# Creation **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 6, 2000, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creation/44326 "2000-12-06T17:01:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![FloChi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58956e/32.png) [@FloChi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FloChi)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2000, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creation/44326/1 "2000-12-06T17:01:32Z")
Just wondering what other creation stories are out there: Jewish/Christian/Muslim/mormon - God created Earth Science :- big Bang or Steady State (depending on belief) Various Australian Aboringinal beliefs - gods (who are the stars) created the Earth or the Rainbow Serpent stories. So what are some of the other ones? Hindu, Buddhist, Tao, Shinto, North American, etc? THis was actually inspired by Jack Dean Taylor believe it or not. He said that he didn’t beleive in Evolution, but believed in it because of Occams Razor. COnsidering that he doesn’t think Jesus was crucified, he probably doesn’t believe in creationism either. But keep that to the other threads. Thanks, FloChi ---
**Author:** ![Phobos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Phobos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phobos)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2000, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creation/44326/2 "2000-12-06T17:55:46Z")
look toward the second half of this link… [http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/wic.html](http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/wic.html) ---
**Author:** ![Phobos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Phobos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phobos)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2000, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creation/44326/3 "2000-12-06T18:00:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by FloChi \* > \*\*Science :- big Bang or Steady State (depending on belief) > \*\* The vast majority of the scientific community accepts the Big Bang Theory. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by FloChi \* > \*\*Hindu? > \*\* IIRC, the Hindu religion describes a very large, very old universe that may also be infinite in time (rebirths). But I could be wrong about this. Anyone know? ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2000, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creation/44326/4 "2000-12-06T18:37:13Z")
An American Indian story (of comparatively recent vintage)… \*When Manitou wanted to create Man, He formed him out of clay. Then set him to bake in the oven until done. But since this was His first attempt, he was a little nervous and took the man out of the oven too soon. He was underdone and still white. “Oh no,” said Manitou. “That won’t do. I will let this poor little white man run away.” On his next attempt, Manitou decided to be more relaxed. While the man was baking, He went out hunting and forgot all about him. By the time Manitou got back, the man was burned black. “Oh no,” said Manitou. “Goofed again. I will let this poor little black man run away.” The third time, Manitou was very careful, and produced a man who was not too light and not too dark, but exactly right: the American Indian. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2000, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creation/44326/5 "2000-12-06T19:07:28Z")
I have this book and would highly recommend it: [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0195102754/o/qid=976129581/sr=8-1/ref=aps\_sr\_b\_1\_3/107-6792299-9056560](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0195102754/o/qid=976129581/sr=8-1/ref=aps_sr_b_1_3/107-6792299-9056560) ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2000, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creation/44326/6 "2000-12-06T20:56:21Z")
I, for one, believe that we are all travelling across this great universe atop a turtle’s shell. ---
**Author:** ![Shiva](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@Shiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shiva)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2000, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creation/44326/7 "2000-12-06T21:41:19Z")
**Phobos** is correct. Hindus believe we are currently in the 9th cycle of creation. There are lots of creation myths in Hinduism, but this one is the most common: [quote] In the beginning there was nothing, but the undifferentiated and unmanifested. Everything was in perfect harmony. Lord Vishnu lay on his serpent, Shesha, his eyes were closed as he rested. When Lord Vishnu opened his eyes, the creation began. A lotus stock emerged from his navel and blossomed into a beautiful lotus. From the lotus was born Brahma. Brahma is the creator, in Hindu mythology. Brahma then proceeded to create the universe. Brahma created the entire universe in a little golden egg called the Hiranyaagarbha (the golden womb). Brahma created the heaven and the earth, the gods and the demons, the gandharvas and the humans, the plants and the animals, the stars and the planets and everything else. [quote] From the soc.religion.hindu archives. Shiva- Not really a Hindu, just plays one on the Net. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creation/44326/8 "2000-12-07T00:25:23Z")
My favorite creation story comes from central Africa: one day the creator-god was whacking off, and he ejaculated the Universe. I like that myth. It sort of tells you your place in the grand scheme of things. I got it from a book called “Mythology of All Races”. Unfortunately, I don’t remember the author, and [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com) lists half a dozen different publications with that title. ---
