Skip to main content

Noble Savage, or Savage Monster?


                Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. (Genesis 6:11-13)

             Sometimes, people as how a "good, loving God" could destroy a people or even a world. The first problem with this is that it's illogical. It's a reductionist false dichotomy. It says that God can either be good and loving, or He can destroy. He can't do both, especially at the same time. The second problem with this is that it is often presented deceptively. The picture such people tend to give is that the people selected for destruction were some sort of noble savage. OK, they might have had a couple moral foibles, but generally speaking, they were just like us, but without technology.
            The reality as described in Scripture doesn't quite fit that story. First, the world is described as corrupt and filled with violence. Secondly, the people are described as corrupt and responsible for the violence found in the world. The idea of the noble savage is a 17th Century romantic bit of fiction that became a myth. Equally mythic is the notion that because it happened a long time ago, there was no technology. Our world moved from an agrarian society to what we have today in less than 200 years. The Flood took place about 1500 years after creation. That is quite enough time for a great deal of technology to have been developed. I'm not claiming that it did. I'm saying it could have. Of course, after the Flood, it and the evidence of it were all gone.
               From what the Scripture says, it is likely that the world was trashed. I believe it was in such bad condition that life could not continue. The people didn't have a few little foibles. Picture Syria, Flint, MI, Ferguson, MO,  and the worst areas of Los Angeles, New York City and Washington, DC all together, and on steroids. God's choice was either to wipe everything out that didn't get on the ark, or allow everything to be wiped out, period.          
             Why does any of this matter? First, it matters because those presenting the "innocent noble savage" story are standing in Satan's shoes, telling lies about the Word of God. Secondly, it matters because it lays aside the sort of temporal arrogance that has existed since the Renaissance, that somehow we are better than the ages that went before us. Thirdly, it is a reminder that when people make claims about Scripture, we need to go back and look at what it actually says. 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 In the Sky
Mars at opposition (biggest and brightest)
On the Calendar
Trinity Sunday
Birthday of
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Richard Wagner

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

"Especially to those who belong to the family of believers."

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Gal 6:10)   “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.   By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)           Joshua grinned when he saw Rex standing by the door, studying something on the ground. "Hey, man! Are we ready to do this thing?"          Rex looked up. "Josh, I can't do it. We're still best buds, but I can't stand your fiancée."           I've met "Rex" many times. I've been Rex. Joshua (Jesus) loves the Church. He's not a fool. He knows the Church is far from perfect, but she is His chosen bride. The Rexes of this world, who think themselves His friend, turn away from her. "You don't need the Church to...
Post a Comment
Read more

Ssssssubmmissssssionnn

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ . (Ephesians 5:21)             "Ssssssubmmisssssssionnn." Can't you just hear the serpent hissing this most horrible of words? If you listen to the serpent or the world, submission means groveling, allowing yourself to be abused, denying yourself your own humanity. Nothing could be worse than submission, could it?             Submission has never been a problem for me, as long as things are going the way I want them to. The rest of the time? Well, let's just say that while I don't know how to fight physically, I don't know how to not fight mentally. One of the fights I've been having with myself for years is about submission.             My first breakthrough took place on a trip to a bookstore. As I walked into the store, my thoughts were very clear. 1) I was goi...
Post a Comment
Read more

Shark Fins, Triple Dog Dares, Heroes, Villains and Sidekicks

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)            There's a scene in Jaws in which someone sees a shark fin and starts a panic. As   all the swimmers scramble to shore, boats surround the fin, which falls over to reveal two kids. With several guns pointed at them, one of the kids points at the other. The message is clear: it was his idea. In Christmas Story, there's a scene in which one kid "triple dog dares" another to do something stupid. Since it's a triple dog dare, well, what choice does the boy have? There doesn't seem to be any end to the trouble that peer pressure can cause. ...
Post a Comment
Read more