The Psalm -- Whatever That Means

As you might have already guessed by the title, I didn't know what a Psalm was before reading this. You might call me ignorant, but that is just the way it is. Just for if someone reading this doesn't know what it means either, you can check the definition, which is one of the songs, hymns, prayers, or poems contained in the Book of Psalms. Because we were asked to read 4 different psalms not in chronological order, I will talk about each of them separately.

First came Psalm 23. I feel that David is very happy with being preferred by the Lord. In the First Book of Samuel you can see how the Lord prefers David over Saul, and makes everything he wishes for happen. If I was David, I probably would also be as grateful and write him a poem. I hope his optimism is apt, because if this isn't satisfied, David will be in great trouble: "23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever."

The next Psalm I was asked to read was Psalm 42. In this psalm I have to say that as a reader you have to start wondering why God doesn't help normal men as much as would be expected from a creator. Always in history we have seen examples of people suffering who dedicate their lives praying to God that all will be better, but as far as I know in the majority of the cases nothing happens. For example, during the Holocaust, many innocent people who prayed to God every day died suffering.

We can see this a little when it says: "42:11 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God." I don't want to believe it, but something tells me that he won't receive what he is looking for.

Next up: Psalm 51. In my opinion, this has been the most boring psalm yet. It was all about David saying sorry and asking God to forgive me, but I didn't like it. Always when this happens, I am not sure if people are just doing it to be on God's good people list, or if they really mean it. "51:14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness." Is this really true? I don't know but David might just come out, turn around, and go kill someone else. Although coming from a time period when God just appeared in front of everyone and did whatever he wanted, it might be that people took religion a lot more serious than they do now.

The last psalm we have to read is Psalm 137. Why we skipped so much I don't know, but I'm not going to argue. Because this is the first psalm that doesn't include a description before it, I don't understand much. Without the background info, I don't think I get what this psalm is about.

What I was able to recall was that it was about this people who had been asked to sing a song of Zion, and they did. It said that if they forgot Jerusalem many bad things could happen to them, and then it remembered the day when the army of Babylon captured Jerusalem. I don't understand its point, but it wasn't that bad.

I think I like the psalms, mostly because they are short and easy to understand. I like how in most cases they give background information so that you can know what they are talking about. I also liked how they talk about many different parts of the Bible. Even though it was interesting, thank God we are almost done with the Bible (Ironic, huh?)!

David's Morality

I have to start this post by saying that I didn't like the second book of Samuel as much as I liked the first. I think the first book was a lot better as far as contents goes, because it was much more interesting and was only one story, not just anything that happened to David in those days.

The first thing I want to talk about is David's age. I personally thought that with so many things that have happened already David would be older, but I was surprised to see he was only 30. Maybe they are just telling the whole story without skipping irrelevant parts, like we do now.

I want to say that before, I was convinced that God's predictions would always be right, so David should do what God says. Now, every time I read about David asking God what will happen, I find myself doubting if it is real or not. Ever since that time when God was wrong, I haven't been trusted him quite as much.

I don't get the real meaning of this phrase: "6:1 Again, David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand." What does "chosen men" mean? I don't understand if it just means everyone, or if it is men chosen in some sort of ritual or something. I wonder if they are David's chosen ones, or God's.

Something else that I don't understand is this: "6:23 Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death." Didn't David have kids with her, or am I confusing everything?

I think one of the main reasons I didn't like this book as much as the other one was because in this one, every chapter started with "and it came to pass..." Which means that they are telling the whole story of David without avoiding any extra parts. I wish the would focus on the important parts and leave the rest.

I like this line: "11:27 And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD." I always thought it was unfair with the women that as soon as their husband was dead David was there to sleep with them. I'm glad God finally understood the wrongness in this and dissaproves of it. I hope he can make David notice that it isn't good.

It was a little strange when Ahithopel, the advisor, saw that they weren't following his advice, he killed himself. I think that is taking it too far. I understand he loved his job and liked being the advisor and all, but if they didn't follow it did he have to kill himself? I personally would have preferred to live.

