11In the beginning God created the heavens and In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. the earth. 22Now the earth was formless and empty, Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

Base presuppositions:Base presuppositions:There is a supreme being, separate from There is a supreme being, separate from creation.creation.

““Where did God come from?”Where did God come from?”

Cosmology ~ there must be a first cause, Cosmology ~ there must be a first cause, an an unmoved mover unmoved mover

Teleology ~ creation show evidence of Teleology ~ creation show evidence of design, design, therefore, a designer must therefore, a designer must be. (ID)be. (ID)

11In the beginning God created the heavens and In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. the earth. 22Now the earth was formless and empty, Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

Base presuppositions:Base presuppositions:There is a supreme being, separate from There is a supreme being, separate from creation.creation.

This supreme being has made all that we This supreme being has made all that we experience.experience.

Everything before creation is undefined. Everything before creation is undefined.

11In the beginning God created the heavens and In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. the earth. 22Now the earth was formless and empty, Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

Base presuppositions:Base presuppositions:There is a supreme being, separate from There is a supreme being, separate from creation.creation.

This supreme being has made all that we This supreme being has made all that we experience.experience. This supreme being has extreme/infinite power This supreme being has extreme/infinite power and and intelligence. intelligence.

11In the beginning God created the heavens and In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.the earth. 22Now the earth was formless and empty, Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

Base presuppositions:Base presuppositions:There is a supreme being, separate from There is a supreme being, separate from creation.creation.

This supreme being has made all that we This supreme being has made all that we experience.experience. This supreme being has extreme/infinite power This supreme being has extreme/infinite power and and intelligence. intelligence.

The earth has no meaning or definition apart The earth has no meaning or definition apart from him.from him.

Implication of a moral/ethical baseImplication of a moral/ethical base

11In the beginning God created the heavens and In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. the earth. 22Now the earth was formless and empty, Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

Base presuppositions:Base presuppositions:There is a supreme being, separate from There is a supreme being, separate from creation.creation.

This supreme being has made all that we This supreme being has made all that we experience.experience. This supreme being has extreme/infinite power This supreme being has extreme/infinite power and and intelligence. intelligence.

The earth has no meaning or definition apart The earth has no meaning or definition apart from him.from him.

Implication of a moral/ethical baseImplication of a moral/ethical base

Note the differentiation between “God” and the Note the differentiation between “God” and the “Spirit of God”“Spirit of God”

11In the beginning God created the heavens and In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. the earth. 22Now the earth was formless and empty, Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

Other creation stories:Other creation stories:

Link to creation story collection. (link)

Odin and Ymir (link)The Story of Corn and Medicine (link)

Islam (link)

Enumah Elish Enumah Elish (link)(link)

Red links take you to the internet.Red links take you to the internet.I have been to these without I have been to these without

difficulty. Use at your own risk.difficulty. Use at your own risk.

(summar(summary)y)

Comparison of Egyptian/Hebrew. (link)

11In the beginning God created the heavens and In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. the earth. 22Now the earth was formless and empty, Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

At the beginning, God made the universe out At the beginning, God made the universe out of nothing.of nothing.The Earth was a part of this initial creation.The Earth was a part of this initial creation.How long the Earth was in this state is not How long the Earth was in this state is not given.given.Water covered the entire planet.Water covered the entire planet.The matrix was formed, and is about to be The matrix was formed, and is about to be filled.filled.

33And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. light. 44God saw that the light was good, and he God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. separated the light from the darkness. 55God called God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.”the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morningAnd there was evening, and there was morning — —the first day. the first day.

66And God said, “Let there be an expanse between And God said, “Let there be an expanse between the watersthe waters to separate water from water.” to separate water from water.” 77So God So God made the expanse and separated the water under made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it.the expanse from the water above it. And it was so. And it was so. 88God called the expanse “sky.”God called the expanse “sky.” And there was And there was evening, and there was morningevening, and there was morning —the second day. —the second day.

Again, this is not well understood. Again, this is not well understood. Was there a water layer above the earth?Was there a water layer above the earth?

Is this the formation of clouds? Is this the formation of clouds?

99And God said, “Let the water under the sky be And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry groundgathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” appear.” And it was so.And it was so. 1010God called the dry ground “land,” God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.”and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God And God saw that it was good.saw that it was good.

