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NASB | Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?" |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more crafty (subtle, skilled in deceit) than any living creature of the field which the LORD God had made. And the serpent (Satan) said to the woman, "Can it really be that God has said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?" [Rev 12:9-11] |
Subject: Animal Intelligence Isn't Rational |
Bible Note: Welcome to the Forum, Spark: You as a non-believer cannot be expected to accept a qualitative difference between man and the rest of creation. But I was surprised at Sir Pent's answer. So, you see that we represent a diverse spectrum of opinions in the Forum! I'm sorry for the confusion, but I'm asking you to do an impossible task. I'm asking someone who doesn't believe the Bible to decide whose view is in agreement with the Bible, Sir Pent’s or mine! Now it’s clear that you agree with Sir Pent. That's not the issue. The issue is, does Sir Pent's view square with the Bible's. But I do, however, agree with Sir Pent in saying that your restrictions on our source for answers are unreasonable. Granted, that you don't believe the Bible, but where ever you get your views from, it would be unreasonable for me to demand that you not refer to them. First, I'm not trying to convince you of my position, though I would hope that you would be persuaded. Nor do I expect you to believe the Bible, though I wish you would, since it's the Word of God and therefore true. I'm trying to present a consistent position, and if you see any inconsistency or contradiction, please let me know. Fist of all, the animal in question was not in control of itself. It was under the control of Satan who spoke through it. So, even if for the sake of argument the animal could speak, it was not speaking, but Satan was. In the Biblical worldview, there are three types of personal beings, 1) the Triune Creator God; 2) heavenly beings, i.e. angels, demons, etc; and 3) men. Men are spirits who have bodies; God and heavenly beings do not. Just as men can sometimes persuade or control other men, pure spirits can have even more effect on men. In one case Jesus commanded some demons to leave a man over whom they had taken control and gave them permission to go into a herd of pigs. They did and sent the pigs on a mad rush to their deaths in a nearby lake (Matthew 8:28 and following). In another case, God used a donkey to speak to a wayward prophet (Numbers 22). Because my second point is very important, I will not go into much detail, but it is the point on which you, Sir Pent and I disagree. Sir Pent and I would use the same words regarding what Man is, but we don't agree as to what those words mean. We agree that whatever God made man to be it distinguishes him from the animal, but we don't agree what that distinction is. The words are "Man is made in the image of God." Animals are not. This is what makes man qualitatively different from animals. (Again, I’m not asking you to agree, but to see if what I say is consistent with itself and non-contradictory.) And the image of God, which man does not share with the animals, is RATIONALITY. The biblical view of animals is that they are non-rational. Ps 32:9 says, "Do not be as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding, Whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check, Otherwise they will not come near to you." 2 Pet 2:12 says, "But these, like unreasoning animals, born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed, reviling where they have no knowledge, will in the destruction of those creatures also be destroyed..." Conclusion: An animal need not have the ability to speak in order for a rational spirit to use it for the purpose of speaking. Animals are not rational and therefore incapable of rational communication. Therefore is in NOT absurd for Satan's serpent to be a brute. Thanks for your interest and attention. Peace, Lionstrong |