Does Genesis 1 describe the Universe?

[Tcg]

Some claim that Genesis 1 describes the creation of the universe and yet an examination of the text reveals that the author doesn't have any concept of planets other than the earth. Beyond that, the author doesn't even understand that the earth is a planet. This is an example of Ancient Hebrew concept of cosmology:




Why do some claim that Genesis 1 describes the universe when the author shows no knowledge of our solar system much less the universe?


Tcg

[We_Are_VENOM]

I lack belief in god/gods. Lack of belief is quite clearly not a belief.

"God does not exist"

Belief^.

I searched on the word you claimed which was "stretching."

Well, its nice to know that after we got that all figured out, that my point stands.

Another claim lacking support.

"God does not exist"

^another claim lacking support.

Odd that you can't address them here.

As long as it is acknowledged that despite it not being addressed here, it was addressed elsewhere.

[Tcg]

I lack belief in god/gods. Lack of belief is quite clearly not a belief.

"God does not exist"

Belief^.

Nice try. I don't assert that "God does not exist." Perfect example of a Straw Man though.

ETA: Oh, and one that is perfectly unrelated to the O.P. and the subject at hand.


Tcg

[Tcg]

I searched on the word you claimed which was "stretching."

Well, its nice to know that after we got that all figured out, that my point stands.

Another swing and a miss. Here is your claim:

Um, scripture is clear that God created the heavens and the earth...

https://www.biblegateway.com/quicksearc ... ersion=ESV

Above you have multiple scriptures which attest to God stretching out the heavens. "Stretching" is just another word for "expanding"...when scientists say "our universe is expanding", that is the Biblical way of saying "our universe is stretching".

<bolding added>

There is in fact only one scripture that does so, not the "multiple scriptures" you claim.


Tcg

[Tcg]

As long as it is acknowledged that despite it not being addressed here, it was addressed elsewhere.

No. I said "perhaps" it was addressed elsewhere. I didn't agree that it was. You've provided zero reasons to conclude that it was and no evidence here to support your claims.


Tcg

[Noose001]

[Replying to theophile in post #69]

The 'water/deep' in Gen 1 is not H2O but the hearts/minds of men. God creates through the minds of men (his dwelling place forever).
The bible uses these terms but defines them elsewhere.

The term heavens and earth refer to the universe but the interest feom the beginning is man hence mention of earth separately.

The biblocal point is that the universe exists in the mind of a man. Strange ha?

[Miles]

[Replying to theophile in post #69]

The 'water/deep' in Gen 1 is not H2O but the hearts/minds of men. God creates through the minds of men (his dwelling place forever).
The bible uses these terms but defines them elsewhere.

The term heavens and earth refer to the universe but the interest feom the beginning is man hence mention of earth separately.

The biblocal point is that the universe exists in the mind of a man. Strange ha?

How about, "unbelievable." And in the most literal sense of the word.


.

[Noose001]

[Replying to theophile in post #69]

The 'water/deep' in Gen 1 is not H2O but the hearts/minds of men. God creates through the minds of men (his dwelling place forever).
The bible uses these terms but defines them elsewhere.

The term heavens and earth refer to the universe but the interest feom the beginning is man hence mention of earth separately.

The biblocal point is that the universe exists in the mind of a man. Strange ha?

How about, "unbelievable." And in the most literal sense of the word.


.

Believe it or not, that's what it is.

[brunumb]

[Replying to theophile in post #69]

The 'water/deep' in Gen 1 is not H2O but the hearts/minds of men. God creates through the minds of men (his dwelling place forever).
The bible uses these terms but defines them elsewhere.

The term heavens and earth refer to the universe but the interest feom the beginning is man hence mention of earth separately.

The biblocal point is that the universe exists in the mind of a man. Strange ha?

Now all you have to do is demonstrate that this novel piece of creativity represents something real rather than imaginative fiction. Go for it.

[We_Are_VENOM]

No. I said "perhaps" it was addressed elsewhere. I didn't agree that it was. You've provided zero reasons to conclude that it was and no evidence here to support your claims.


Tcg

Well, "perhaps" if it means that much to you, you will conduct a search on this forum to confirm or falsify the proposition of

"been there, done that".

[theophile]

[Replying to theophile in post #69]

The 'water/deep' in Gen 1 is not H2O but the hearts/minds of men. God creates through the minds of men (his dwelling place forever).
The bible uses these terms but defines them elsewhere.

The term heavens and earth refer to the universe but the interest feom the beginning is man hence mention of earth separately.

The biblocal point is that the universe exists in the mind of a man. Strange ha?

Can you point to where this biblical definition is? I agree that "the deep" connotes more than just H2O. The waters / the sea is an image used in Gen 1 to indicate an unknown, possibly treacherous domain with God knows what lurking within. Literally a great, cosmic sea, which actually comports quite nicely to the reality we find ourselves in, using the tools at our disposal (e.g., telescopes) to explore...

But to be clear, are you positing some kind of Matrix / Cartesian-like "it's all in our heads" kind of universe?

If so, it still makes my point that there is an uncreated element that pre-exists Gen 1:1 (i.e., our minds) that God creates with / that creates with God. You just have the added challenge of explaining how the human mind exists before humankind is explicitly created in Gen 1:26...