Steven wrote: Is "Artistic" really a human characteristic? Other animals have
been
observed to decorate their humble abodes. ... Fabricating and using tools are
not activities exclusively reserved for humans.
Of course, Steven is right. I only mentioned those things in Dick's defense.
For he had said that those claiming that being "created in God's image" may
refer to more than just being made into "spiritual" people, can "arbitrarily"
point to just about any time in man's history as being THE time that God made
man in His image. That is, if they are going to use man's qualities such as
"creativity" or "intelligence" as evidence that man then possessed "God's
image."
However, you have just reminded me that various animals also demonstrate that
they possess the qualities of artistic "creativity" as well as high levels of
"intelligence." That being the case, it certainly appears that the only
substantial intellectual difference between man and beast is that men think
"spiritual" thoughts. Thus it appears probable that God's creation of man "in
His image" was done by making highly evolved primates into "spiritual" men
and women.
That answers the "how" did God create man question. As to the "when" did God
create man question, it appears that its answer can only be estimated by
determining when man first began to "worship" God or gods.
Mike
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