What is the Book of Genesis really talking about?

[Uncontrolable]

I finally noticed that the Book of Genesis might be a lot more profound than I thought. The book of Genesis was written as a result of people passing down oral histories for many millennia. These oral histories might have been passed down for 10, 20, even 100,000 years or longer. Here is the first thing. Genesis may have been describing the most important moment in human history. The part of history where humans became sentient beings. In other words, when humans began to think. The other thing is this. If humans had just become sentient then how did early humans know that the universe was created as a result of "the big bang" "Let there be light", describes that moment of the creation of the universe almost perfectly. Where did that information come from? Did God inspire someone, or were there others on this planet at that time who knew more than "largely ignorant men?"
There are other things. But, I would love to know what people think on these things first. There are no right or wrong answers.

 

[tnthomas]

There are no right or wrong answers.

True, none of us can speak from first hand knowledge.

I'm a lifelong Christian, but I understand that not all wisdom or communication from God was craved in stone.

"the big bang" "Let there be light", describes that moment of the creation of the universe almost perfectly.

I'm with you on that.

Not to get too off the charts, but as you know, there is (are) alot of entertainment media material(TV programs, movies)

that expound on the extraterrestrial involvement, in the advancement of Humankind, from mere animals, to thinking, spiritual beings.

I think that the truth is out there, somewhere.

 

[Uncontrolable]

I agree about the programs, whatever their source. It seems that media cannot get away from sensationalizing things in general. Seems like every other day someone has a story about monster sharks. I talked to a Rabi the other day about Adam and Eve after reading that Adam was code for men and Eve was code for women. I have come to think that the story about Adam and Eve is about the consciousness of early man. The tree of knowledge was forbidden because people would know the truth about themselves. Men and women began to gain knowledge. Once you have knowledge you cannot go back to innocense. So men had to leave the Garden of Eden, or the state of ignorant bliss once they had eaten from the tree of "knowledge". God had an angel guard the gate because you can't go back. It seems this says more about human consciosness evolving from animal consciousness and instinct.

 

[Warrigal]

The book of Genesis talks about a lot more than the two creation myths. It tells many stories about the legendary patriarchs and IMO the main purpose is to explain to the Hebrews their relationship to God. I'm no OT scholar but it seems to me that Judaism was somewhat revolutionary in a time when most societies worshipped a pantheon of gods that could be represented by statues and statuettes. The concept of an unknowable god of pure spirit must have been very advanced in that part of the world.