Earliest burial ritual

Jim Bell (JamesScottBell@compuserve.com)
Mon, 30 Jun 1997 11:07:38 -0400

Glenn writes:

<<There are only three logical choices to deal with this type of data: reject
the historicity of the Scriptural account, have Adam and Eve NOT be the
parents of all living humans, or move Adam way back in time as I have often
suggested.
I can think of no other possibilities.>>

I can: your interpretation of the data is wrong. Indeed, it is always at odds
with the very experts you cite. None of them give full humanity to these
hominids. At most, they would call it incipient humanity, which unfortunately
is not enough to support your theory. This is the eternal struggle you have
when citing evolutionist sources. Frankly, I don't see how you can ever get
out of it.

<< This is the
same issue each of us must face as sinful beings before an almighty God. If
they were struggling with these issues, as we do, why is this not evidence
of spirituality, more than 300,000 years ago, among the pre-Neanderthal
populations, like the Sima people?>>

"Struggling" with these issues? It sound like you have them sitting around,
brandy snifters in hand, contemplating the immortality of the soul. This is a
vast interpretive leap.

<<The ritual treatment of the bodies has resulted in this single site
providing 90 percent of all pre-Neandertal bones ever found in Europe>>

Somehow I don't think bodies thrown in a pit is real strong evidence of
"ritual burial," or professorial bipeds "struggling" with the issues of
existence. It was more likely the best way to keep the old homestead clean.
Would you want rotting carcassas all over your neighborhood? (I'm not from
Texas so I can't answer that last one).

Jim