It would be interesting to think that the concept in many cultures that they alone are "human" and all other ethnic groups are "others" developed at a time when this was factually true. It is more interesting to note that none of man's recent antecendents - all homo before sapiens - are extinct today, while in the ape line, which had a common ancestor with the human line, there are connecting links. We apparently killed our ancestors' other offpring as enemies, but probably too far back to survive as any particular myth.
Why no monkey stories?(evolution)
by sleepy 33 Replies latest jw friends
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proplog2
The Bible writers didn't even know that females have eggs that have to be ferilized. They thought the womb was like "soil". They thought sperm contained a little tiny person that got planted in the "soil/Womb". The whole noble idea of "redemption" is based on this nonsense. The idea that Adam had little people inside him that shared his sins. Even the idea that the "word" was planted in Mary's fertile soil.
Religion should be viewed as "ancient" science. It was the best attempt to piece together the known forces with observed effects to come up with a working hypothesis or orientation. Modern science has much more to learn and current theories continue to be challenged. However it is long past the time to abbandon Biblical explanations.
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KJV
Hi sleepy,
You said..."These have offspring who have inherited this ability and these ape break away from the other groups who cannot communicate well. Of course they don't have perfect flowing speech but over time this developes while other similar apes remain speechless. Won't then this ape men notice that there are others like them but which cannot communicate through speech? Will this then be passed through their offspring?"...
The answer to your question is yes. I saw this very situation while living in the Ozarks of Missouri.
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julien
Well I have to admit I am beat. Since we have loads of stories about everything else that happened 40,000 years ago, but no stories documenting the retarded ape men, evolution must not have happened.
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siegswife
I've wondered about this myself. I understand that evolution is a very slow process and that any changes would be so minute that they are barely noticeable, etc., but wouldn't there be some cognizance of the evolution?
Wouldn't the stories/myths include some references to a time when men and apes lived in peace or something linking the two groups together? Stories of the 'great monkey gods' or something? What would make men go off in the complete opposite direction and claim origination from the 'heavens'?
Even the 'myths' such as those held by native Americans, that do include animals and nature, include a belief in a higher Spirit. What caused men to create systems that believe in spirits...a Creator specifically?
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Satanus
Siegs and Julien
There is a clear possibility. It's a combination of two popular theories. The human body evolved from an ape predessesor with a 98% dna similarity to chimps, but something was added. This addition is based on a once popular christian idea, that a 'soul' takes up residence in the fetus at one point in its development. The soul, of course comes from a higher realm. So, this give a fusion of the earthly animal with a 'divine' soul and it's spiritual drives. It shows the origin of the eternal conflicts within ourselves, between percieved right and wrong, spiritual ideals and fleshly proddings/needs. Neat, huh?
SS
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Satanus
As i pointed out, eastern religions did not loose the animal origin idea (evolution). However, in the western cultures of babylon/egypt it seems to have been lost. Perhaps when the spiritual side gained ascendency in a race, it found the animal side distastful and chose to deny it, focussing on the spiritual. Even today we in north america and parts of europe are more focussed on the mind than rooted in the body, although that is changing. Other cultures, like african for instance are much more physical/body oriented. Just some thoughts.
SS
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siegswife
Satan, I tend to think that the 'truth' is a composite of different knowledge and understanding too.
Not that I've come to a definite conclusion about it, but I think it's possible that even the creation parable in Genesis leaves room for evolution to be possible. My opinion is that the theory of evolution, as well as the belief in a Creator are both works in progress. Neither are understood completely and it's possible that in reality they aren't mutually exclusive.
It seems to me that if the concept of 'God' was strictly a man-made thing it would either give that designation to the life/lives of 'lower' species from which we evolved; or elevate man (the finished product) to the highest level. Why would men, who are in the process of evolving, create a diety that put them in a lower position?
Another way of looking at it is that the belief that men will 'change' into something altogether different is an extension of evolution. If that's where it's rooted, who can say that it isn't a reasonable expectation?
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GentlyFeral
siegswife asked:
Wouldn't the stories/myths include some references to a time when men and apes lived in peace or something linking the two groups together?
There are many myths which specifically refer to a time when "men and animals lived in peace" or "when animals and men could talk together". The ones I recall (dimly) are African and Native American. Despite racking my brains, I can't give specific examples right now. I don't remember any of them involving apes, though that may just be due to selective transmission on the part of the people who translate the stories and compile the books. The Native American ones, of course, come from places where there aren't any apes, or haven't been since humans arrived there.Of course, this doesn't explain South America, but I don't know South American mythologies very well. I do know that when you get into talking-animal religious stories, you're treading in shamanistic/visionary territory, and there all bets are off.
Gently Feral