12 October 2013 Confronting Contradictions The origin of man is perhaps one of the most discussed and speculated questions

of all time. Arguably, the most influential book in the world, the Bible, offers answers to these questions, however, surveying the text, it is easy to see that there numerous contradictions in the account of the creation of man and earth. Noting that the redactor of the text allocated inconsistencies in the account side-by-side, we can infer that they were included with purpose. Assuming the purpose of the contradictions to be to force the reader to reconsolidate the multiple possibilities, the discrepancies in the genesis account of the creation of man and earth forces the reader to confront issues such as the singularity of God, the dominance of one gender over the other, and the extent of our free will in a more nuanced, complicated way. Perhaps the most prominent theme amongst Pentateuch-based religions is their belief in a single, all powerful god. However, a close analysis of the text reveals several contradictions in the account of origin that force readers to question Gods individuality. The first line of the text: In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth (Gen 1:1), introduces the notion of a single god. Using deductive reasoning, one can assume that if god created both, the heavens and the earth, then he is the absolute creator of everything, and because Genesis does not list other Gods as one of his creations, we can infer that they are non-existent. Likewise, this is reiterated in the following chapter: In the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens (Gen 2:4), again emphasizing the existence of only one god. However, this concept is contradicted several through the words God himself. Several times in the text, God speaks about himself as if he were a member of a group gods rather than the only god in existence:

Then God said, Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness (Gen 1:26), Then the LORD God said, See, the man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. (Gen 3:22), Come, let us go down, and confuse their language. (Gen 11:7) Gods singular and plural references are intertwined in throughout the account of origin, and therefore clearly force the reader to consider the possibility of multiple gods. Another popular belief amongst Pentateuch-based religions is that of male superiority, or Patriarchy. However, the redactor has again willfully included contradictions that call into question the dominance of one gender over the other. In verses 27-28 of the first chapter, it is very clear that God created man and woman equally. That is, they are both in his image, created simultaneously, and both are given dominion over the land and animals, but neither one is granted dominance over the other: So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them (Gen 1: 27) and told them to have dominion over every living thing that moves upon the earth. (Gen 1:28). In sharp contrast, chapter two states that LORD God created man first, and then took one of his ribs and from it spawned woman, hinting at womans dependency and debt to man: And the rib that LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. (Gen 2:22). In addition, woman, was specifically created to Make him a helper as his partner, (Gen 2:18) which is the exact opposite of the statements the redactor placed in chapter one. Then, once woman eats from the tree of knowledge, God explicitly states to the woman that in pain you shall bring forth children, yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you, (Gen 3:16) as a punishment for her actions, providing direct support for Patriarchal beliefs. The conspicuous contradictions included by the redactor undoubtedly force readers to, at the least,

consider both possibilities and to question the legitimacy of the conclusions made by Pentateuch based cultures. Following this pattern, Gods gift of free will to mankind is yet another topic suffused with challenging contradictions for the reader to consider. In the first chapter of genesis, God specifically states to the humans: I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. (Gen 1:29) However, in the following chapter, God threatens the humans with their lives if they break his new rule: of the tree of knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.(Gen 2:17) This contradiction is not only another inconsistency in the text, but it reveals what may be interpreted as Gods first flaw. God seems to hold an indecisive attitude towards the humans in relation to what kind of power, knowledge, and status he deems them worthy of. This is again seen when god encourages humans to Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it. (Gen 1:28), but when people began to multiply on the face of the ground and the sons of God saw that they were fair and took wives form themselves of all that they chose. (Gen 6:1) God punishes the humans for multiplying with his sons by diminishing their lifespan and drowning all but one family in a massive flood. These discrepancies may underscore what one could consider the indecisiveness of God and call into question mankinds free will. Are we really free, or are we as free as Gods fluctuating thoughts deem us to be? Gods words immediately preceding the exile of humans from the Garden of Eden:

See, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil: and now, he might reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life, and eat and live forever therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden...(Gen 3:22) Further emphasize Gods concern with mankinds acquisition of power and knowledge. When he first created the Garden, he did not forbid the humans of eating from the tree of life, only the tree of knowledge. However, once man discovered good and evil and became more like God himself, God begins to doubt his original judgment and once again revokes one of mans privileges. The incorporation of these contradictions is undeniably forcing the reader to confront the notion and extent of mankinds free will from contrasting perspectives and to, consequently, consolidate their own beliefs of mans free will. Clearly, the interpretations of a text as influential as the Bile will be vast and varied. However, it is important to realize that a reader will derive their interpretations from the accumulation of all of the contradictions present and their personal reconsolidation of each one. If the book flowed seamlessly and contained not a single contradiction, we would be left with one bias for the account of the origin of man - that of the author. Assuming that the narrator included the contradictions in the text for the reader to reconsolidate the varying possibilities, the redactor forces his readers to confront major religious issues such as the possibility of multiple gods, the dominance of one sex over the other, and the extent of mans free will in a more nuanced and complex manner. Ultimately, though, it is these confrontations that allow readers to develop their own individual interpretations of the text and their own relationship with God.