Doug;

An example of human degeneration occurred with the Vikings. They lost many men due to conquest and after the invasion of Ireland (which they lost), they formed a council to plan the future of their civilization (Sweden). It was decided that war and plundering had caused the degeneration of their society as the best men had been killed in battle, and they thus became a neutral nation. Having destroyed the majority of western civilization this was welcomed news for those that remained, both Vikings and Europeans.

Tom



>Michelle,
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>>My knowledge of Genesis is fuzzy, but didn't Cain get sent out to go live in a city or somesuch? Where did all those people come from if there was no one else on the face of the Earth?
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>You could always go read it.. Ahem... <g>
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>Yes, after Cain murdered Abel he was banished by God. However, it was more along the lines of his being literally 'marked' by God and made into something of an outcast in society as opposed to being sent to a specific location.
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>>I always thought two people weren't enought for a viable gene pool, anyway. < G/D/R >
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>Well, remember, the gene pool at that time was pure, or it started that way. Also, folks lived almost 1000 years which is entirely possible if the body's defense systems didn't have the problems. IOW, the body could heal itself almost indefinitely if it didn't lose that ability as a result of genetic impurities.
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>Anyway, Adam and Eve more had more children and they intermarried. Do the numbers. Figure 500 years and maybe 30-50 children and within a few generations you could have several billions of people. There are women alive today who have had between 12-18 children so 50 isn't a stretch at all.
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>Some have theorized that there could have about 6 billion peole on the Earth when the flood occurred.
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>You are correct that today two people are not viable for a gene pool. That's because the gene pool is messed up whereas then it was not.
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>The problem is people are thinking man is getting better as opposed to degrading. Man is degrading genetically not improving.
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>>Michelle
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>>>Now from a theological point of view, how could death or sin have existed before Adam? There was no one on the face of the earth until Adam was created. Now you take a rib from Adam and create Eve (to establish the inferiority of the female) and the result of that rib entices Adam to violate Gods law, which is the first sin and Adam has lost forever, eternal life for all of mankind.
>>>
>>>Tom