7) Link to this comment
vc disse que não ia criticar e acabou criticando chamando de loucos
mas não mostrou sua posição bilbica para assunto em questão então estude a bilbia
meus amado deixe de ser ingorante as discuções e para abrir mente e se posicionar
crecer em conhecimento teologico da palavra de Deus! esta discuções não são carnais
mas questão espirituiais em primeiro lugar! jesus estou paulo estudou gamaliel estudou
ate emm nossa vidas ceculares nos estudamos e temo duvidas e precisamoa assimilar
conhecimentos para consquistarmos uma vida melhor aconselho vc estudar teologia
com profundidade! ok fuquena paz do senhor BARUKE ATA ADONAI
DEUS LHE ABENÇÕE
John Peniel (@jonpeniel)
September 21, 2011 at 1:02 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
unfortunately you don’t seem to read the Bible yourself do you? The original text specifically mention the fact that Adm (human) was in fact a hermaphrodite. In the original text, it reads that that God took not a rib but took from the male organ of him and closed up the “flesh under her’ and then ‘was building’ eve from that which was taken from him.
This and TONS more to support it. But of course YOU and ignorant people like you just spread your ignorance proudly. Do your homework yourself and stay out of the little kiddie forums and you might find some truth out there.
By the way… read the Bible properly and you will see that Adam and Eve were in fact NOT the first man and woman on earth. There were many created t the same time. ….these are the trees and the offspring are the fruit. The tree of knowledge of good and evil was the Satan who was cast down to earth but bound in one location (and why they were warned to stay away from there). Eve ‘ate’ of that fruit (had sex with his offspring) which consequently became the downfall of man….our consciousness changed and we became the “unclean” (we being humans but not us in particular). This is why the flood was needed…. to clean the earth of the unclean offspring and start anew with Noah and his family and their wives. But of course this happened again as stated in the bible when the sons of gods came unto the daughters of men.
For the sake of argument…. Adam did in fact become male in the transition…. that was the whole point. But him and other humans on earth when they were first formed, were hermaphrodite. ….then Eve being the first actual female (female organs only) began the process of having male and female children. She alone was the mother of all living.
I in no way whatsoever expect you to believe what I am saying without researching it for yourself so save me the annoyance of hearing to whine and complain and bicker about it. If you want to (as the bible states it) “Be willingly ignorant” by not seeking answers for yourself then that’s not my problem now. Goo boo hoo about it to someone else. I’m not even going to bother checking the box that notifies me of replies. You believe me or you don’t …it’s not an invitation to debate.
Tishrei
September 23, 2011 at 4:36 pm (UTC -7) Link to this comment
There will be no whining and complaining on my end. You’ve done enough of that for several people in your one message.
Actually it is YOU that does NOT know how read the bible.
James
March 27, 2012 at 7:12 pm (UTC -7) Link to this comment
learn Hebrew and then read the Bible. You’ll see that ha-adam/the human was both male and female.
Tishrei
March 28, 2012 at 5:10 pm (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Hi, I was reading your comment last night and looking at the Hebrew as you suggested. I disagree with you completely. Today my keyboard went on the fritz (I knocked over my coffee and ruined my keyboard) so I couldn’t reply. I’ll get back to this later and explain why.