GeoTheo

As for the Christian belief of man being created in the image of God, It does not relate to hair skin ears etc. It relates to Personhood; mind, will and emotions. It is for the purpose of communication between God and Man. The western Gods before Christianity were personal but limited. The Eastern gods are infinite such as in pantheism but impersonal.
But The Christian God is both personal and infinite. God's infinate nature creates a gulf between himself and his creation. Man, just like an atom or energy particle is no closer to God than a machine. By being created in the image of God their can be a relationship and communication.
Assuming this is true it is logical that God would communicate with Man in verbalized form. This makes perfect sense that He would do this having created man in His image and able to communicate verbally. Communication would be three ways: God to Man and vice versa, man to Man and man to himself. This concept may be nonsense to you if you believe in a totally closed field of cause and effect. But if you are a person who holds that cause and effect is totally closed, than you need to ask yourself if such a view stands up to all we know and specifically wheather your worldview explains why people verbalize to each other.
I would be glad to clarify any points that I have not made clear.

scigirl

Theo,

That's an interesting interpretation. However, I do not see that explanation in my bible (I have the KJV and the NIV). So my question is several-fold:

1) Was the original aramaic text more clear on this point in Genesis 1, and it just got lost in the translation?
2) Is this an interpretation by a church years later, after Genesis 1 was written? If so, was the 'interpreter' being inspired by God, as was the alleged author of Genesis?
3) Is this your interpretation of the text? If so, are you being inspired by God to type posts here at infidels?

Thanks,

scigirl

GeoTheo

Your rediculous assertion that the image of God requires him to have nose hair and testicles has never been the interpretation held by Christianity as a whole. You need to look at Revelation in its entirety (the whole Bible) and the Church's interpretation of it in its entirety (the last two thousand years or so)
You seem to be a lot more comfortable assuming your little cartoon interpretation of the meaning of the image of God is the one held by the adherants of Christianity. Are you uncomfortable with the ramifications of it when it is put forth intellectually?
You seem to have evaded the part where I ask you to justify Mankinds ability to verbalize with each other.

scigirl

Theo,

You will note that this whole thread started humourously. Of course I don't believe God has nose hairs -- I don't believe God exists! And yes Theo, there are creationists who believe that God looks just like humans, nose hairs and all. It's not my theory.

Excuse me, but I'm not the one who believes it. Yes I think the Adam and Eve stories, and the flood stories, when taken literally are cartoonish, a joke, and therefore meaningless.

However, I do think the Bible, especially the New Testament, has some very valid things to say about humanity. But for me, the Bible is only valid and true when it is taken metaphorically.

Biblical 'literalists' have destroyed the Bible more than an atheist could ever do. And yes many people see the Bible as a "joke" -- how could they not, when fundamentalists run around trying to fit science to ancient stories written by primitive men?

In terms of your verbalization theory - there are many theories about how, and why, people started verbally communicating. First of all, verbal communication is hardly unique to humans. Second of all, it confers a clear survival advantage. I can start a new thread on that subject - in fact I have a whole article on it somewhere, but it's at home and alas I'm at work.

scigirl

scigirl

To add. . .

You seem to be offended by testicles and nose hairs? What's wrong with these things, especially if God made them specially from grade A dirt?

scigirl

GeoTheo

I used them because you did. I think rather that you percieve them to be offensive to Christians. I however do not. And If you are at work, I want a job like yours!

GeoTheo

No other creature verbalizes to the extent We do.
I don't think any other creature can even be put in the same class as humans in that regard. Unless of course you believe the pet psychic.
But seriously, what is the survival advantage, when all the other creatures that don't verbally communicate as We do survive just fine?

scombrid

Would you like the evolutionary explanation about why verbal communication confers a survival advantage to a social animal?

scombrid

I think you partially answered yourself here. No other creature verbalizes to the extent that we do and no other animal dominates the earth like we do.

GeoTheo

Do you mean no other mammal?