99And God said, “Let the water under the sky be And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry groundgathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” appear.” And it was so.And it was so. 1010God called the dry ground “land,” God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.”and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God And God saw that it was good.saw that it was good. 1111Then God said, “Let the land produce Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so.various kinds.” And it was so. 1212The land produced The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. good. 1313And there was evening, and there was And there was evening, and there was morning —the third day. morning —the third day.

99And God said, “Let the water under the sky be And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry groundgathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” appear.” And it was so.And it was so. 1010God called the dry ground “land,” God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.”and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God And God saw that it was good.saw that it was good. 1111Then God said, “Let the land produce Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so.various kinds.” And it was so. 1212The land produced The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. good. 1313And there was evening, and there was And there was evening, and there was morning —the third day. morning —the third day.

99And God said, “Let the water under the sky be And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry groundgathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” appear.” And it was so.And it was so. 1010God called the dry ground “land,” God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.”and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God And God saw that it was good.saw that it was good. 1111Then God said, “Let the land produce Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so.various kinds.” And it was so. 1212The land produced The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. good. 1313And there was evening, and there was And there was evening, and there was morning —the third day. morning —the third day.

1414And God said, “Let there be lights in the And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, and days and years, 1515and let them be lights in the and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it expanse of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so.was so. 1616God made two great lights—the greater God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night.govern the night. He also made the stars. He also made the stars. 1717God God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth, the earth, 1818to govern the day and the night,to govern the day and the night, and to and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. was good. 1919And there was evening, and there was And there was evening, and there was morning —the fourth day.morning —the fourth day.

2020And God said, “Let the water teem And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures,with living creatures, and let birds fly and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of above the earth across the expanse of the sky.”the sky.” 2121So God created the great So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind.every winged bird according to its kind.

And God saw that it was good. And God saw that it was good. 2222God God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.” the earth.” 2323And there was evening, And there was evening, and there was morning —the fifth day. and there was morning —the fifth day.

2424And God said, “Let the land And God said, “Let the land produce living creaturesproduce living creatures according to according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind.” animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so.And it was so. 2525God made the wild God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds.ground according to their kinds. And And God saw that it was good.God saw that it was good.

2626Then God said, “Let us make man in Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth,all the earth, 2 2and over all the creatures and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” that move along the ground.”

2727So God created man in his own So God created man in his own image,image,

in the image of God he created in the image of God he created him; him;

male and female he created male and female he created them.them.

2828God blessed them and said to God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in them, “Be fruitful and increase in number;number; fill the earth and subdue it. fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” creature that moves on the ground.”

2929Then God said, “I give you every Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. for food. 3030And to all the beasts of the And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the groundthe creatures that move on the ground—everything that has the breath —everything that has the breath of life in it — I give every green plant of life in it — I give every green plant for food.” And it was so. for food.” And it was so.

3131God saw all that he had made, God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.and it was very good. And there was And there was evening, and there was morning —evening, and there was morning —the sixth day. the sixth day. 2:12:1Thus the heavens and the earth Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast were completed in all their vast array.array.

Genesis is not a “scientific” account of creation.Genesis is not a “scientific” account of creation.““We walked around the block” verses a We walked around the block” verses a precise precise description of the physics/biology description of the physics/biology involved. involved.

An chemical analysis of the footwear and An chemical analysis of the footwear and trodden surfaces would also be in order as well trodden surfaces would also be in order as well as a topographical study.as a topographical study.

Genesis is not a “scientific” account of creation.Genesis is not a “scientific” account of creation.The concern is the “Who” and not the “How”. The concern is the “Who” and not the “How”.

Genesis is not a “scientific” account of creation.Genesis is not a “scientific” account of creation.God directly created/molded all that is.God directly created/molded all that is.A Darwinian account of origins is not a A Darwinian account of origins is not a Biblical option.Biblical option.(“Evolution” is based upon presuppositional (“Evolution” is based upon presuppositional interpretations interpretations of factual findings. This will be dealt with on of factual findings. This will be dealt with on the 4/25.)the 4/25.)

Genesis is not a “scientific” account of creation.Genesis is not a “scientific” account of creation.God directly created/molded all that is.God directly created/molded all that is. AA DarwinismDarwinism TheismTheism

no plan/design definite no plan/design definite plan/designplan/design amoral innate amoral innate morality morality no accountability no accountability responsibilityresponsibility humans are not unique humans are in humans are not unique humans are in the imagethe image purposeless static purposeless static purposepurpose no future eternal no future eternal lifelife we are getting “better”we are getting “better”** we remain we remain the samethe same as a species as our as a species as our forefathersforefathers

*better is a comparative term, implying an external *better is a comparative term, implying an external standard of evaluation, which Darwinism cannot allow.standard of evaluation, which Darwinism cannot allow.

