Project Bible lurched out of the gates with the Book of Genesis. This book has it all. Creation, incest, murder, amazing feats of carpentry, massive flooding, more incest, concubines, polygamy, bad parenting...you name it and this book had it. It becomes pretty apparent reading this that a person's take on it will have a lot to do with their assumptions going into it. Basically, if you're inclined to view it as a story, some notes of historical significance, or as the straight-up truth, that will color what you take away from this. I admittedly launched into this as a skeptic and non-believer, and will say once again that I'm not out to convert anybody one way or another, including myself, but merely want to see what all the hub-bub is about (as it were).
As a story, it's ok, and there's a strong emphasis on good vs. evil, with God being responsible for a lot of the good, and not involved in the evil. Historically, well, there's not much to say here. Many cultures worldwide integrate some form of flood story into their stories and religions. One could probably argue for the historical support of Abraham, as he's ultimately the source of a few major religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Also, some of the referenced cities have some basis in historic fact. That said, what makes this a more valued historic document than any other book referencing factual elements (say, The Da Vinci Code)?!
Taken as straight truth, I'd say, is arguably the most dangerous track a believer could take. God, as described to me over various years of church attendance, can do anything, is omnipotent and omnipresent, the alpha and the omega. Rewind back to Genesis and here we find God creating the entire universe, planet Earth, animals, plants, etc. This is an absolutely impressive week's work. I aim to take nothing away from that. The capstone to all of this is Adam and Eve. Sinning aside, they are to be fruitful and multiply, populating the planet with more humans. At this point Genesis gets a bit sketchy, and soon enough so and so down the line is taking a wife. Glossed over, but not far from the surface is a whole lot of incest needed to get to this point. Adam and Eve's kids didn't have another village to go to. Either "God went and created a whole bunch more people" was left out, or "the kids were doing things with their siblings and/or parents which would later become morally repugnant and genetically ill advised" was. There aren't too many more options. The population builds, God decides they're wicked, drowns everybody save for a few, and we start this same process over again. Noah, wife, and kids don't have any other people to run off and marry. So...they're making more kids somehow. Also on the list of things that aren't ok later on would be the taking of multiple wives and consorting with concubines. I also couldn't help but get the sense that God was messing with people. Abram (later Abraham), a particularly blessed person, is to multiply and father many nations, so it stands to reason that the woman he takes as his wife is barren. (what???) The wife then says, I want a kid anyway, so Abram, you go get busy with the maid. It's only after this that the wife suddenly becomes no longer barren (as mentioned, specifically due to God's intervention) and starts bearing Abram's children. I know our human intellect can't possibly fathom the purposes of our almighty Creator, but how any of this is productive in showing us that He cares about us escapes me. God basically scored Abram some more action (a form of caring for sure, but not the message the Bible is intended to spread is it? God as the ultimate wingman?). Truly this is a guy's religion. Lot also finds favor in God's eye. He and his family alone are to be spared when Sodom and Gomorrah burn. Lot, the guy who told a mob, "No, you can't have God's angels (who can likely defend themselves well enough), but you can do what you want with my two young daughters." Really. That's a real stand-up guy. Glad he's not watching MY kids.
So yes, as a story it's interesting with many of the qualities of a soap opera, and there are many opportunities for a good moral, but taken as truth, well, I take issue with too many of the assertions here to go down that road. I'm certainly willing to learn if there are some major interpretive points here I've just missed, but honestly, Genesis isn't a terribly huge book, and the language so far has been fairly straight forward.
At any rate, on to Exodus!
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