There is, anyways, a part in which Nathan for the first time makes David realize that he is not the saint even he thought he was. I don't think he realized that even though he wasn't killing his enemy, he was being a bad person, because he killed men to be with their woman, and as said by Nathan, he "hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon." Nathan very clearly tells his that he has "despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight".

At the beginning, I thought David was a nice man. I think he sees himself as a righteous man also. What he and the others don't realize is that he only doesn't do the bad things that are in front of other people, like killing his enemy, but does more quiet things that aren't really important for the rest of the world.

He does things that I suppose are correct according to his morality, and to the time period we are talking about, like marrying with many people and taking as wives women who just had their husbands killed, sometimes even by David himself. I can't believe that this was culturally accepted in those times.

So David might be morally correct for himself, but for me personally he is using fallacies and rhetoric to convince people that he is the best. I hope David learns how to be modern, because I don't agree with his points of view.

Another Battle: Saul Vs. David

I have to start this post saying that I really liked this story. I think it has been the best story in the Bible yet. It always kept my interest. I liked how it was very human in a way, and how someone was always on the verge of danger.

The first thing I liked was that Goliath and the Philistinth army defied the other army. It started on a good note. It was interesting and from that beginning I already wanted to know which warrior won the battle. Anyways, when David fought against him, I thought it was very dumb how he won. "17:50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David." That just doesn't happen; not even in fiction.

I don't like how Saul is so jealous. If it wasn't because of that, the whole problem could have been avoided. It is very selfish and a little stupid on his part when he says: "18:7 And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. 18:8 And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom?"

It is very unfair how Saul makes David do things that he knows are impossible, even if David somehow manages to accomplish them because he has God's approval. I don't like Saul's attitude of being better.

At the beginning it took me some time to understand who Michal was, but I finally understood that she is David's wife. I like how she does the thing of putting goat hair on the pillow so that it seems like he is there. That is something that we still do today to cover up people.

I think that it is very unfair, which I have noticed is a word I use a lot in all my posts, that because one priest gave away David's location Saul had to kill so many. It is inhuman, and that makes me dislike him just that more. I can't believe David likes him! "22:18 And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod. 22:19 And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword."

It was a little weird and unexpected that in one part where David asked God what was going to happen, he answered that David would follow him and that they would betray him, but in the end they didn't even go. If God is so powerful, why didn't he know what would happen in the end? I don't think I trust his predictions anymore.

Although I have grown to realize that culture was different in those times, I didn't expect that as soon as someone's husband died, a complete stranger could take the girl as his wife if she agreed to it, like happened with Abigail. She didn't even mourn for her ex, but went right on to marry David. To me that means that love didn't mean as much in those times.

It was weird how Saul died, and David cried for him. If I was him, I would have been happy that he was no longer prosecuting me! It was also weird how he invented that song.

At the beginning of the second Book of Samuel, in chapter 2, I couldn't help noticing how stupid the fight looked. "2:14 And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise, and play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise." Don't you think that sounds stupid?

Well, because this story has been so fun, I can't wait to see what happens in the rest of the second Book of Samuel. You can just be sure of one thing: I will be here to cover it! =)

God vs. Job -- Round 1

When I read the first line in chapters 38-end, I was ready to brace myself for an exciting end of the book. "38:1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, 38:2 Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?" Doesn't that excite you?

I have to say God shows himself a little selfish and acted like a show off. I can't believe that being God, he couldn't come up with better arguments than stating all he had made and being so proud of it. "Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding." He kept the whole time talking about his creations and mentioning how he knew what they wanted and how they acted but Job didn't.

Then, another unexpected thing happened. I never thought I would hear God using sarcasm, but he did. "38:21 Knowest thou it, because thou wast then born? or because the number of thy days is great?" Or I didn't understand what He said, or God used sarcasm on Job! Actually, most of his arguments are exactly like the ones a human would give if they would have created the world.

