Re: Najash rionegrina should not exist!

In article <1148426746.526927.159010@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
"AXBH" <mraustinbell@xxxxxxx> wrote:

I'm a Christian, and I see that the other Christians/Creationists here
are not making valid points. Allow me to remedy this. Unlike the other
Creationists here, I won't avoid the topic at hand. This fossil snake
having robust hind legs does not defy the Word in any way. You may say
"Well, according to Genesis, the snakes' legs disappeared on the spot."

Well, if you recall, the Bible never said the Serpent's legs completely
vanished. It ONLY said the Serpent and all of its offspring would from
that day forth crawl on their bellies:

Genesis 3:14: And the Lord God said to Serpent, "Because you have done
this, you are cursed above all livestock and above every wild animal.
You will crawl on your belly, and you will eat dust for the rest of
your life.

It has already been conformed by scientists that although Najash had
robust back legs, it crawled just like any present day snake. The legs
of Najash were functional, and they were clearly useful to the
prehistoric snake. However, they were very small. Too small, in fact,
to ever even have a chance of allowing the snake to walk upright or
lift itself above the ground like a lizard. Consider the large-scaled
grass lizard, or the burrowing mole skink. They have long, slender
bodies like snakes, and they have small legs like Najash. But these
legs are too short to allow the lizards to run. No, instead, the short
legs of burrowing lizards are used to aid in digging; the lizards dig
by kicking and shuffling their small legs in the dirt. Najash's legs,
in comparison to the rest of its body, were the same size as the legs
on burrowing lizards. Also, take for example the scaly-foot lizard, a
snake-like animal with very short back "legs" which are actually flaps
of skin and muscle. It's flaps are similar to Najash's short legs. The
lizard can't stand. It crawls like a snake. You said yourself it wasa
four-legged snake. Najash only has two.

My impression is that before the curse on the Serpent in Eden, all
snake species had a full set of legs, front and back. They would have
resembled small lizards with darting tongues and slender bodies (Or
large lizards). After the Serpent lied to Eve and tricked her into
eating of the fruit tree, God made the legs useless (For walking, at
least), and in some snakes, like culubrids, removed them completely.
Why would he leave the legs on some and take them away from others?
Simple. Some snakes still had other small uses for their legs, such as
helping them dig. Pythons and boas have tiny back legs called spurs.
They need those to aid them in fights and to tickle females during
courtship. Other snakes needed no leg remnants, and God took them away
completely.

In short:
Najash, though having legs, crawled on its belly, as God commanded
Najash had other uses of its short legs
Snakes had four legs in Eden

Please, though. I respect that you don't believe in the Bible; it's
your right to think what you want. God's not a dictator. But just don't
insult and make fun of people just because they do believe the Bible.
That's our right. That's what we believe. Just as you believe
evolution. That theory is just as dumb to us as Creation is to you.
Please, don't disrespect people with different beliefs and values.

*
AXBH: Hi! I enjoyed your very thoughtful posting. I was amazed to
learn that you are only 13 years old!

When I was 13, I remember that I felt pretty much the same way that
you do. I believed in the Bible and frankly, I had never heard of
evolution. I grew up in northern Alabama where the Christian
religion was *very* strong -- we went to church and Sunday School
faithfully -- rain or shine.

I am very glad that you are interested in science. I hope you
continue that interest.

I am afraid however, the more science you learn, the more you will
see that there are many conflicts between science and religion --
not just the evolutionary conflict.

When I was about 18, I began to question whether it was possible for
both the Christian teachings and the science lessons to be correct.
I decided that it was not possible for both -- one of them had to be
wrong.

At some point, I had to face a decision. If I wanted to continue my
science education, I had to face the fact that the Bible could only
be read as literature and not as fact. I discovered that there are
way too many events described in the Bible that are impossible, if
what I learned in science classes was true.

And so I slowly drifted away from the Bible.

You will learn that most Christians accept the teachings of the
Bible as parables and moral lessons, not as scientific facts.

If you continue your science studies -- and I truly hope you do --
you will come to see that Darwinian evolution is the fundamental
basis for all biology. Every competent scientist believes that
strongly.

Those who do not believe in evolution are those who approach their
position as religious fundamentalists. In other words, their
'hypothesis' is: "The Bible is right in all matters." And since
evolution is clearly in conflict, evolution must be false.

Keep studying science and you will begin to understand how it works.
A scientist's first duty is to observe. That is, to look at nature
around him and take in evidence. Then, he must attempt to explain
what he observes. Not what he hopes is true -- not what he wants to
be true -- but what he sees.

I want to wish you the best of luck -- it was only 62 years ago that
I was 13 myself!

Best regards,

earle
*

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Najash rionegrina should not exist!
    ... "Well, according to Genesis, the snakes' legs disappeared on the spot." ... It has already been conformed by scientists that although Najash had ... it crawled just like any present day snake. ... legs are too short to allow the lizards to run. ...
    (talk.origins)
  • Re: Najash rionegrina should not exist!
    ... "Well, according to Genesis, the snakes' legs disappeared on the spot." ... It has already been conformed by scientists that although Najash had ... it crawled just like any present day snake. ... legs are too short to allow the lizards to run. ...
    (talk.origins)
  • Re: Najash rionegrina should not exist!
    ... Creationists here, I won't avoid the topic at hand. ... "Well, according to Genesis, the snakes' legs disappeared on the spot." ... it crawled just like any present day snake. ... legs are too short to allow the lizards to run. ...
    (talk.origins)
  • Re: Najash rionegrina should not exist!
    ... "Well, according to Genesis, the snakes' legs disappeared on the spot." ... it crawled just like any present day snake. ... legs are too short to allow the lizards to run. ... many religious types have no problem with the fact of evolution, ...
    (talk.origins)
  • Re: Najash rionegrina should not exist!
    ... "Well, according to Genesis, the snakes' legs disappeared on the spot." ... It has already been conformed by scientists that although Najash had ... it crawled just like any present day snake. ... legs are too short to allow the lizards to run. ...
    (talk.origins)
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