How can anyone believe in god when there's so much evil in the world?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Haven't read the whole thread but I can easily see how someone can believe in God despite an imperfect world. You just assume that God is not all-benevolent. Humans have existed for millennia with God and Gods that are vindictive, flawed, have weaknesses, and have cruel and immoral tendencies. It's really not that difficult of a concert since we tend to anthropomorphize dieties and so many of these characteristics are familiarly human.

Not the Abrahamic God. There is nothing pagan, human-like (even His anger and His love are not human-like), and familiar about Him. That is why the Abrahamic faiths are markedly different than other religions.

Ummm...he looks just like a human and he is quite human and flawed in the Old Testament. He is absolutely anthropomorphized. Good grief.

No He is not. He is completely different than pagan deities that you are thinking of. Abrahamic God was/is the only god that was/is monotheistic and omnipotent among all other deities of that region or any other region for that matter.

So, you don't understand the word "anthropomorphize" and completely unable to view your religion (your belief in the "Abrahamic God") objectively. Monotheism and omnipotence are irrelevant.

I understand perfectly (without being patronizing like you). But you obviously haven't read or understood the Bible and are basing your judgments on what you heard second hand (from media, neighbors, etc). "Human" attributes that you think of such as God's anger, love, judgment, and punishment in the Old Testament are so not human-like. You would be shocked and transformed if you personally experienced that anger or love. It is NOTHING like human anger or love.

I’ve read the Bible and I have probably had more religious education from a scholarly perspective than you. Stomping your feet and repeating false crap doesn’t make it true. Then again, I’m not sure what I expected from arguing with a religious nut job. Adios.

Gosh, maybe you should realize you chose to come to a religion forum and debate religious people? What were you expecting, people to bow to your values because you’ve “read a lot?” Talk about arrogance.

I don’t know if you have noticed but I am not the only poster here, and not one of my posts have referenced blasphemy.

Not pp, but "I can't discuss/think about that because it's blasphemous" is not a debate. It's a dead end wall of someone refusing to critically thing about things and engage questions.

My apologies. The anonymity makes it difficult to keep track sometimes.

There is at least one poster who repeatedly says that it's blasphemous to essentially "go there" with questions about God's qualities and creations (including evilness/suffering), which you must agree is ridiculous to bring to the table for discussion and debate. Fine for their personal belief - but a pointless dead end on matters of discussion.

I can’t agree. If the poster embraces a religion that includes a rejection of blasphemy, it’s an entirely valid point.

It's a valid point for cementing their belief system. It is not a valid point with regards to debate or discussion.

I disagree.

We don't care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Guys, "The Bible" does not even agree with itself

GE 1:3-5 On the first day, God created light, then separated light and darkness.
GE 1:14-19 The sun (which separates night and day) wasn't created until the fourth day.

GE 1:11-12, 26-27 Trees were created before man was created.
GE 2:4-9 Man was created before trees were created.

GE 1:20-21, 26-27 Birds were created before man was created.
GE 2:7, 19 Man was created before birds were created.

GE 1:24-27 Animals were created before man was created.
GE 2:7, 19 Man was created before animals were created.

GE 1:26-27 Man and woman were created at the same time.
GE 2:7, 21-22 Man was created first, woman sometime later.

...and that is just part of the way through Genesis.

I find it hard to believe that you actually think that the author of Genesis couldn't keep his story straight from one chapter to the immediate chapter after it.

Regarding light and the sun, God is light. It is possible that the light mentioned here is in reference to the separation of created matter from God Himself. And then on Day 4, the actual heavenly bodies are created to regulate days and seasons and years, as the Bible says. (Incidentally, the Bible says water was created before the sun, which makes this story in Space.com about water being older than the sun pretty interesting to me: https://www.space.com/27256-earth-water-older-than-sun.html.)

Genesis 1 and Genesis 2 should be read as an overview in Chapter 1 and a more detailed look in Chapter 2. They are not two different accounts.