There is not much else to say, because that is what repeatedly happens throughout the rest of the book of Job. God showing off what he did and what he knows, and blaming Job for daring to be against God if he didn't have as much power as Him. "39:26 Doth the hawk fly by thy wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south? 39:27 Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high?" He is basically saying "Did YOU create the earth? Does every creature follow your orders? I don't think so! So don't dare say something against me, because there is no doubt I could take you in a second." And that, I think, is unfair fighting and using the other's weakness in your favor, which should be a sin.

What I liked the least was Job's reaction. I think he would at least stand up for himself for a second, but no. As soon as God finished, Job was kissing his shoes and eating out of his hand. "40:4 Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth." It was clear God had won, and Job wasn't about to do anything about it. Such a baby.

He is not much of a sharer also. "41:11 Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him? whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine." That is very selfish from my point of view.

At the end, Job again says he is sorry: "42:6 Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes," and it is clear he has no more arguments. God instead, says he will punish his friends, because they lied about him. But when Job prays for them, God stops his punishment, and gives his richness back. In fact, "42:10 ...the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before." That, I think, is stupid. There goes the whole argument! All the things Job said, all his point of view, for nothing. He suffered for - what - 1 week? Then all his richness was given back to him, and more: God gave him twice as much as he had. That means it was all for nothing.

Oh and by the way, I found out the morale of this story for once. Don't mess with God, because what he wants, he will get, one way or another.

Moral of the Story: Forgive God and He Will Forgive You. Almost.

This will be a long blog post. I am hoping this will entirely cover everything from Chapter 11 through Chapter 37 in the Book of Job. It was a lot of information, so I might miss many things.

I want to start saying that Job was seriously affected by what God did to him. I respect and like in him that he is the only person who has been able to hate and disagree with God, and never change his opinion. Even though his friends tell him not to criticize and to stop saying all those things the whole time, he will never give away.

In this quote I am pretty sure that Job is saying the truth, and that he is completely capable of going onto God and proving his point. "23:3 Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat! 23:4 I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments." I have no doubt that it would happen, although I am pretty sure if God doesn't want him to see Him, he won't. I am really eager to see an argument between them two.

This next quote is something I have also asked myself all the time. I don't understand how poor people or people going through a lot of misery can believe that God is there looking for them, and how the rich can do anything they want and nothing happens to them. "24:12 Men groan from out of the city, and the soul of the wounded crieth out: yet God layeth not folly to them." God doesn't seem to hear anyone calling Him, or do anything about it.

As I said before, I really like that Job says this: "27:5 God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me." It proves to me that people can really stand up to God, and I hope he will always maintain his point of view.

I liked also the line when Job said "27:16 Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay; 27:17 He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the silver," meaning that even if he gives money to the rich, the poor will divide it all at the end. Anyways, I don't believe it will ever be true.

Another point that Job and his friends talked about was that even if they wanted to fight God, they don't have the wisdom and understanding to prove their point, and only God knows where that understanding can be found.

Then Job continues on fighting that he doesn't think he did anything wrong, and that if he really did, he gave God "permission" to punish him. He promised he hadn't done any of the things they had punished him for doing. He made a reference to the Ten Commandments, which I liked. "31:35 Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book." He is accepting that he would take it all on himself if he was truly guilty, but that he wasn't.

After all that he said, which in my opinion where mostly valid arguments, all his friends had to say was that because he had said so many mean things and things that God didn't agree with, he should be punished. "34:36 My desire is that Job may be tried unto the end because of his answers for wicked men." There Elihu, one of his friends, is saying that NOW it is correct to punish him because of all he has said.

Now, more than ever, I am seriously hoping to see God coming, because I really want to see what would happen when the two start an argument. Who will win? Probably God: he has an unfair disadvantage.

Word of the Post: Unfair

For me, Job is sad. It is so mean. I don't like it, because it is the using of a human for personal gain and purposes. This quote shows how unfair it is: "While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house: And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee (1:19)." This is saying that God basically made Job's life miserable because he didn't believe in him. It is very unfair, that just because he wants to be more powerful than Satan, he does that. On and by the way it is the first time that Satan is mentioned in the Bible. I, being a Buddhist, would have thought that Satan would be a lot more mentioned than he is.