**Author:** ![SSgtBaloo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac91a4/32.png) [@SSgtBaloo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSgtBaloo)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creation/44326/9 "2000-12-07T00:56:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Enderw23 \* > \*\*I, for one, believe that we are all travelling across this great universe atop a turtle’s shell. \*\* Yep, and it’s turtles all the way down, too! ~~Baloo [sup]Someone told me that the “turtles all the way down” saying is famous. Famous from what/who?[/sup] ---
**Author:** ![FloChi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58956e/32.png) [@FloChi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FloChi)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creation/44326/10 "2000-12-07T10:46:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Baloo \* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Enderw23 \* > > \*\*I, for one, believe that we are all travelling across this great universe atop a turtle’s shell. \*\* > > Yep, and it’s turtles all the way down, too! > > ~~Baloo > > [sup]Someone told me that the “turtles all the way down” saying is famous. Famous from what/who?[/sup] But do you believe in the fifth elephant?[sub]never heard that turtle saying though[/sub] Thank you **Phobos** , that link was very helpful. And **Shiva** too. So **mbh** , Do you think of yourself as a sperm, chromosome or the useless fluid around it? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Gaspode](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/aeb1de/32.png) [@Gaspode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaspode)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creation/44326/11 "2000-12-07T11:18:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\*[sup]Someone told me that the “turtles all the way down” saying is famous. Famous from what/who?[/sup] > \*\* ‘The Science of Discworld’? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ccd318/32.png) [@John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Kentzel-Griffin)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creation/44326/12 "2000-12-07T14:31:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by \*\*\*Baloo \*\* > [sup]Someone told me that the “turtles all the way down” saying is famous. Famous from what/who?[/sup] I think I read the story in Hawking’s A Brief History of Time. A lecturer is discussing the evolution of the planet earth. A woman interrupts and insists that the earth is a disk on the back of a giant turtle. The lecturer smiles and asks her what supports the turtle. The woman smiles back and says, nice try, but it’s turtles all the way down. [disclaimer]I am working from memory, so I’m on shaky ground. I will check later.[/disclaimer] ---
**Author:** ![dylan\_73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecccb3/32.png) [@dylan\_73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dylan_73)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creation/44326/13 "2000-12-07T17:21:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DrMatrix \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by \*\*\*Baloo \*\* > > [sup]Someone told me that the “turtles all the way down” saying is famous. Famous from what/who?[/sup] > > I think I read the story in Hawking’s A Brief History of Time…\ [disclaimer]I am working from memory, so I’m on shaky ground. I will check later.[/disclaimer] \*\* From [http://www.enteract.com/~mpavlac/laborato.htm#Turtles](http://www.enteract.com/~mpavlac/laborato.htm#Turtles) > [@](#): > > This story has kicked around in a number of forms. I have seen it attributed to (among others) Bertrand Russell and Isaac Asimov. > > The person who originally experienced this anecdote was William James (1842-1910), a famous American psychologist and philosopher. The novelist Henry James was his brother. > > ``` > After a lecture on the solar system, philosopher William James was approached by a determined elderly lady with a theory. > > "We don't live on a ball rotating around the sun," she said. "We live on a crust of earth on the back of a giant turtle." > > James decided to be gentle. "If your theory is correct, madam, what does this turtle stand on?" > > "The first turtle stands on the back of a second, far larger turtle, of course." > > "But what does this second turtle stand on?" > > The old lady crowed triumphantly. "It's no use, Mr. James -- it's turtles all the way down!" > > ``` > > Source: American Museum of Natural History Oh yeah, nearly forgot: the story _did_ appear in A Brief History of Time. I just wanted to find out more about where it came from… ---
**Author:** ![Spiny\_Norman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Spiny\_Norman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiny_Norman)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creation/44326/14 "2000-12-07T18:07:32Z")
"Between Nifleheim and Musphellsheim was nothing but a large gap, Ginnungagap. The first troll (“jätte”) appeared when heat from the south and cold from the North met at the gap. His name was Ymir, and he got his nourishment fom the cow Ydhumla. As Ydhumla licked the rocks, a man appeared. His name was Bure. He had a son, Borr, who married Bestla and had three sons, Odin, Vile & Ve. The three brothers killed Ymir and created the Earth from his flesh, the sea from his blood, the sky from his skull, the rocks from his bones, the clouds from his brains and Midgarrd, the home of humans, from his eyelashes. As Odin, Vile & Ve walked along the beach, they found two pieces of wood and created humans - Odin gave them life, Vile gave them wits and Ve gave them speech, hearing and sight. They called the man Ask and the woman Embla, and these are the father and mother of all humanity, which lives in Midgaard. The three brothers built a fortress, Asgaard, in the middle of the world for the gods (“aser”) to inhabit. They built the bridge Bifrost between Asgaard and Midgaard, the humans call it the rainbow." As most will know, Odin eventually became king of the gods. My forefathers obviously had a robust outlook on life. “Clouds from brains”, yecch! Oh, and the dwarfs are - I’m not making this up - created from the maggots that eventually appeared in Ymir’s flesh. S. Norman