The references to vegetation in Genesis 2 are about agriculture and working the land for food and God planting a garden for Adam and Eve to enjoy and live in. It's mentioning a specific place that God put Adam and Eve, rather than just setting them loose anywhere. This can easily be differentiated from God creating vegetation itself in Genesis 1.

Genesis 2 does not say that God created man and then animals. In verse 19, it merely references that God had created animals and that now He brought them to Adam to be named. You can claim this as a contradiction if you are committed to seeing contradictions where none need exist, but this is not a difficult thing to reconcile between the two chapters.

Same thing goes for creating Adam and Eve. How committed are you to finding Biblical contradictions? You claim to be reading and thinking, but this objection is just pedantic clinging to an objection for objection's sake. Genesis 1 says God created male and female. Genesis 2 gives the particulars. This is not controversial unless you want to make it controversial.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Haven't read the whole thread but I can easily see how someone can believe in God despite an imperfect world. You just assume that God is not all-benevolent. Humans have existed for millennia with God and Gods that are vindictive, flawed, have weaknesses, and have cruel and immoral tendencies. It's really not that difficult of a concert since we tend to anthropomorphize dieties and so many of these characteristics are familiarly human.

Not the Abrahamic God. There is nothing pagan, human-like (even His anger and His love are not human-like), and familiar about Him. That is why the Abrahamic faiths are markedly different than other religions.

Ummm...he looks just like a human and he is quite human and flawed in the Old Testament. He is absolutely anthropomorphized. Good grief.

No He is not. He is completely different than pagan deities that you are thinking of. Abrahamic God was/is the only god that was/is monotheistic and omnipotent among all other deities of that region or any other region for that matter.

So, you don't understand the word "anthropomorphize" and completely unable to view your religion (your belief in the "Abrahamic God") objectively. Monotheism and omnipotence are irrelevant.

I understand perfectly (without being patronizing like you). But you obviously haven't read or understood the Bible and are basing your judgments on what you heard second hand (from media, neighbors, etc). "Human" attributes that you think of such as God's anger, love, judgment, and punishment in the Old Testament are so not human-like. You would be shocked and transformed if you personally experienced that anger or love. It is NOTHING like human anger or love.

I’ve read the Bible and I have probably had more religious education from a scholarly perspective than you. Stomping your feet and repeating false crap doesn’t make it true. Then again, I’m not sure what I expected from arguing with a religious nut job. Adios.

Gosh, maybe you should realize you chose to come to a religion forum and debate religious people? What were you expecting, people to bow to your values because you’ve “read a lot?” Talk about arrogance.

I don’t know if you have noticed but I am not the only poster here, and not one of my posts have referenced blasphemy.

Not pp, but "I can't discuss/think about that because it's blasphemous" is not a debate. It's a dead end wall of someone refusing to critically thing about things and engage questions.

My apologies. The anonymity makes it difficult to keep track sometimes.

There is at least one poster who repeatedly says that it's blasphemous to essentially "go there" with questions about God's qualities and creations (including evilness/suffering), which you must agree is ridiculous to bring to the table for discussion and debate. Fine for their personal belief - but a pointless dead end on matters of discussion.

I can’t agree. If the poster embraces a religion that includes a rejection of blasphemy, it’s an entirely valid point.

It's a valid point for cementing their belief system. It is not a valid point with regards to debate or discussion.

I disagree.

We don't care.

Then why are you here?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Guys, "The Bible" does not even agree with itself

GE 1:3-5 On the first day, God created light, then separated light and darkness.
GE 1:14-19 The sun (which separates night and day) wasn't created until the fourth day.

GE 1:11-12, 26-27 Trees were created before man was created.
GE 2:4-9 Man was created before trees were created.

GE 1:20-21, 26-27 Birds were created before man was created.
GE 2:7, 19 Man was created before birds were created.

GE 1:24-27 Animals were created before man was created.
GE 2:7, 19 Man was created before animals were created.

GE 1:26-27 Man and woman were created at the same time.
GE 2:7, 21-22 Man was created first, woman sometime later.

...and that is just part of the way through Genesis.

I find it hard to believe that you actually think that the author of Genesis couldn't keep his story straight from one chapter to the immediate chapter after it.