After this, something very unfair also happened. Satan, wanting to be more powerful than God, also took advantage of the situation. He, after God had make Job's life difficult, Satan got involved and decided to put his part also in making his life more difficult than before. "So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown."

After this, you can see that it was very difficult for him to get over it. He is in an extremely depressed state, and not even his friends can make him feel better.

I think Eliphaz the Temanite, one of his friends, is very intelligent because what he said was very cool and I think it really gave strength to Job. He was not mean like God and Satan, which I am very mad at right now. Anyways, it didn't really work, because Job never came out of his depression.

I think he is a little extreme. "After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day. And Job spake, and said, Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived (3:3)" But of course, who am I to judge? I've never really been cursed by both God and Satan so...

But seriously, he is way too depressed. He should take an antidepressant or something. "My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and become loathsome. My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and are spent without hope (7:6)" He should or get over it, or kill himself (I don't personally recommend the second option).

You can see that even Job himself agrees with me; "I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul (7:11)." He is accepting that the only thing he will do about it is complain.

So this is what Job is about, I don't know how it has anything to do with the rest of the Bible, but I will leave Christians to decide that themselves. I am really disappointed in God (although I did expect it from Satan), and I would have thought He had a stronger personality than that. But oh well, let Him be.

The Moses Dictionary

Exodus is literally all about Moses. In the chapters we read, God looks out for Moses and tells him he has to go to Egypt and save the "children of Israel". At the beginning, Moses hides from God, and from all the questions he makes, he seems really insecure about that. He keeps asking God how he will do this and how will he do that; for me it seems like someone else might have done a better job than him. " But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee (4:1)."

Seriously, Moses has lots of questions, but God basically answers all of them saying that he can just do magic and things that would surprise the pharaohs in Egypt, so that they would believe he was a messenger of God. Moses' task was to go to Egypt, talk the pharaoh into letting all his people go with some dark help from God, and leave. Even if Moses wasn't too sure about it, he left.

When he finally got to Egypt, as expected, the Pharaoh just said no and wouldn't listen to Moses. He did some of the tricks God had told him to do, like throwing a rod to the floor and as it fell it converted into a snake, and when he touched it, it turned into a rod back again.

The pharaoh still didn't believe him, so God, Moses, and the person who was in charge of all the talking, Aaron, had to take extreme measures. That was when God sent them the 10 plagues, in which the water turned into blood, frogs, lice, flies, livestock diseased, boils, thunder and hail, locusts, darkness, and the death of the firstborn. Basically, any civilization would be dead if they were put to these ten plagues. So as one might expect, the pharaoh gave in and they agreed to give them back their people. God institutes some rules, and after everyone was recovered back, they sang in joy to God.

Later, God gave the commandments, which in my opinion are the exact reason why Exodus is famous. Moses repeated some commandments, and until there we read.

This is a pretty known story, and it is really nice. I don't think it is fair that God could do all these to the innocent people in Egypt, just because the pharaoh wasn't kind enough to let the Israel people out. That is my opinion but I think I might be the only person in the world who thinks that. So yeah, see you later!

Oh Wow.

As the title says, oh wow. Too many chapters, too much information.

Many things from these eleven chapters surprised me. First off, this quote was really unexpected to me the moment I read it, but after reading more and more of the Bible I realized it's not that uncommon at all. "Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah (Gen. 25)." I was convinced that the Bible obligated people to be married only one time, so why would they put this example on it?

For me, it is funny how culture has changed, and I really enjoy analyzing the many things that were normal then but now are just completely insane. Anyways, some other things have stayed the same. This blessing given by someone in Genesis might have as well been given today: "For he had possession of flocks, and possessions of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him. (Gen. 26)"

Something else that is really alike is that even since so long ago, women have been expected to be the "woman of the house." They were the ones who would make food and do whatever their husbands wanted them to. "...and his mother made savoury meat, such as his father loved. (Gen. 27)" That can still be seen these days all the time.

Chapter 28 was a different story. I could barely understand any of it, and it had these weird stories that I had never even heard about before. I don't see much of a point in them.