Genesis is not a “scientific” account of creation.Genesis is not a “scientific” account of creation.God directly created/molded all that is.God directly created/molded all that is. AA DarwinismDarwinism TheismTheism

no plan/design definite no plan/design definite plan/designplan/design amoral innate amoral innate morality morality no accountability no accountability responsibilityresponsibility humans are not unique humans are in humans are not unique humans are in the imagethe image purposeless static purposeless static purposepurpose no future eternal no future eternal lifelife we are getting “better”we are getting “better”** we remain we remain the samethe same as a species as our as a species as our forefathersforefathers

selection is “salvation” we need selection is “salvation” we need salvation from salvation from our our selections.selections.

Genesis is not a “scientific” account of creation.Genesis is not a “scientific” account of creation.God directly created/molded all that is in a God directly created/molded all that is in a very short very short time. time.

Genesis is not a “scientific” account of creation.Genesis is not a “scientific” account of creation.What God made was very good!What God made was very good!

Day three ~ land and plants: God was that it Day three ~ land and plants: God was that it was good.was good.

Genesis is not a “scientific” account of creation.Genesis is not a “scientific” account of creation.What God made was very good!What God made was very good!

Day four ~ sun and moon: God was that it Day four ~ sun and moon: God was that it was good.was good.

Genesis is not a “scientific” account of creation.Genesis is not a “scientific” account of creation.What God made was very good!What God made was very good!

Day five ~ birds and fish: God was that it Day five ~ birds and fish: God was that it was good.was good.

Genesis is not a “scientific” account of creation.Genesis is not a “scientific” account of creation.What God made was very good!What God made was very good!

Day six ~ land animals and people: Day six ~ land animals and people: God was that it was good.God was that it was good.

Genesis is not a “scientific” account of creation.Genesis is not a “scientific” account of creation.What God made was very good!What God made was very good!

Over view (vs 31): Over view (vs 31):

God saw all that he had made and it was God saw all that he had made and it was very good.very good.

Genesis is not a “scientific” account of creation.Genesis is not a “scientific” account of creation.What God made was very good!What God made was very good!

Over view (vs 31): Over view (vs 31):

God saw all that he had made and it was God saw all that he had made and it was very good.very good.

Genesis is not a “scientific” account of creation.Genesis is not a “scientific” account of creation.What God made was very good!What God made was very good!Design modifications are a bad idea.Design modifications are a bad idea.

Critiques/insults the designerCritiques/insults the designerDisaster can result (Look around . . . )Disaster can result (Look around . . . ) Some designs are so good, that they Some designs are so good, that they can continue can continue for a while, even with corrupting for a while, even with corrupting modifications.modifications.

Genesis is not a “scientific” account of creation.Genesis is not a “scientific” account of creation.What God made was very good!What God made was very good!Design modifications are a bad idea.Design modifications are a bad idea.Stay with (turn to) the Plan and DesignStay with (turn to) the Plan and DesignStudy the PlanStudy the PlanSeek to know the Origin, aka God, the DesignerSeek to know the Origin, aka God, the Designer

He knows how to get the Design corrected He knows how to get the Design corrected again.again.He has paid the price to correct our terminal He has paid the price to correct our terminal modificationsmodifications

Turn fully from the folly of what we/you have Turn fully from the folly of what we/you have done and done and return to the Design and Designer. return to the Design and Designer.

Plot Summary of Enuma Elish - When on HighPlot Summary of Enuma Elish - When on High

1. Apsu (male, fresh water) and Tiamat (female, sea 1. Apsu (male, fresh water) and Tiamat (female, sea water) mingle and engender Lahmu (male) and water) mingle and engender Lahmu (male) and Lahamu (female) who are silt deposits as well as Lahamu (female) who are silt deposits as well as Anshar (rim of the sky) and Kishar (rim of the earth. Anshar (rim of the sky) and Kishar (rim of the earth. Anshar and Kishar engender Anu (Sky) who in turn Anshar and Kishar engender Anu (Sky) who in turn engenders Ea-Nudimmud (who ends up as the ruler engenders Ea-Nudimmud (who ends up as the ruler of fresh waters. Ea’s wife is named Damkina. Ea is of fresh waters. Ea’s wife is named Damkina. Ea is created in the image of his father Anu.created in the image of his father Anu.

