Adam and Eve question

[_Called2Serve]

Can not all genealogy be traced to a single man named Adam and his wife Eve?

Hi Called,

It's my understanding that genealogical records only go back several centuries. Only as far back as RELIABLE historic records go. One can't go back to Adam and Eve. Can't even go back to the dark ages.

I probably should have said this differently. What I was trying to say was: Does the Pearl of Great Price not teach that Adam and Eve are the father and mother of all humans who have existed?

[_drdrfor]

Can not all genealogy be traced to a single man named Adam and his wife Eve?

Uhhhh, No! You can try checking the genealogy stated in Luke 3:23-28 and compare it to Matthew 1:1-17. You'll see they don't even agree on the list of generations, let alone the spelling...which anyone familiar with genealogy will tell you, is crucial.

The population bottleneck which would have occurred with Noah and his family would mean that unless they all bred like rabbits, only a few hundred people would have populated Egypt 4,500 years ago when Khufu had his pyramid built. I've seen the pyramids and, unless they had extraterrestrial help, a few hundred people wouldn't have built them if given a thousand years.

Do some reading on DNA. DNA variation, as found in humans today, takes a lot more than a few thousands of years. (But check your sources, there is a lot of misinformation on the net.)

[_Fence Sitter]

I probably should have said this differently. What I was trying to say was: Does the Pearl of Great Price not teach that Adam and Eve are the father and mother of all humans who have existed?

This is why I asked you if you understood the story of Adam and Eve literally. While the church teaches that Adam existed, there are different schools of thought within the church on whether or not he was the actual father of all mankind. Many view the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden as symbolic of creation itself but not an actual event.

[_Quasimodo]

What I was trying to say was: Does the Pearl of Great Price not teach that Adam and Eve are the father and mother of all humans who have existed?

As does the Bible, Koran, and the Torah. Many Native American traditions include a first man.

I understand that from your point of view, this seems a reasonable explanation. Most of the world would not accept it as any kind of proof or guidance.

[_Called2Serve]

I probably should have said this differently. What I was trying to say was: Does the Pearl of Great Price not teach that Adam and Eve are the father and mother of all humans who have existed?

This is why I asked you if you understood the story of Adam and Eve literally. While the church teaches that Adam existed, there are different schools of thought within the church on whether or not he was the actual father of all mankind. Many view the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden as symbolic of creation itself but not an actual event.

I don't remember being asked what I believed, so here it is: I do believe in a literal Adam and Eve. I don't believe that there is some other father of all mankind besides Adam. From what I gathered from TAO and his reply is that the even the Pearl of Great Price might show that I am wrong. I just want to know where in the Pearl of Great Price I might be able to read such things.

[_Fence Sitter]

I don't remember being asked what I believed, so here it is: I do believe in a literal Adam and Eve. I don't believe that there is some other father of all mankind besides Adam. From what I gathered from TAO and his reply is that the even the Pearl of Great Price might show that I am wrong. I just want to know where in the Pearl of Great Price I might be able to read such things.

You and I were talking about the temple version of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and you declined to talk about it which is just fine.

The issue here is not the existence of Adam and Eve, but of the story of the Garden of Eden. Do you take the story of Adam's fall and Eve eating an apple offered by Satan, and then both being cast out of paradise as an actual event? If not Adam and Eve may have existed at some time in the past but were not literally the parents of all mankind. I think if you ask around about the Garden of Eden story you may find not all in the Church take it as an actual event but see in it the symbolic creation of this world and the fall of mankind.

[_Called2Serve]

I don't remember being asked what I believed, so here it is: I do believe in a literal Adam and Eve. I don't believe that there is some other father of all mankind besides Adam. From what I gathered from TAO and his reply is that the even the Pearl of Great Price might show that I am wrong. I just want to know where in the Pearl of Great Price I might be able to read such things.

You and I were talking about the temple version of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and you declined to talk about it which is just fine.

The issue here is not the existence of Adam and Eve, but of the story of the Garden of Eden. Do you take the story of Adam's fall and Eve eating an apple offered by Satan, and then both being cast out of paradise as an actual event? If not Adam and Eve may have existed at some time in the past but were not literally the parents of all mankind. I think if you ask around about the Garden of Eden story you may find not all in the Church take it as an actual event but see in it the symbolic creation of this world and the fall of mankind.