Instead, in chapter 29 there was a story that I really liked. It was a lot better than many of the past stories. I found it interesting, easy to understand, and a very appealing story. It talks about the perseverance he had to be able to get his wife during seven years. I wonder if many of the names we see today were invented by the Bible, like Jacob and Rachel. It is cool to know they might have been sacred a long time ago.

Chapter 30 was the perfect example of people obeying God's order of "being fruitful and multiplying." "And Leah conceived again, and bare Jacob the sixth son. (Gen. 30)" It is weird for me know that they had so many kids, and which so many different partners also. It was as if happiness depended on the number of kids you had. Until now, I think Jacob is very witty, and I like him.

In chapter 31 was the first time I saw the Bible being in first person. I'm not sure if I just missed a part, but it was very weird to see it in Jacob's perspective. "And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I said, Here am I. (Gen. 31)". It is nice how these stories about pacts and stealing go so far back. I liked this story a lot also.

I still don't get why people change each other's names. God doing it I understand a little, but this time it was just another human. Who does he think he is to go around ordering people to change their names? And it wasn't even a subtle change, but it was from Jacob all the way to Israel. "And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed (Gen. 32)." I don't think a change in name is very important, because if a person is a prince he should be one by whom he is inside, not what other people call him.

As I previously mentioned, many things in daily life have stayed the same, but some things changed. One very noticeable example is how men treat each other. In those times, it was something like this: "And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept (Gen. 33)." It seems to be out of respect, but I can also see a little fear in Jacob towards his brother Esau. Nowadays, if two men are seen kissing or hugging or even weeping, they are basically considered gay.

Changing the topic, chapter 34 was just another love story. It was just like modern ones, just that instead of the impediment keeping the couple apart being social differences or species or something like that, it is because one family was not circumcised. It is incredible what love can do, and I liked this story a lot just because it was about love.

Before I leave, I was just wondering if all names in Genesis of people and places mean something in Latin or another language, because at least in English they make no sense at all. And one last thing, I am so confused by Jacob/Israel! They use both names, and call him two different names in only one sentence! Are they like different people or something now? Weird.

So, I hope you liked my post, and I will be back soon with a new text; the Book of Samuel!

For God's Sake

So, another blog post. Chapter 17 was nice. It was easy to understand, and I liked it. I never knew that God obligated boys to be circumcised. Something else that I didn't know was that God said: "Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee (Gen. 17)."

Something I still don't understand is why Abraham doesn't want to have kids, and thinks he is too old at 99, when in other Bible stories people are up to 600 years old. Are the stories from different time periods or different sources?

In Chapter 19, there is a line that reminded me of a scene in Metamorphosis. I'm not sure if it is said in the same way, because I didn't really understand the story. It's this: "But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt (Gen. 19)" Something that I did understand and didn't like was how the girls lied with their father.

Chapter 20 was nice also. The main characters did bad things, and that spices up the Bible a little. Abraham is important, but I don't understand why God is so fond of him. And personally, I wouldn't like to be God's favorite if in exchange I had to do everything he asked for and follow extra rules.

Although many Catholics and Christians mock the old stories about polytheism and the gods, they might not realize that some of the stories in the Bible look a lot like them. They have the same rhythm and remind me of each other.

Abraham does everything he is asked for, and I don't understand why. I don't think he is getting anything actually good in exchange. "And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him (Gen. 22)." In chapter 22, I finally started to see a difference between LORD God and God, and how they seem to not like each other. Still, I don't get it, and I don't understand who is the real God, or if just both are.

I know that possibly there are people who are 127 years old right now, but in the time the Bible was written it was impossible to reach that age sane. Sarah died "healthy" at that age, and for me it is not very believable.

This is the story that I have liked the most in the Bible. I don't really know how it fits the story, or if it has a lesson or not, but it kept me interested all the time and it was easy to understand. Anyways, the repetition of the story by the servant before eating was unnecessary. They could have just said "and so he told them his story" and get over it.

Overall, I liked these chapters more than the past seven.

