Pastor Gary

Just a reminder for those who have forgotten...

When Cain was banished from the Garden - he went east to the land of Nod and took a wife. Where did she come from???


This may spark some interesting comments, but the study links below are factual studies on the topic based upon solid scriptural translation from both Hebrew and 'street' Greek. I am ONLY presenting these for those persons who may wish to consider this as what probably happened in the Garden and why. It is a starting point for independent research and is being supplied for that purpose only. If anyone has questions about this, please direct those questions to the owner of the website which contains these studies...

Garden of Eden Bible Study

Adam and Eve Frequently Asked Bible Questions

Parable of the Tares Bible Study

Three World Ages Bible Study

Rebellion of Satan Bible Study

BreathOfGod

The reasons against incest are beyond Biblical. Modern science has shown many of the Biblical laws to be sound. If I did not believe in God, I might find it amazing at how these early people could create a set of laws without the scientific knowledge that we have today which would support these laws.

In many countries today, as close as first cousins are allowed to marry. In some countries it is quite common for first cousins to marry, primarily to maintain the wealth within the family. I do not know of any country which allows brothers and sisters to marry.

Research has found evidence that humans actually have a natural aversion to brother-sister incest. It is innate, not learned.

Another problem that arises from incest is that it causes social dysfunction in families. It disrupts the family unit. It can cause emotional and psychological problems.

Incest also increases the risk for undesirable genes to be passed along. These might be genes that cause physical defect, disease, or even psychological disorders. You can see the effects of these in populations where it has been common to marry within a community for many generations. There are certain genetic disorders that are common to Ashkenazi Jews, Amish, etc. Ashkenazi Jews undergo genetic screening and counseling prior to marrying in modern times, because of how frequent certain disorders are passed along. In certain places in Finland where population have intermixed, you find higher than average rates of schizophrenia. Suppose you have a recessive genetic trait for a disease. In a large gene pool with a variety of people, the odds are small that the random individual chosen would also share that same recessive trait. If you narrow the gene pool and marry only within families for several generations, then the odds become extremely high that you will select an individual who carries the recessive trait.

From a Biblical perspective, we do find cases early on in the Bible where incestuous marriages occurred. I believe that these were allowed early on in order to populate the earth-- be fruitful and multiply. Once populated, the door closed. There are a couple of theories that I have heard..... 1) Adam and Eve may have had enough genetic variation within them that their offspring were very much genetically different. 2) After the tower of Babel, when the languages were confused, people spread out across the earth and through adaptation acquired a great variety of genes (i.e. became the various races and peoples, as they grouped together by language and spread out across the earth.) Whichever of the two theories that you want to believe, or any other theory not mentioned, it really doesn't matter. The main point is that back then, even within communities, was a much greater genetic variation then we see today in isolated communities.

In modern science, we know that siblings share approximately 50% of their DNA. Additionally, the actual number of genes that are in the human body is unknown, but it is thought to be somewhere around 30,000. According to a book by Ridley (2003) it would take just 33 genes, each coming in two different varieties (on and off, for example) to make every human in the world unique.

So, in addition to incest being against Biblical laws, there are other negative effects that arise from it. These affects may be genetic, social, and/or psychological.


I will provide some references and links if anyone wants to study more independently. As a side note, I have not read, nor studied through any of the links below. I have read the Ridley book. Everything I wrote comes from prior learning and research. I can not account for what is said in the following links. I only googled a few random links associated with what I was saying. This list is by far NOT comprehensive in nature, nor does it cover all of the topics I discussed.



Chicago Center for Jewish Genetics Disorders - About Jewish Genetic Disorders


Ridley, M. (2003). Nature Via Nurture. Harper Collins Publishers: New York.

