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I believe Genesis ch 1-3 are metaphorical..

I don't think it's metaphorical as much as lacking in a great amount of detail. I think it's an accurate description of what happened put as concisely as possible.

There is a lot to be said about uneducated folks not understanding if God went into great detail. But my suspicion is that even if He did, it would be beyond our comprehension as well, as arrogantly as we think we've arrived.

Even if He went into detail, if what He did varied from what scientists think they know now, they'd still say Scripture was wrong, because they are so convinced that they are right.

I think that God gave us as concise an explanation of what He did to let us know that HE was the one who did it.

Saying *In the beginning* gives the fact without telling how.

Saying the earth was *formless and void* tells us everything we need to know without going into the solar nebula theory and proto-planets, etc, which is our current level of understanding (and may not be right either).

Saying that He used dirt (the dust of the earth) explains the chemical composition without getting into chemistry, which was almost non-existent until fairly recently.

Perhaps the biggest criticism that should dare to be leveled at the Genesis account, isn't that it's wrong, but that it's simplistic for OUR culture in OUR day. It suffices for the rest of the world for all the time until now.

The other challenge that is made against it by the evos about why God didn't go into greater detail, again goes back to the argument that if there were differences, Scripture would always be declared to be wrong, not to mention that the Bible is long enough as it is without adding material that is not really relevant to the work of Christ for the salvation of man.

"Perhaps the biggest criticism that should dare to be leveled at the Genesis account, isn't that it's wrong, but that it's simplistic for OUR culture in OUR day. It suffices for the rest of the world for all the time until now."

Very good, metmom! I wouldn't call that criticism -- just an honest assessment in the light of today's knowledge.

Some of you have seen me ask this question here of those who think they have all the "Answers In Genesis":

"How many Galaxies could Moses (or whoever recorded Genesis) see?""

I have asked it many times but I have received not a single answer.

Of course, my purpose is to shed light on the limitations -- both in language and in knowledge -- of mankind at the time that God chose to share with us the truths of His creative acts. And, by extension, the absurdity of claiming that all the answers to understanding the magnificent complexity and magnitude of Him and His Creation are spelled out in those few sentences...

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There is no way (aside from direct vision from God) that folks of Moses' time could have imagined a vista like this (today's "APOD" -- Astronomy Picture Of the Day):

And there is no way their proto-language and vocabulary could have described it with any fidelity -- even had they been shown the vision...

As for me, my first reaction was, "Praise the Lord!!!" -- as I was (one again) overwhelmed with the magnitude, majesty, and beauty I AM has established as testimony to His awesomeness...

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For those who are so inclined, I recommend frequent visits to http://apod.nasa.gov/. I find it to be particluarly helpful when I'm needing a lesson in humility -- which is often...

I find it to be devastatingly dangerous to attempt to cram God Almighty into a box (or timeframe) that our puny minds are capable of grasping. To once again borrow one of my favorite phrases from A-G:

Man is not the measure of God.