2. The younger gods disturb Apsu and Tiamat who 2. The younger gods disturb Apsu and Tiamat who prefer lack of activity. Apsu plans to kill them. The prefer lack of activity. Apsu plans to kill them. The younger gods learn of Apsu’s plans. Ea puts Apsu to younger gods learn of Apsu’s plans. Ea puts Apsu to sleep and kills him, also capturing Apsu’s sleep and kills him, also capturing Apsu’s advisor/vizier Mummu. Ea builds his house on Apsu.advisor/vizier Mummu. Ea builds his house on Apsu.

3. Marduk is born to Ea and Damkina. His has four 3. Marduk is born to Ea and Damkina. His has four ears and four eyes and is generally superior.ears and four eyes and is generally superior.

4. Anu creates the winds and streams which disturb 4. Anu creates the winds and streams which disturb Tiamat and some of the other gods. Some of the Tiamat and some of the other gods. Some of the gods remind Tiamat that she failed to act when Ea gods remind Tiamat that she failed to act when Ea killed Apsu and defeated Mummu.killed Apsu and defeated Mummu.

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Plot Summary of Enuma Elish - When on HighPlot Summary of Enuma Elish - When on High

5. Tiamat creates monsters to fight against her 5. Tiamat creates monsters to fight against her enemies. The chief of these is Kingu whom she enemies. The chief of these is Kingu whom she makes commander-in-chief and her consort taking makes commander-in-chief and her consort taking Apsu’s place. She gives him the Table of Destinies Apsu’s place. She gives him the Table of Destinies (possibly tablets containing the future).(possibly tablets containing the future).

6. Ea learns of Tiamat’s plans. Anshar sends Ea to 6. Ea learns of Tiamat’s plans. Anshar sends Ea to defeat Tiamat. Ea fails. Anshar sends Anu to speak defeat Tiamat. Ea fails. Anshar sends Anu to speak to Tiamat. Anu chickens out. Anshar asks Marduk to to Tiamat. Anu chickens out. Anshar asks Marduk to kill Tiamat. Marduk agrees so long as he will be kill Tiamat. Marduk agrees so long as he will be made ruler over all the gods.made ruler over all the gods.

7. Marduk (Bel) kills Tiamat. When she opens her 7. Marduk (Bel) kills Tiamat. When she opens her mouth to swallow him, Marduk sends in the winds to mouth to swallow him, Marduk sends in the winds to keep her jaws open. He shoots her heart with an keep her jaws open. He shoots her heart with an arrow. Marduk then subdues her army and captures arrow. Marduk then subdues her army and captures Kingu. Marduk takes the Tablet of Destinies.Kingu. Marduk takes the Tablet of Destinies.

8. Marduk splits Tiamat in half dividing the waters 8. Marduk splits Tiamat in half dividing the waters above from the waters below. He removes her eyes above from the waters below. He removes her eyes and the Tigris and Euphrates are formed. He puts and the Tigris and Euphrates are formed. He puts the appropriate gods in their appropriate star sites. the appropriate gods in their appropriate star sites. Earth is to be the mirror of heaven. Marduk is Earth is to be the mirror of heaven. Marduk is proclaimed King of the gods.proclaimed King of the gods.

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Plot Summary of Enuma Elish - When on HighPlot Summary of Enuma Elish - When on High

9. Marduk decides to create humans (9. Marduk decides to create humans (lullulullu - - barbarians, savages, aboriginal humans) to serve barbarians, savages, aboriginal humans) to serve the gods. Ea and the other gods shape humans out the gods. Ea and the other gods shape humans out of the blood of the executed Kingu.of the blood of the executed Kingu.

10. Marduk and the other gods create Babylon and 10. Marduk and the other gods create Babylon and the great temple Esagila.the great temple Esagila.

11. The Enuma Elish ends with a Hymn to the 50 11. The Enuma Elish ends with a Hymn to the 50 Names of Marduk.Names of Marduk.

