Example of essay on the comparison and contrast of myths

Introduction

The creation theory is vividly explained in the first book of the bible. Through a keen eye, one cannot help but see the contradiction from the two chapters. Chapter one of genesis adduces that human beings were created after all the animals. Chapter one of the book of Genesis also contends that man and woman were created simultaneously. In utter contradiction, chapter two of the same book, Genesis, offers that the first man was created before the animals. The chapter also adds that the first woman was created from the man’s rib after the animals were created. The Mayan creation myth proposes that the world was created by two deities through the power of thought. The myth also contends that the first man and woman were created after the animals. As goes the Central American Flood myths, the myths have it that one of the sons of the dual god created the first humans in an attempt to show up his brothers. Irked by his audacity, the brothers sent floods that destroyed the people. The subsequent attempts at creating better men were inspired by the imperfections of the previously created men. The Darwinian Theory puts it that no single species was independently created; rather, they descended like varieties from other species (Greenberger 13). The theory adduces that the variations between the organisms are caused by external conditions in the environment. This paper will present arguments supporting the thesis that even with grandeur of view of life, that several powers originally breathed into a few or one form by the creator and that, over the cycle of the planet under the fixed law of gravity, most wonderful and beautiful forms were and are being evolved, it is not possible to reconcile the creation myths and Darwin’s theory of evolution.

The comparison and contrast of the myth in chapter one of Genesis and Darwin’s theory of evolution

The first chapter of the book of Genesis in the bible gives an explanation of how the earth and the living organisms came to be. The chapter posits that the earth and all its population were created by God in his own image. According to the chapter in the book of Genesis, God also made the first man in his own image. God also created the first woman simultaneously with the man. Unlike this account, the Darwin Theory of evolution posits that no individual organism was independently created. The theory offers the argument that the organisms like varieties descended from other species. Whereas Darwin’s theory of evolution is backed by scientific data from the theorist himself, and other scholars, the account given in chapter one of genesis is not backed by any scientific data. Darwin attributes the characteristics in human beings and other living organisms to external conditions. The biblical account in chapter one posits that the characteristics of all the living organisms mimic those of the creator as both man and beast was created in the creator’s image (Bowler 92). In comparison, like the biblical account, the Darwinian Theory hints that life might have been blown into the first organisms. Nonetheless, these two accounts cannot be possibly reconciled because while one is highly backed by scientific facts, the other is faith-based.

The comparison and contrast of the myth in chapter two of Genesis and Darwin’s theory of evolution

The second chapter of Genesis gives an account similar to the one given in the first chapter but for contradiction in terms of order of events. This account posits that the universe and all its inhabitants were created by God. The account posits that man was created before the animals. Nevertheless, it does not account for the characteristics that are physically inherent in the created organisms. On the other hand, the Darwinian Theory attributes these characteristics and variations to the effects of external conditions like completion, scarcity of food and diseases. Unlike the Darwinian Theory, this account is not backed by scientific data (Milton 114). While they both attempt to explain the origin of life, they also incline to the presence of a supernatural power during the beginning of the earth. However, it is noteworthy that while this is the base of the argument of the myth in chapter two of Genesis, Darwin was not able to rule that out, hence the connotation. Based on the lack of scientific data to back the biblical account presented in chapter two of Genesis, the myth cannot be reconciled with the Darwinian Theory of Evolution.

The comparison and contrast of the Mayan Creation and Darwin’s theory of evolution

The Mayan Creation myth just like the Darwin Theory of Evolution attempts to explain the origin of species. However, the myth attributes the origin of species to two deities who created the universe and its inhabitants through the power of though. Unlike the Darwinian Theory of Evolution, the Mayan Creation myth suggests the order on which the various things were created. It is important to note that, unlike the Darwinian Theory that is backed by scientific data, the Mayan Creation theory is faith based. However, the Mayan Creation myth puts it that eight individuals; four men and their mates were the ancestors of the human population (Leeming 221). This is in congruence with the proposition made by Darwin that the present day living organisms descended from a common ancestor as opposed to independent creation. One would think that bearing this in mind the Mayan Creation myth and the Darwinian Theory might be reconciled. However, it is important to note that while the Darwinian Theory is evidence based, the Mayan Creation theory is based on faith. Therefore, the two cannot be reconciled.

The comparison and contrast of the Central American Flood Myths and Darwin’s theory of evolution

In a show of might to his brother’s, one of the sons of the dual god after transforming himself into the sun, created the first humans. This is the account of creation given by the Central American Flood Myth. This myth is very different from the Darwinian Evolution Theory. For instance, while the Darwinian Theory does not suggest what the first man was made of, the Central American Flood Myths put it that the first man was made of wood. However, there is no empirical data to qualify these assertions. The Central American Flood Myth acknowledges the imperfections of the early beings. The myth has it that the gods, through a flood cleared al creation and started afresh in order to come up with superior beings (Pijoan 74). On the same point, the Darwinian Theory also suggests a difference in ability and complexity between the earlier beings and today’s beings. However, the theory attributes this to evolution due to external conditions over an interlude of time. Contemporary science has generated data to back these assertions. Owing to the fact that the Darwinian Theory is backed by factual data, something that the Central American Flood Myth does not enjoy, it is not possible to reconcile the two view points.

Conclusion

Do we even need a unified theory that we seek to reconcile the creation myths and the Darwin Theory of Evolution? As evidenced in the discussion above, the creation myths explain the origin of man and the other beings, whereas the Darwinian Theory explains the origin of variations. All the creation myths endear to a higher power’s hand during the creation. Although the Darwinian Theory does not rule this out, it rules out the hand of God in the way the world works. The assertions of the Darwinian Theory were based on scientific facts and are still backed by scientific data from various fields of study to date. The assertions made by the creation myths are based on faith. Owing to that, I put forward that it that even with grandeur of view of life, that several powers originally breathed into a few or one form by the creator and that, over the cycle of the planet under the fixed law of gravity, most wonderful and beautiful forms were and are being evolved, it is not possible to reconcile the creation myths and Darwin’s theory of evolution.

Works Cited

Bowler J. Peter. Reconciling Science and Religion: The Debate in Early-Twentieth-Century Britain. Chicago. University of Chicago Press. 2012. Print
Greenberger, Robert. Darwin and the Theory of Evolution. New York: Rosen Pub. Group, Inc, 2005. Print.
Leeming A. David. Creation Myths of the World: An Encyclopedia. Santa Barbara, Calif: ABC-CLIO, 2010. Print.
Milton G. Smith, & Andrew Schick. Knowing God in His Word-Genesis. Maitland. Xulon Press. 2005. Print
Pijoan, Teresa. Native American Creation Stories of Family and Friendship. Santa Fe: Sunstone Press, 2011. Print.