# How do creationists explain away prehistoric humans? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 1, 2017, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-creationists-explain-away-prehistoric-humans/783522 "2017-04-01T18:58:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2017, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-creationists-explain-away-prehistoric-humans/783522/21 "2017-04-02T17:52:47Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > It’s a good question. I once had a friend who, during a chat about life, revealed to me that he was raised as a fundie who believed that everything in the bible is literally true and that the earth is 4,000 years old, and blahblahblah. I asked your very question about human fossils and dinosaur fossils. His answer was: “God put them there to test us.” Rather than have him switch schools after a mid-year move, my mom homeschooled my brother for the second half of sixth grade, but it was a struggle to get it approved by the local super attendant’s office. The homeschool program they got approval was Christian. She didn’t realize **how** Christian until they got to a science chapter that said exactly this. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2017, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-creationists-explain-away-prehistoric-humans/783522/22 "2017-04-02T18:00:28Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > I’m glad my church doesn’t worry about stuff like this. Shoot, in one of our stained glass windows, there’s a grouping of ancient figures from the past, one of which is a naked, hairy caveman sitting on a rock, carrying a club in one hand and gnawing on a bone held in the other hand. I’d love to see that! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2017, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-creationists-explain-away-prehistoric-humans/783522/23 "2017-04-02T18:14:29Z")
One I have heard is that God first breathed a sould into man something like 6,000 years ago. So he wasnt really created but given a different status. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2017, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-creationists-explain-away-prehistoric-humans/783522/24 "2017-04-02T18:48:12Z")
Not all that extremely different from Julian Jaynes’ idea. I see it as a little unfair to the builders of the earliest civilizations, but, shrug. (I could argue that humans didn’t really have souls until the Renaissance, when quite a few of our more modern concepts gelled, and we started kicking out our kings. The joy of such claims is that they can’t possibly be tested for truth.) ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2017, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-creationists-explain-away-prehistoric-humans/783522/25 "2017-04-02T19:15:10Z")
[Sumerians Look On In Confusion As God Creates World.](http://www.theonion.com/article/sumerians-look-on-in-confusion-as-god-creates-worl-2879) I thought one interpretation is that there were other humans in the early days besides Adam and Eve, otherwise humanity is one big incest family. Which actually might explain some things. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2017, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-creationists-explain-away-prehistoric-humans/783522/26 "2017-04-02T19:46:05Z")
The Bible is full of continuity errors. It starts off with a huge one in Genesis itself. Adam and Eve, allegedly the first people on Earth, have sons. The sons grow up and, after Cain kills Abel, (talk about sibling rivalry - he just wiped out 1/4 of the human race due to a jealousy tantrum) he goes off and finds…a wife? That last bit obviously doesn’t fit with the rest of the creation story. It is so blatantly illogical that the authors couldn’t have missed it. One explanation I have heard is that Adam and Eve also had unnamed daughters that married their brothers as if that makes it any better. That explanation doesn’t work either because Genesis implies that those good ole boys had to leave their family to find their wives somewhere else. Nope, Genesis freely acknowledges that there were other people around even during the creation story. Maybe the authors thought they were godless people that could be still be used for procreation of the true human race but it never says. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2017, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-creationists-explain-away-prehistoric-humans/783522/27 "2017-04-02T20:32:16Z")
> [@marshmallow](#): > > I thought one interpretation is that there were other humans in the early days besides Adam and Eve, otherwise humanity is one big incest family. That’s historically mostly been popular with racists, who used it to explain why non-whites weren’t _really_ people but lesser creations. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2017, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-creationists-explain-away-prehistoric-humans/783522/28 "2017-04-02T21:15:10Z")
Tell me, do you think the creation story in the Bible has Adam and Eve created as infants? Assuming you don’t (and I think that is the viewpoint of most creationists), you’d be looking at a day-old Adam & Eve thinking that there’s two-dozen years of growth behind them. By the same token, it’s hardly a stretch for a creationist to believe that G-d might have created the world in a state of development that implies 4 billion years of geological changes and biological evolution. It’s merely a difference of degree. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2017, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-creationists-explain-away-prehistoric-humans/783522/29 "2017-04-02T22:24:46Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > The Bible is full of continuity errors. It starts off with a huge one in Genesis itself. Adam and Eve, allegedly the first people on Earth … No, Adam and Eve were _not_ the first people on earth. God creates man and woman together, side-by-side, in his own image, in chapter one. Then, in chapter two, he creates Adam and tears out part of Adam to create Eve. I mean, yeah, I suppose you could write it off as the _Rashomon_ effect, but if that were the case, who were the two witnesses to all of this? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2017, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-creationists-explain-away-prehistoric-humans/783522/30 "2017-04-02T22:49:46Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > I’m glad my church doesn’t worry about stuff like this. Shoot, in one of our stained glass windows, there’s a grouping of ancient figures from the past, one of which is a naked, hairy caveman sitting on a rock, carrying a club in one hand and gnawing on a bone held in the other hand. They should update the image so it’s not a reflection of science circa 1910. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2017, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-creationists-explain-away-prehistoric-humans/783522/31 "2017-04-02T23:16:58Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > They should update the image so it’s not a reflection of science circa 1910. 😉 The window was made in the 1980’s.😃 It’s not my favorite window in the church though, two others are co-favorites. One is Adam naming the animals. He’s artfully figleafed behind a bush and several animals are gathered around. There’s a waterbuffalo, a dog a giraffe. But Adam is pointing at one other while scratching his head, thinking obviously “What the heck do I call this thing?” It’s an anteater. Then there’s the St. Nicholas window, a smaller one in a door. Nicholas is depicted in bishop’s robes, surrounded by symbols such as a ship, a bag of coins, and a shepherd’s crook. But in the lower left had corner, gesturing up in salute at Nicholas, is a figure of Santa Claus, about five inches high. How mand churches have Santa in a window?😛 ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2017, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-creationists-explain-away-prehistoric-humans/783522/32 "2017-04-02T23:22:12Z")