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Odin and Ymir

      In the beginning of time, there was nothing: neither sand, nor sea, nor cool waves. Neither the heaven nor earth existed. Instead, long before the earth was made, Niflheim was made, and in it a spring gave rise to twelve rivers. To the south was Muspell, a region of heat and brightness guarded by Surt, a giant who carried a flaming sword. To the north was frigid Ginnungagap, where the rivers froze and all was ice. Where the sparks and warm winds of Muspell reached the south side of frigid Ginnungagap, the ice thawed and dripped, and from the drips thickened and formed the shape of a man. His name was Ymir, the first of and ancestor of the frost-giants.       As the ice dripped more, it formed a cow, and from her teats flowed four rivers of milk that fed Ymir. The cow fed on the salt of the rime ice, and as she licked a man's head began to emerge. By the end of the third day of her licking, the whole man had emerged, and his name was Buri. He had a son named Bor, who married Bestla, a daughter of one of the giants. Bor and Bestla had three sons, one of whom was Odin, the most powerful of the gods.           

creation story collection.

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Odin and Ymir            Ymir was a frost-giant, but not a god, and eventually he turned to evil. After a struggle between the giant and the young gods, Bor's three sons killed Ymir. So much blood flowed from his wounds that all the frost-giants were drowned but one, who survived only by builiding an ark for himself and his familly. Bor's sons dragged Ymir's immense body to the center of Ginnungagap, and from him they made the earth. Ymir's blood became the sea, his bones became the rocks and crags, and his hair became the trees. Bor's sons took Ymir's skull and with it made the sky. In it they fixed sparks and molten slag from Muspell to make the stars, and other sparks they set to move in paths just below the sky. They threw Ymir's brains into the sky and made the clouds. The earth is a disk, and they set up Ymir's eyelashes to keep the giants at the edges of that disk.      

creation story collection.

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      On the sea shore, Bor's sons found two logs and made people out of them. One son gave them breath and life, the second son gave them consciousness and movement, and the third gave them faces, speech, hearing, and sight. From this man and woman came all humans thereafter, just as all the gods were descended from the sons of Bor.       Odin and his brothers had set up the sky and stars, but otherwise they left the heavens unlit. Long afterwards, one of the descendants of those first two people that the brothers created had two children. Those two children were so beautiful that their father named the son Moon and the daughter Sol. The gods were jealous already and, when they heard of the father's arrogance, they pulled the brother and sister up to the sky and set them to work. Sol drives the chariot that carries the sun across the skies, and she drives so fast across the skies of the northland because she is chased by a giant wolf each day. Moon likewise takes a course across the sky each night, but not so swiftly because he is not so harried.       The gods did leave one pathway from earth to heaven. That is the bridge that appears in the sky as a rainbow, and its perfect arc and brilliant colors are a sign of its origin with the gods. It nonetheless will not last for ever, because it will break when the men of Muspell try to cross it into heaven.

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creation story collection.

The Story of Corn and Medicine

            The earth began as nothing but water and darkness, and all the animals were in Galúnlati, above the stone vault that makes up the sky. Eventually Galúnlati became so crowded that the animals needed more room, and they wanted to move down to earth. Not knowing what was below the water, they sent down the Water-beetle to explore. Water-beetle dove below the water and eventually came back with some mud from below. That mud grew and grew, and finally it became the island that we call earth. This island of earth is suspended at its four corners from ropes that hang down from the sky, and legend has it that some day the ropes will break and the earth will sink back into the water.       Because it grew from mud, the new earth was very soft. Many of the birds flew down to explore the new land, but it was too wet for them to stay. Finally Buzzard flew down, hoping it was dry, but the earth was still wet. Buzzard searched and searched, especially in the Cherokee country, and finally he became so tired that his wings flapped against the ground. His wings dug valleys where they hit the ground and turned up mountains where they pulled away, leaving the rugged country of the Cherokee.       Eventually the earth was dry and the animals moved down. There still was no light, however, and so the animals set the sun passing from east to west just over their heads. With the sun so close, many of the animals were burned, giving the red crawfish its crimson color. The animals raised the sun again and again, until it was high enough that all could survive.       Link to creation story collection.