Amish disorders:

Genetic Disorders Hit Amish Hard, Centuries Of Intermarriage Make Rare Diseases More Likely - CBS News



Wiley InterScience :: Session Cookies



News in Science - Scientists explain why incest revolts us - 15/02/2007

Beloved

I know that after Seth was born other children followed, but I was speaking of before Seth... Seth was not born until after Cain left...

I agree about horoscopes though... There is a detail teaching on that through James Kennedy. However I must admit I have been shocked at the amount of pro-fessing christians that are in to these worldly beliefs

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Beloved
1 Corinthians 14:1 Let Love be your highest goal.

Fluffy

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Please pray for your local emergency responders, daily.

Banarenth

Why not? It's better than basing your life on something that's demonically influenced.

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Boanerges

Astronomy is the study of the heavens, that is fine. Constellations are groups of stars that have been used for thousands of years by shepards and sailors to find their way- no problems there either. Devining the future thru occult practice now that is a problem and is defintely against the Word of God.

Garbage Man

I don't think it hurts to find out what other ideas are or where they come from. If you find that you feel it does, then it would be your obligation to drop the class, I suppose. (Though I admit that doesn't really help you solve the current problem...)

SweetSurrender

I believe it is incest now, only because our blood line is so "polluted" at this point, that if we do have a child from our own father, we could possibly get a developmentally disabled child. Polluted meaning thinned down because of having such mixed blood at this point in history.

It's obvious that if Adam and Eve were the only humans on earth, Adam would have had to have sex with his own daughter. It would have been the only way to populate the earth.

As far as "horror" scopes go, I used to read them in the paper every day. And I'd either be frightened or confident that something spectacular was going to happen. I'd anticipate my future to hold exactly as they said, not knowing that it was derived from such as you said.

I had not heard, though, that Christians should not rely on them until now. It seems from this thread that most of them are against all similar things. But, from my experience, including the wigi (sp?) board, it is all uneccesary fear that you let into your life if you entertain it. I know Holland is a lot more liberal in their school system, and has been for a long time.

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"What some people think is freedom is nothing more than license that leads to bondage" Neil T. Anderson

smellycat

God made men and women.plural.

Whirlwind

In the Shaker Religion, we're taught to stay away from all things magical and mystical. Tarots, fortune-tellers, crystal balls, ouija boards, so on. Those things I can handle. Other things are wizards, witches, genies and such.

But we're also told to stay away from things that distract: movies, radio, TV, books (other than Christian-based). Those are the things that I can't handle, and I personally feel like they can be used constructively when not abused.

Of course, drugs are out: Alcohol, cigarettes, etc. It's okay to take medicine prescribed by a doctor and such. I smoke cigarettes and that's a habit that I'm going to end one day. I started smoking when I was 15 and I dread ever having started.

For the longest time, I was fascinated with the artwork of Ancient Egypt. My anthropology professor in college passed around an old coin that she found in a dig and when I touched it something in me just leaped! Whose coin was it? How did they make it? What was it last used for? A passion started burning inside of me to learn more. I almost didn't want to give the coin back to her!

I started collected Egyptian artifacts. I had an "Egyptian Room" at home and it was crammed! Little statues, papyrus, etc. I didn't bow down to worship these things, it was just a collection and I appreciated the artwork and detail.

My aunt, a strong Shaker from Washington, came to visit me and she warned me about these things. They were considered gods by the Ancient Egyptians, they were graven images. She kindly explained to me the danger that I had in my house.

It was hard...after years of collected and searching to find these items, I was proud of my little museum. It was so hard! But I'm getting rid of these items. Instead, I'm filling this room now with photos of loved ones.

My point is - sometimes we're told to stay away from something. But it's hard to do. Very hard! I know I like to justify my reasons for smoking, but it doesn't make what I'm doing to my body right. My collection of Egyptian artwork was only art, I said. I didn't worship those things or consider them as gods...but other people did. I was in danger.

Doing the right thing is sometimes hard to do. But doing the wrong thing can separate us from God, and that's going to hurt us worse in the end.

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