Embracing the Genesis Creation Account

Is the Genesis creation account reasonable? Can any reasonable person trust this account of creation? How much of it is fable, fairy tale, or historical imagery?

These are sensible questions, and ones I would expect of anyone who takes the time to consider the claims of Biblical Christianity. Despite the mockery and teasing sometimes attached to those who trust in and believe the Genesis account, there are some good reasons to trust the reliabilty of what's written there.

Let's look at four reasons why embracing the Genesis creation account can bring believers peace of mind, confidence, insight on how to live well, and a deep understanding of our origin and our purpose.

The Genesis account says God formed human persons, called "man" in some translations, from the soil of the earth.  It makes sense to me that, based on this account, people who lived in Africa--the place science says the earliest human persons lived--had brown skin, similar to the soil from which they were formed. Healthy soil is a dark brown, almost black, color. A short search engine check of the list of minerals in healthy soil compared to the minerals in the human body will show many matches. As humanity moved out and away from Africa and further away from the equator, skin tones changed and some became much lighter as an adaptation to living in a colder environment and further away from the sun's strongest rays.

How many darker-skinned people in many parts of the world feel inferior, or believe they are less attractive or less favored (even by God!), because they have embraced a world-view that doesn't consider this truth of origins? No one should take too much pride in their appearance, but no one should feel ashamed of their appearance or allow a prideful, human standard of beauty to create feelings of superiority. We are all made in God's image and likeness because we are spiritual beings living in bodies designed to allow us to interact with a three dimensional world.

Because we were made from the earth, it is reasonable to eat plants as food because they were also made to grow in the earth from which humans were formed. Medical and nurtitional science says we need the vitamins and minerals, fiber, and other materials found in plants and  we are generally healthier when we eat less meat and more plants. (Forks over Knives insert here). I understand why meat is eaten regularly in many cultures outside of North America, but because I live in North America I also see many benefits to eating much less meat and much more plant material. The preservation of water supplies (it takes a lot of water to raise meat for human consumption) and the avoidance of suffering by sentient beings who are raised for food are two of the reasons why I choose to eat much less meat and many more plants.

The Genesis account says God "rested" on the seventh day. Was God "tired"? Is it even possible for God to become "tired"? I don't think so, but I think this concept of God "resting" on the seventh day, or time period, is a model for humans to take time away from work and creative processes and to simply enjoy what we have. We are better off for taking time to re-create, or rest, and simply reflect upon what we have done and who we are and what we hope to do and become. The habitual practice of resting, or stepping away from the normal routines of work and movement and process, is one that helps us recharge and renew our physical and emotional energies. Without regular rest, our bodies and spirits break down.

The Genesis account says God looked at the created world and its inhabitants and said it was good. As we know from history, things changed: The Fall weakened and corrupted creation, and many of us would look at our world and honestly say most of it is "not good." Still, it is important to know how we began because then we can understand our value and the possibilities attached to our value. Our origins were lovingly and intentionally beautiful, perfect, and good. We are not the product of chaos, which is why emotionally healthy people don't like chaos and don't choose to embrace chaos. We were created to be a part of an orderly, beautiful system of life.  Humanity lost these original qualities in many ways, and God offers redemption through Jesus Christ---a buy-back to the good beginnings--for those individuals who want it.