I’ve been Christian all my 83 years, yet not a biblical funda-literalist, and have concluded much as the author of Sapiens has in your quotes, so think I needn’t read his book, and while I’m adamant about wanting my Anglican tradition’s liturgical texts to un-stick from ancient historical contexts (which present ones keep me from worshiping with them), I’ve given thanks for well-educated clergy who interpret biblical texts as 21st century preachers-theologians with intelligent broad knowledge of what can be known scientifically...while underlining that some of them are myths, not science...Genesis origin story as prime example. Christians may be able, if in communities where such interpretation is alive and well, to understand/appreciate that we don’t read such texts for scientific information...but for contemplation, examination more deeply, intuitively what they have to say for the way we live...I hope!! I’m also aware that while on the surface it would seem that a re-writing of Genesis as Yuval Noah Harari suggests is needed, just this week, naming our human origins resulting from the “Big Bang”, has been superseded by new scientific information brought in by the more powerful James Webb Space Telescope...so maybe Genesis as it is, needs resting to engage over and over!
No longer a theist, nor being able/willing even to speak of the Mystery - calling it “God”, since I don’t mean an interventionist force outside of life as we know and live it, I may be an “atheist”...with Harari saying: "There are no gods in the universe, no nations, no money, no human rights, no laws, and no justice outside the common imagination of human beings." (appreciating the idea someone else has suggested in a phrase “God, disguised as life”. So be it, even as I experience an innate Presence inexplicably real, I might describe as grace, intuition, beauty, love, friendship...moving in me and through all life as I know it and live it on this planet among the people I’m given to know and appreciate.
I’ve been Christian all my 83 years, yet not a biblical funda-literalist, and have concluded much as the author of Sapiens has in your quotes, so think I needn’t read his book, and while I’m adamant about wanting my Anglican tradition’s liturgical texts to un-stick from ancient historical contexts (which present ones keep me from worshiping with them), I’ve given thanks for well-educated clergy who interpret biblical texts as 21st century preachers-theologians with intelligent broad knowledge of what can be known scientifically...while underlining that some of them are myths, not science...Genesis origin story as prime example. Christians may be able, if in communities where such interpretation is alive and well, to understand/appreciate that we don’t read such texts for scientific information...but for contemplation, examination more deeply, intuitively what they have to say for the way we live...I hope!! I’m also aware that while on the surface it would seem that a re-writing of Genesis as Yuval Noah Harari suggests is needed, just this week, naming our human origins resulting from the “Big Bang”, has been superseded by new scientific information brought in by the more powerful James Webb Space Telescope...so maybe Genesis as it is, needs resting to engage over and over!
No longer a theist, nor being able/willing even to speak of the Mystery - calling it “God”, since I don’t mean an interventionist force outside of life as we know and live it, I may be an “atheist”...with Harari saying: "There are no gods in the universe, no nations, no money, no human rights, no laws, and no justice outside the common imagination of human beings." (appreciating the idea someone else has suggested in a phrase “God, disguised as life”. So be it, even as I experience an innate Presence inexplicably real, I might describe as grace, intuition, beauty, love, friendship...moving in me and through all life as I know it and live it on this planet among the people I’m given to know and appreciate.
Do you happen to agree with any of my options?