What do you think about Neanderthal skeletons?

[plo1988]

Do you think that they are actually Neanderthal skeletons? If they are Neanderthal skeletons then doesn't that make a literal Genesis and Exodus and so on hard to be the case? I don't think it takes long for bones to decompose in the wild and since they might be found in caves maybe that's just what human bones are like when they are decomposing in caves, or maybe they truly are Neanderthal bones. What do you think?

[missmuffet]

13 hours ago, plo1988 said:

Do you think that they are actually Neanderthal skeletons? If they are Neanderthal skeletons then doesn't that make a literal Genesis and Exodus and so on hard to be the case? I don't think it takes long for bones to decompose in the wild and since they might be found in caves maybe that's just what human bones are like when they are decomposing in caves, or maybe they truly are Neanderthal bones. What do you think?

The Bible is silent on any neanderthal people on this earth at any time. Genesis 6-9 Humanity was forced to start over after the flood. These men were not primitive. They were not half ape. 

[JohnR7]

23 hours ago, plo1988 said:

If they are Neanderthal skeletons then doesn't that make a literal Genesis and Exodus and so on hard to be the case?

There is no problem with a literal Genesis. Chapter two begins 6,000 years ago. All of Bishop Usshers book is a history of the last 6,000 years. So out of the entire Bible, we only have one chapter, 32 verses that go back more than 6,000 years. If you want to understand Genesis chapter one there are hundreds of thousands of Science books you are going to have to read. How does God condense all of that down to 32 verses?  

Exodus 23:29 talks about the Canannites and HIttites, but I think this can apply to the Neanderthals also. 

29 I will not drive them out before you in a single year; otherwise the land would become desolate and wild animals would multiply against you. 30 Little by little I will drive them out ahead of you, until you become fruitful and possess the land.…

[Tristen]

According to the secular literature, Homo Neanderthalis  interacted with, and even interbred with, so-called 'modern' humans. It is therefore perfectly rational to conclude that Neanderthals were simply a now-extinct variant (i.e. 'race' or family) of humans; with their own set of unique racial features and characteristics.

[The Barbarian]

Yes, people of non-African descent generally have a percentage of Neanderthal genes.    Another race of humans were the Denisovans and genetic sluthing indicates likely two more that are either races of H. sapiens or very closely related species who shared genes with our ancestors.    There is still some question as to whether or not Neandertals are a race of H. sapiens or a different species.   Genetically they are close to the margin usually indicating a separate species.   Since they did interbreed in their own environment, I would consider them to be of our own species.

 

[DPMartin]

On 10/4/2022 at 8:27 PM, plo1988 said:

Do you think that they are actually Neanderthal skeletons? If they are Neanderthal skeletons then doesn't that make a literal Genesis and Exodus and so on hard to be the case? I don't think it takes long for bones to decompose in the wild and since they might be found in caves maybe that's just what human bones are like when they are decomposing in caves, or maybe they truly are Neanderthal bones. What do you think?

Before the flood anything could be anything. There is reference to sons of God knowing the women of the days before the flood giants and the like so that could have had deformities as well as what was described in scripture. the gene pool was reduced to Noah who is the tenth of the first born line, his wife and the three wives of his three sons. And the rest were wiped out. The carbon dating seems superficial to meet their theories and even if they are honest reading it could be because of the flood that their dating is skewed all air breathing flesh died within 30 days or so and was soaked for how ever many months the flood lasted.

Edited October 10, 2022 by DPMartin

[Space_Karen]

The bible mentions giants and nephilim.

Its possible one of those unknown races were neanderthal.

Fairy tales, myths and legends about giants and trolls dwelling in caves.

Might also reference neanderthals in some sense.

[BeyondET]

On 10/10/2022 at 3:57 PM, Space_Karen said:

The bible mentions giants and nephilim.

Its possible one of those unknown races were neanderthal.

Fairy tales, myths and legends about giants and trolls dwelling in caves.

Might also reference neanderthals in some sense.

Then there's the Hobbits hehe.

[BeyondET]

On 10/4/2022 at 11:27 PM, plo1988 said:

Do you think that they are actually Neanderthal skeletons? If they are Neanderthal skeletons then doesn't that make a literal Genesis and Exodus and so on hard to be the case? I don't think it takes long for bones to decompose in the wild and since they might be found in caves maybe that's just what human bones are like when they are decomposing in caves, or maybe they truly are Neanderthal bones. What do you think?

Well they could of been the maritime peoples that moved about into different territories mentioned in Genesis or the babal peoples that got scattered couldn't understand language. Though probably was inbreeding causing numerous birth defects alternated genes etc.

Finding fossils is kind of rare, usely its some kind of event that produces the condition in which things can get fossilized preserved 

Edited October 15, 2022 by BeyondET

[tim_from_pa]

On 10/4/2022 at 11:27 PM, plo1988 said:

Do you think that they are actually Neanderthal skeletons? If they are Neanderthal skeletons then doesn't that make a literal Genesis and Exodus and so on hard to be the case? I don't think it takes long for bones to decompose in the wild and since they might be found in caves maybe that's just what human bones are like when they are decomposing in caves, or maybe they truly are Neanderthal bones. What do you think?

Possibly animals (human-like) in the first earth age between Genesis 1:1-2 or from the Nephilim (Genesis 6).  The former is timeless and took place when (I believe) the dinosaurs and earlier forms of life.  Carbon dating has been dating these bones to long ago but that's with the presupposition that the decay rate was constant throughout time (rate of decay is often an equation using natural logarithms).  I already heard the thought proposed though that this assumes the earth's atmosphere and conditions were always the same.  Since the earth has been hit with several cataclysms we have to ask if this is so?

DNA may be similar to man's but so is a worm's DNA.  So I'm not sure if the Lord created Adam from pre-existing stuff of life (i.e what the bible calls the earth) or it was a new start.  I opt for the latter by calling this "active creation".  God can do so without breaking His own laws of biology.  I believe in what I call passive creation and active creation (or renovations).  Let me give an example:

God created the laws of physics and matter.  Sir Isaac Newton believed that this way God could put the universe into motion and it would thus form by itself like winding a clock and letting it run.  So as gravity took over with nearby mass, it could condense as it fell into itself.  Pressure would build up, fusion would start to take place, nuclear reactions happen and next thing you know, you have a star.  That's passive.  But in the whole wide universe, you won't find a mechanical watch that made itself in this same manner.  This implies an active form of creation that involves a being deliberately manipulating something. But just because there is a creator that makes this watch does not presuppose he has to break the laws of physics to do so.  As a matter of fact, it's workings depend on the laws of physics. Yet, this miracle took place outside of passive workings.

The fundamental flaw in the belief of scientists is that there is nobody to make this universe, so by these same laws (which I wonder why they think they exist to begin with?) everything, including life, forms slowly and as I would say, passively.  God can and does work both ways.  This is how "science" and "creationism" do not contradict.