Genesis

            
             Genesis has served the Jewish faith as both a written and oral record of their belief on the creation of man. For many, the stories in Genesis are sacred texts, providing some with an understanding and faith of a power and knowledge beyond their own. People who were not raised with the teachings of Genesis in their lives may look at the imperfection and inconsistencies in Genesis and question it's value. Whether or not your beliefs coincide with those portrayed in Genesis, this text provides insight into human nature and the teaching of right and wrong. For those people not of faith or for a person with opposing beliefs to those in Genesis, you must be willing to look at a Genesis as a story and put your religious beliefs aside.
             If the non believer looks at Genesis as a piece of literature and not as a religious doctrine he will benefit much more. Literature serves us as a community and provides us with many benefits as individuals. Literature helps us grow, both personally and intellectually. It helps us develop a base for knowledge and understanding. It provide us with an understanding of the cultural, philosophical,.
             and religious world which we are part of. Genesis is an important text because it .
             holds such value throughout the ages. It allows us to recognize the life process and struggles in different places and times that we otherwise we would never have know existed. It helps us develop an understanding of all living things and helps us develop an understanding of others. It enables us to develop perspectives on events throughout history, thereby, giving us an understanding we wouldn't normally have had. The non believer can find meaning in Genesis by relating the messages in the text to their own experience. The true value of the text will never be had, "unless we can connect a work of literature to our own experiences and interest, it will not live for us." (Griffith, Pg. 11) If we look at Genesis as being the story of someone else's beliefs in a seemingly different world, we will never gain anything from reading it.