Is the book of Genesis real or fiction? This is an age-old question. There are many thousands of Christians, who believe that Genesis is the absolute word of God. Many of these people believe that Moses wrote the book of Genesis, and believe that God himself told him what to write. Those who believe Moses wrote it really believe that God created the heaven and earth as well as all living things including man.
Then there are those who believe Genesis is nothing more than fiction. They do not believe that Moses or anyone else wrote Genesis. They do not believe that God created the heaven or earth. They believe we evolved from either fish or monkeys. They believe Genesis is nothing more than a fairytale written a long time ago. That is why when we look at the age-old question about the authorship of Genesis. We most look at three very important perspectives about, which may or may not have written Genesis. The first perspective we will look at is the belief that Moses is the author of Genesis. The second perspective we will look at, is the belief that Moses and many other authors wrote the book of Genesis. The third perspective is that Moses didn’t write Genesis at all, many historians and theologians believe that different writers contributed to the writings of Genesis.
When looking at that perspective that Moses was the sole author of Genesis. We must understand that this belief is deeply held by many conservative scholars and most of the Christian world. Those who believe that Moses was the author of Genesis, believe there are three ways which Moses transmitted Genesis. The first method was by direct revelation from God. Those who believe this believe that God spoke and told Moses what to write. These people believe that, “All scripture is given by the inspiration of god,” (II Timothy 3:16). They also believe the Bible is infallible word of God and cannot lie, so when Jesus Christ himself stated, ” And at the beginning Moses and all prophets he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. These are the words which I spoke unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in all the psalms concerning me” (Luke 24:27,44).
Self-Education in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein
The Importance of Self-Education in Frankenstein
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein tells a story about the creation and the destruction of a man considered by society to be a “monster”. In the novel, there is profound meaning to be found in the monster’s self-education. Patterned after the evolution of human learning, the monster’s spontaneous learning proceeds through major stages. First, is the accidental discovery of fire, this is followed by a realization by the monster that knowledge yields power.
Similar with human history, the finding of fire is the first step of the creature’s learning. In the beginning of Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein, the scientist who applies what he has studied, conjoins different parts of corpses by surgical operation and produces a monster with horrible appearance; yet, he forsakes what he has made. Not knowing what to do, the creature wanders in the wildness and suffers from freezing temperature. The serious matter, which it is facing, is how to keep him alive. Accidentally, he finds fire. In addition to it, the creature amazingly learns the way of keeping fire.
One day, when I was oppressed by cold, I found a fire which had been left by some wandering beggars, and was overcome with delight at the warmth I experienced from it¡K. I examined the materials of the fire, and to my joy found it to be composed of wood. I quickly collected some branches; but they were wet, and would not burn¡K. The wet wood which I had placed near the heat dried, and it self became inflamed. I discovered the cause, and busied my in collecting a great quantity of wood, that I might dry it, and have a plentiful supply of fire.
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…ctor; therefore, the situation is totally out of control.
To the end, Frankenstein breaks through the barrier that separates man from God, and apparently becomes the giver of life, but all he actually can give is death-in-life.4It is Frankenstein who disorders the law of nature and the monster inherits his mistake, abusing knowledge. Originally, the main intention of the creature’s self-education is to learn the skills of survival as well as improvement of life, and the motivation of the learning is basically good. But disobeying the principle of nature makes these self-educators become self-destroyers. The fiction, as a result, ends with a tragic way. All three of the narrators in the novel are self-educated, and fall victim to this problem; seeking knowledge in solitude, they are condemned to find only a more distressing knowledge of solitude.