Those are two (three!) clever bits of church window art! Compliments to the creator! ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2017, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-creationists-explain-away-prehistoric-humans/783522/33 "2017-04-02T23:57:02Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > But Adam is pointing at one other while scratching his head, thinking obviously “What the heck do I call this thing?” It’s an anteater. Yeah, except, you know, it should have taken Adam about 2 seconds to figure out what to name it. “What’s this thing? Huh, what does it eat? OK, an idea is coming to me…” ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2017, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-creationists-explain-away-prehistoric-humans/783522/34 "2017-04-03T00:07:12Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > Those are two (three!) clever bits of church window art! Compliments to the creator! Von Gerichten Art Glass Studios in Columbus, Ohio. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2017, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-creationists-explain-away-prehistoric-humans/783522/35 "2017-04-03T00:12:57Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > Von Gerichten Art Glass Studios in Columbus, Ohio. Made a mistake. They did the old windows. Have to look again to see who did the new ones. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2017, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-creationists-explain-away-prehistoric-humans/783522/36 "2017-04-03T00:48:44Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > The window was made in the 1980’s.😃 That sounds about right. Even among people who accept evolution, I think most people’s understanding of human evolution is about 70 years out of date. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2017, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-creationists-explain-away-prehistoric-humans/783522/37 "2017-04-03T00:48:51Z")
> [@marshmallow](#): > > I thought one interpretation is that there were other humans in the early days besides Adam and Eve, otherwise humanity is one big incest family. Which actually might explain some things. God has to have created other people besides Adam and Eve or Cain wouldn’t have worried about being harmed by other people once he got banished for killing his brother. He wouldn’t have worried if the only other people on earth were his parents. And of course, Nod apparently already existed as a place too. > [@](#): > > 13 Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is more than I can bear. 14 Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” 15 But the LORD said to him, “Not so ; anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” Then the LORD put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. 16 So Cain went out from the LORD’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2017, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-creationists-explain-away-prehistoric-humans/783522/38 "2017-04-03T01:38:07Z")
Human has sex with ape, some demon spawn started to grow and God prevented it by killing her? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2017, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-creationists-explain-away-prehistoric-humans/783522/39 "2017-04-03T02:06:28Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > Human has sex with ape… …and nothing comes of it but a crapload of scratches and bite marks. But the ape eventually recovers. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2017, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-creationists-explain-away-prehistoric-humans/783522/40 "2017-04-03T02:14:12Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > No, Adam and Eve were _not_ the first people on earth. God creates man and woman together, side-by-side, in his own image, in chapter one. Then, in chapter two, he creates Adam and tears out part of Adam to create Eve. I mean, yeah, I suppose you could write it off as the _Rashomon_ effect, but if that were the case, who were the two witnesses to all of this? I once helped a teacher that needed some research done about a lesson on the theory of the [Mitochondrial Eve](http://news.rice.edu/2010/08/17/mother-of-all-humans-lived-200000-years-ago/). > **[Mother of all humans lived 200,000 years ago](https://news2.rice.edu/2010/08/17/mother-of-all-humans-lived-200000-years-ago/)** > > CONTACT: Jade BoydPHONE: 713-348-6778E-MAIL: jadeboyd@rice.edu Mother of all humans lived 200,000 years agoRice statisticians confirm date of ‘mitochondrial Eve’ with new method The most robust \[…\] > [@](#): > > The most robust statistical examination to date of our species’ genetic links to “mitochondrial Eve” — the maternal ancestor of all living humans — confirms that she lived about 200,000 years ago. The Rice University study was based on a side-by-side comparison of 10 human genetic models that each aim to determine when Eve lived using a very different set of assumptions about the way humans migrated, expanded and spread across Earth. Not much of a problem for scientists, it is interesting that that age is close for the time many think that humans began to use fire in a reliable and constant way. Even though this does not help creationists there are some that do try to make this fit into their views, apecially when they see the word “eve”. What I noticed is that several times the creationists drop one zero to the estimate of the mitochondrial eve to make it closer or still compatible with their biblical and archeological dates. Pious frauds like that made me weary of their explanations. More than once I made the point that when the evidence points to humans being close to what we are now living 200,000 years ago it would be more likely that we have a lot to thank to Prometheus. 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-creationists-explain-away-prehistoric-humans/783522.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-creationists-explain-away-prehistoric-humans/783522.md?page=3)