Is the tree of life a real tree?

-Removed-

Could be.

Humans alive today know next to nothing of the spiritual realm.

@pb1022 said
Are you equating the laws of physics with human reproduction? Not sure I get your point.

No, not equating. Human reproduction is based on genetics. Genetics is ultimately chemistry. Chemistry is ultimately physics. That's how genetic mutations creep in. These natural laws have not changed in the last 3,000 years. Chemical reactions are the same today as they were 3,000 years ago. Chromosomes split and join the same today as 3,000 years ago.

It does not matter whether Noah was Jewish or of some other ethnicity. The same principles apply: if the entire human race were descended from one single family, we would not be here; there isn't enough genetic variation in one family to avoid infertile off-spring after a few generations. Moreover, even if contrary to fact, the entire human race were descended from one single family, all humans would have identical mitochondrial DNA, whether Semitic or some other. We do not, in fact, have identical mitochondrial DNA, therefore we are not all descended from one single family (Semitic or some other).

@suzianne said
Jesus also said He is the vine and His followers are the branches. Was this literal?

'This is my body you eat, this is my blood you drink.' Was Jesus literally a loaf of bread and a flagon of wine??? Of course not, these are symbols and metaphors. I am the bread, the staff of life, means not literally that he has yeast in him, but that he sustains people, spiritually, as bread sustains people bodily. I am the light means not that he literally has a candle inside him, but that he shows people what had been hidden to them before. I am the way means not that he is literally made of cobblestones, but that he shows people how to live with sorrow and pain.

Suzi, you're a breath of fresh air. A sensible Christian finally weighs in here.

@moonbus said
No, not equating. Human reproduction is based on genetics. Genetics is ultimately chemistry. Chemistry is ultimately physics. That's how genetic mutations creep in. These natural laws have not changed in the last 3,000 years. Chemical reactions are the same today as they were 3,000 years ago. Chromosomes split and join the same today as 3,000 years ago.

It does not matter ...[text shortened]... itochondrial DNA, therefore we are not all descended from one single family (Semitic or some other).

Interesting.

So tell me how the theory of evolution designed males and females with effective and functioning reproductive systems before they had sex and offspring.

-Removed-

Well, she knows the difference between a metaphorical and a literal reading of Scripture. That's more than some other posters here.

@pb1022 said
Interesting.

So tell me how the theory of evolution designed males and females with effective and functioning reproductive systems before they had sex and offspring.

Evolution designs nothing.

@moonbus said
'This is my body you eat, this is my blood you drink.' Was Jesus literally a loaf of bread and a flagon of wine??? Of course not, these are symbols and metaphors. I am the bread, the staff of life means not literally that he has yeast in him, but that he sustains people, spiritually, as bread sustains people bodily. I am the light means not that he literally has a cand ...[text shortened]... sorrow and pain.

Suzi, you're a breath of fresh air. A sensible Christian finally weighs in here.

Just because part of the Holy Bible is symbolic doesn’t mean all of it’s symbolic.

I don’t think anyone believes Jesus Christ meant for people to pluck out their eyes and cut off their arms if their eyes and arms offended them.

People who want to make the creation account in Genesis symbolic should explain the symbolism. Otherwise, it’s just an intellectually-lazy throwaway line.