I remember not wanting to discuss what takes place in the temple. I had always assumed growing up and learning of the scriptures that the whole Adam and Eve story was literal. I think they presented it to us in Seminary that way also. I also felt that some of the things that take place in the temple reassured those past teachings of it being a real event, even if the whole thing was full of symbolism.

I know that most of the world looks at people like me, one who believes such things as as an idiot, but I am only stating what I was taught to believe. I could simply put it up on a shelf out of reach, but am doing my best to understand why people even members of my own faith don't believe it the way I was taught. I will admit it is hard to wrap my head around half of the stuff that gets said here, but it might be better for me to open up my mind about these things now rather than later.

People look at the bones of dinosaurs and man like bones as evidence that the Bible, particularly the Garden of Eden did not take place, but the earth was not made up from nothing. I believe it was made up of the things that were needed for man to survive and flourish, such as the decay of past plant and animal life to help create fossil fuels. To me it makes sense, to many here it is nonsense, so I am just trying to grow my understanding rather than keep it up on a shelf.

With that said, is there some things within the Pearl of Great Price that indicates that Adam and Eve may have been of some larger clan?

[_Fence Sitter]

I remember not wanting to discuss what takes place in the temple. I had always assumed growing up and learning of the scriptures that the whole Adam and Eve story was literal. I think they presented it to us in Seminary that way also. I also felt that some of the things that take place in the temple reassured those past teachings of it being a real event, even if the whole thing was full of symbolism.

I know that most of the world looks at people like me, one who believes such things as as an idiot, but I am only stating what I was taught to believe. I could simply put it up on a shelf out of reach, but am doing my best to understand why people even members of my own faith don't believe it the way I was taught. I will admit it is hard to wrap my head around half of the stuff that gets said here, but it might be better for me to open up my mind about these things now rather than later.

People look at the bones of dinosaurs and man like bones as evidence that the Bible, particularly the Garden of Eden did not take place, but the earth was not made up from nothing. I believe it was made up of the things that were needed for man to survive and flourish, such as the decay of past plant and animal life to help create fossil fuels. To me it makes sense, to many here it is nonsense, so I am just trying to grow my understanding rather than keep it up on a shelf.

With that said, is there some things within the Pearl of Great Price that indicates that Adam and Eve may have been of some larger clan?

1. Excellent response.
2. You are not an idiot.
3. I cannot answer your question regarding the Pearl of Great Price, I am sure there are those here that can though.
4. I would suggest doing a search at Fair regarding the question of the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. I am not an expert or even well informed (I could stop right here) about it, I just have read threads like these where it was discussed. I would encourage you to do so if only for how it will help you understand your temple experience. There is a lot going on in there.

[_harmony]

1. Excellent response.
2. You are not an idiot.
3. I cannot answer your question regarding the Pearl of Great Price, I am sure there are those here that can though.
4. I would suggest doing a search at Fair regarding the question of the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. I am not an expert or even well informed (I could stop right here) about it, I just have read threads like these where it was discussed. I would encourage you to do so if only for how it will help you understand your temple experience. There is a lot going on in there.

It would help if we knew who wrote Genesis.

[_TAO]

TAO,

Are there specific scriptures in the Pearl of Great Price where I can find what it is your speaking of? I am trying to understand your point of view. Can not all genealogy be traced to a single man named Adam and his wife Eve?

Sure, I'll try to find it...

Ok, here is a reference... keep in mind so, Adam in many cases also refers to the individual; I just think that sometimes also it may refer to some other than him. So it depends on the scenario.

Actually it's just one verse... but it shows, I think, that there are many things we do not know about the gospel.

I am rather hesitant to draw any other conclusion other than it was him and his wife. Indeed, I am very light treading towards exploring this all too much further, for mistakes could be made.

Also, this doesn't change the literalness of the Adam and Eve story - I still think they are literal too =D. It's just a thought.

Moses 6:9
In the image of his own body, male and female, created he them, and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created and became living souls in the land upon the footstool of God.

Bolding and Italicizing by me.