About Abram, Sarai, and Everyone in Between

I want to start this post saying that I am very glad modern books aren't written in this format any more. I can't stand sometimes how many times it repeats itself. In chapter 10, it said the same thing many times, and in chapter 11, it said the amount of children they had and how old they lived for, like, a whole generation. They should make it more interesting and valuable by changing how it is written, but I am guessing that was normal when Genesis was first written.

In chapter 12, something different happened. Since the beginning of Genesis I hadn't heard any real country being named, but now I did see it. "And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land.(Gen. 12)" Another weird thing was that I thought we already all agreed about the Pangaea country and how it all moved, but according to the Bible, it seems like all countries were created how they are right in the beginning.

I also noticed another change while reading. I don't know if it was lack of concentration from my part, but lately Genesis is a lot more difficult to understand than it was before. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I had heard the story of the creation of Earth in seven days before, but the stories that are being told now I had never heard before.

I have almost no idea of what the Abram story is and what is going on with him. Although I love that the Bible tells its teachings through supposedly accurate stories, I think they should make it a little easier to understand. For example, in the line "And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram. (Gen. 16)" would be a lot easier to get if they just said: "When Hagar gave birth to Ishmael, Abram was 46 years old." But no.

They stories are getting a little weird, and I am going to have to concentrate more to be able to get the rest of it. I don't know why the author/s are obsessed with age or something, but after any description or anything, there is the age of the person at death. I still don't understand why the ages are so surreal, like 300 years old and that. I will have to search that out.

It's God's Fault Again

I was a little surprised when I read this, because I knew most of what they were talking about. In the third chapter, I was surprised at why it was the woman who first tried the fruits of the tree of knowledge, but then I understood that it was a justification for some of the bad things that happen to women and not to men. "Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. (gen. 3)"

The fourth and fifth chapters were, until now, the most boring. They described how evolution or development took place, and how each and every son had more and more sons, how many years they had and when they died. Anyways, something that really surprised me was that I never knew or thought that Adam and Eve had had two sons; I always assumed God had just created more people or something like that.

Chapter six was really a surprise for me. Believers have always said to me that God is perfect, and that he can't do anything wrong. But for me, the fact that "GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually (Gen. 6)," is NOT an example of perfection. If he was perfect, why didn't he create men who were not evil? That is still a question I don't yet have the answer to.

God was not happy with what he himself had done some time ago, and was starting to feel bad about it. "And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. (Gen. 6)"

In the seventh chapter, we are finally introduced to Noah and the story about the ark. Starting by the fact that the story is a little difficult to believe from the beginning, if I wanted people to believe something I wrote I wouldn't include lines like "And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth. (Gen. 7)"

I never knew that the ultimate reason God had for creating the giant flood was that God wanted to end all humans and animals except the ones who were saved in the ark, but I think it is nice to know that even God sometimes has to "stop and erase".

Genesis: The Beginning

First off, I just wanted to say that I don't believe in God, and less in what the Bible says so, without meaning any disrespect to others or to believers, I might have a lot of disagreements and opposing comments towards the content of Genesis.

Now that I said that, I had always heard the story of how God created the Earth in seven days, but it was very interesting for me to see how exactly he made it, and what each step was. When it is described how the world was chaos before God started changing it, I realized it was very similar to the chaos described in Metamorphoses. I liked the description of the six days of work and then the seventh of rest.

Anyways, I know that there is no real proof that one religion is more accurate than others, but there were some parts I completely disagree with, and think they are impossible. When it said "And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas,(Gen. 1)" I think God can take credit for anything he wants except for language. Men alone worked very hard at it, and it was developed a long time after the creation of Earth.

I also think that it is a little disrespectful and unfair to let men "have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. (Gen. 1)" Why do men have preference over animals? Aren't we all living creatures and supposedly equal? Well, at least that is what Buddhism thinks (sorry for the comparison).

Okay so, enough criticism. One thing I had never heard before was about the parting of the four rivers. It really surprised me that I had no idea about this part of the most important "chapter" in the Bible. "And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. (Gen. 1)" It was weird, but interesting.

At least in the part where "Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field (Gen. 1)" it was a man who named the animals, and not God himself.

I am very interested in knowing what will happen next in Genesis, to learn more about a very known, but unknown to me, religion.