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The Story of Corn and Medicine

       When the plants and animals first came to earth, they were told to stay awake for seven nights, as in the Cherokee medicine ceremony. The animals all stayed awake the first night, and many stayed awake the next few nights, but only the owl and the panther and a couple of others stayed awake all seven nights. They were given the ability to see at night and so to hunt at night when the others are asleep. The same thing happened among the trees, and only the cedar, pine, spruce, holly and laurel stayed awake all seven nights, which is why they can stay green all year when the others lose their leaves.       Humans came after the animals. At first they multiplied rapidly, and the first woman give birth every seven days. Eventually there were so many of them that it seemed they might not all survive, and since then to this day each woman has been able to have just one child each year. Among these early people were a man and a woman name Kanáti and Selu, whose names meant "The Lucky Hunter" and "Corn", respectively. Kanáti would go hunting and invariably return with game, which Selu would prepare by the stream near their home. She also would always return home with baskets of corn, which she would pound to make meal for bread.       Kanáti and Selu had a little boy, and he would play by the stream. Eventually they realized that he was playing with another little boy who had arisen from the blood of the game washed by the stream. With their son's help they caught the other boy, and eventually he lived with them like he was their own son, although he was called "the Wild Boy".      

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The Story of Corn and Medicine

      Kanáti brought home game whenever he went hunting, and one day the two boys decided to follow him. They followed him into the mountains until he came to a large rock, which he pulled aside to reveal a cave from which a buck emerged. Kanáti shot the buck and, after covering the cave, he headed home. The boys got home before him and didn't reveal what they had learned, but a few days later they returned to the rock. With a struggle they pulled it aside and had great fun watching the deer come out of the cave. They lost track of what they were doing, however, and soon all sorts of game animals - rabbit and turkeys and partridges and buffalo and all - escaped from the cave. Kanáti saw all these animals coming down the mountain and knew what the boys must have done, and he went up the mountain after them. He opened four jars in the cave, and from them came fleas and lice and gnats and bedbugs that attacked the boys. He sent them home, hoping he could find some of the dispersed game for the supper. Thus it is that people must now hunt for game.       The boys went home, and Selu told them there would be no meat for dinner. However, she went to the storehouse for food, and told the boys to wait while she did so. They followed her instead to the storehouse and watched her go inside. She put down her basket and then rubbed her stomach, and the basket was partly full with corn. Then she rubbed her sides, and it was full to the top with beans. Watching through a crack in the storehouse wall, the boys saw all this. Selu knew that they had seen her, but she went ahead and fixed them a last meal. Then she and Kanáti explained that, because their secrets were revealed, they would die,

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The Story of Corn and Medicine

and with them would end the easy life they had known. However, Selu told them to drag her body seven times around a circle in front of their house, and then to drag her seven times over the soil inside the circle, and if they stayed up all night to watch, in the morning they would have a crop of corn. The boys, however, only cleared a few spots and they only dragged her body over it twice, which is why corn only grows in certain places on the earth. They did sit up all night, though, and in the morning the corn was grown, and still it is grown today, although now it takes half a year.       In these early days, the plants, the animals, and the people all lived together as friends. As the people multiplied, however, the animals had less room to roam, and they were either slaughtered for food or trampled under the humans' feet. Finally the animals held a council to discuss what to do. The bears experimented with using bows and arrows to fight back, but they concluded that they would have to cut off their claws to use the bows. The deer held a council and decided to send rheumatism to any hunter who killed a deer without asking its pardon for having done so. When a deer is shot by a hunter, the fleet and silent Little Deer, leader of the deer, runs to the blood-stained spot to ask the spirit of the killed deer if the hunter prayed for pardon for his affront. If the answer is no, Little Deer follows the trail of blood and inflicts the hunter with rheumatism so that he is crippled.      

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The Story of Corn and Medicine

      The fish and reptiles likewise met, and resolved that the people would suffer from dreams in which snakes twined about them. The birds and smaller animals and insects all met too, and talked long into the night about how they had suffered from the humans. Eventually they created all sorts of new diseases to afflict humans, which have since become a scourge to the animals' oppressors.       After this the plants met, and they resolved that something must be done to counteract what the animals had done. That is why so many trees and shrubs and herbs, and even the mosses, provide remedies for diseases. It was thus that medicine first came into the world, to counteract the revenge of the animals.

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creation story collection.

Comparison of Egyptian/Hebrew (link) Creation stories

Please view this site critically, as it tries to Please view this site critically, as it tries to build a case for a Egyptian-derived Hebrew build a case for a Egyptian-derived Hebrew creation account. The pages focus is only on creation account. The pages focus is only on similarities, some obviously forced upon the similarities, some obviously forced upon the texts.texts.

If there is a true creation story, one would If there is a true creation story, one would expect that most , if not all creation stories expect that most , if not all creation stories would have some base similarities.would have some base similarities.

This is not a “christian” source.This is not a “christian” source.