Three Creation Myths

Science is invaluable when it comes to generating theories of how and when the earth was formed, the earliest geological processes, and the elements that comprise our world. But where science seems to come up short is in explaining how we got here, why we are here, and what our role is in the natural world. Nearly every belief system has a creation myth, and those myths, even if one deems them untrue, reveal truths about the human role in the natural world and our relationship with it, as well as providing insightful commentary on human nature.

Each of the three creation stories we examined explain that the earth was created ex nihilo, or out of nothing. Genesis 1:1-2 says, “1In the beginning God created heaven, and earth. 2And the earth was

Each of the three creation stories we studied in class show human nature as rebellious, disobedient, self-centered, and selfish. We see all of these traits present in both Adam and Eve in the Christian creation story. God had but one command of Adam and Eve: do not eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. This one command was violated because of the pride, selfishness, and egotism of human nature. Eve may have been deceived by the serpent, but all the serpent did was manipulate the feelings of temptation and a wanting to be God that were present in Eve once she believed the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil would make her as God, knowing good and evil. It was pride, disobedience, self-centeredness, and selfishness that, according to the Christian creation story, caused the fall of humans. In the Hopi Myth, the only instructions from the creator were for the humans to respect their creator and to live in harmony with him. Similar to the Christian story, we see a creator preparing a delightful place for humans, and giving them few instructions. In the Hopi Myth, the creator’s only instructions were for them to respect their creator and to live in harmony with him. And like God’s instruction to Adam and Eve, these commands were breached. Egotism and self-superiority lead to division and suspicion being more widespread, and eventually only a few people from each of the four groups still remembered their creator. Once the people had forgotten their creator and became more egocentric, things fell apart. We also see a dangerous curiosity causing chaos in the Maori/Polynesian Myth. It says, “Then they came together to decide whether it would be better to kill their parents or to tear them apart.” This illustrates the rebellion of the children. The Myth also describes the disregard for the parents Tane had when it says, “He strained his back in a mighty effort, and he tore apart