Adam & Eve, Gods only created human beings?
QUESTION?
A catechism teacher is teaching that when God created Adam and Eve that God created more human beings in different parts of the world and Adam and Eve where not the only ones here on earth.
ANSWER!
This error is known as Polygenism, it is incompatible with the Catholic faith. Sacred Scripture and the empirical sciences - Pope John Paul II addressed the Pontifical Academy of Sciences on October 22, 1996dealing with the issue of Creation and evolution. He re-affirmed the teaching of Pope Pius XII in Humani Generis and had also previously spoken on the subject in a general audience on April 16, 1996. InHumani Generis of Pope Pius XII states: “Some however rashly transgress this liberty of discussion, when they act as if the origin of the human body from pre-existing and living matter were already completely certain and proved by the facts which have been discovered up to now and by reasoning on those facts, and as if there were nothing in the sources of divine revelation which demands the greatest moderation and caution in this question. When, however, there is question of another conjectural opinion, namely polygenism, the children of the Church by no means enjoy such liberty. For the faithful cannot embrace that opinion which maintains either that after Adam there existed on his earth true men who did not take their origin through natural generation from him as from the first parent of all, or that Adam represents a certain number of first parents….
QUESTION?
Is Noah and the flood story true or myth?
ANSWER!
This is a raging question that divides theologians. I definitely believe in Noahs story for several reasons.
Scripture affirms the historicity of the story.
1) Jesus believed in the flood story during Noah’s times (cf. Matt 24:37).
2) Noah is a historical person (and the flood story as historical) are referred to in Hebrews 10:7; 1 Peter 3:18-20; 2 Peter 2:5. Noah is also part of the genealogy of Jesus listed in Luke 3:36.
In the ecclesiastically approved apparition at Akita, Japan in 1973, Our Lady revealed: "...if men do not repent and better themselves, the Father will inflict a terrible punishment on all humanity. It will be a punishment greater than the Deluge...Fire will fall from the sky and wipe out a great part of humanity..." This was the same year that abortion was legalized in the United States.
So you see: Scripture and Our Lady refer to the flood as a historical event.
Your son’s teacher puts more stock in scientific theories than in the bible. He probably (as most liberals do) say that the flood story is a myth, yet St Peter disagrees with him: "For we did not follow cleverly devised MYTHS when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ..." (2 Peter 1:16).
For a good defense re: the flood story read: CREATION REDISCOVERED by TAN BOOKS. Also, CREATION versus EVOLUTION which you could obtain by going to a Catholic Creation website called: www.kolbecenter.org