Regarding light and the sun, God is light. It is possible that the light mentioned here is in reference to the separation of created matter from God Himself. And then on Day 4, the actual heavenly bodies are created to regulate days and seasons and years, as the Bible says. (Incidentally, the Bible says water was created before the sun, which makes this story in Space.com about water being older than the sun pretty interesting to me: https://www.space.com/27256-earth-water-older-than-sun.html.)

Genesis 1 and Genesis 2 should be read as an overview in Chapter 1 and a more detailed look in Chapter 2. They are not two different accounts.

The references to vegetation in Genesis 2 are about agriculture and working the land for food and God planting a garden for Adam and Eve to enjoy and live in. It's mentioning a specific place that God put Adam and Eve, rather than just setting them loose anywhere. This can easily be differentiated from God creating vegetation itself in Genesis 1.

Genesis 2 does not say that God created man and then animals. In verse 19, it merely references that God had created animals and that now He brought them to Adam to be named. You can claim this as a contradiction if you are committed to seeing contradictions where none need exist, but this is not a difficult thing to reconcile between the two chapters.

Same thing goes for creating Adam and Eve. How committed are you to finding Biblical contradictions? You claim to be reading and thinking, but this objection is just pedantic clinging to an objection for objection's sake. Genesis 1 says God created male and female. Genesis 2 gives the particulars. This is not controversial unless you want to make it controversial.

+1 Thank you. you are far more patient with this pot stirrer than me.

[Anonymous]

*crickets*

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Guys, "The Bible" does not even agree with itself

GE 1:3-5 On the first day, God created light, then separated light and darkness.
GE 1:14-19 The sun (which separates night and day) wasn't created until the fourth day.

GE 1:11-12, 26-27 Trees were created before man was created.
GE 2:4-9 Man was created before trees were created.

GE 1:20-21, 26-27 Birds were created before man was created.
GE 2:7, 19 Man was created before birds were created.

GE 1:24-27 Animals were created before man was created.
GE 2:7, 19 Man was created before animals were created.

GE 1:26-27 Man and woman were created at the same time.
GE 2:7, 21-22 Man was created first, woman sometime later.

...and that is just part of the way through Genesis.

I don't have time to analyze each of the verses now, but please, go back to the Bible and provide a proper citation, not your interpretation of the word of God.

Your fist cite speaks about light and sun. It is not interchangeable, and when God speaks about the light it does not necessary means he speaks about the sun.

Your second cite is simply incorrect:
GE 1:11-12, 26-27
11 Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. 12 The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.

26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals,[a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

27 So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.

GE 2:4-9
This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, when the Lord God made the earth and the heavens.

5 Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth[a] and no plant had yet sprung up, for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no one to work the ground, 6 but streams[b] came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground. 7 Then the Lord God formed a man[c] from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

8 Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. 9 The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

If you read carefully, you will see that there are no contradiction: in the GE 1:11, God made the land to produce vegetation. It does not necessary means that the seeds already sprouted. He created the soil that is capable to produce vegetation. In GE 2:4, he says that there were no shrub or plant on the earth, but the earth already was able to produce them. Once the soil was watered with rain, then the seeds sprouted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Guys, "The Bible" does not even agree with itself

GE 1:3-5 On the first day, God created light, then separated light and darkness.
GE 1:14-19 The sun (which separates night and day) wasn't created until the fourth day.

GE 1:11-12, 26-27 Trees were created before man was created.
GE 2:4-9 Man was created before trees were created.

GE 1:20-21, 26-27 Birds were created before man was created.
GE 2:7, 19 Man was created before birds were created.

GE 1:24-27 Animals were created before man was created.
GE 2:7, 19 Man was created before animals were created.

GE 1:26-27 Man and woman were created at the same time.
GE 2:7, 21-22 Man was created first, woman sometime later.

...and that is just part of the way through Genesis.

I don't have time to analyze each of the verses now, but please, go back to the Bible and provide a proper citation, not your interpretation of the word of God.

Your fist cite speaks about light and sun. It is not interchangeable, and when God speaks about the light it does not necessary means he speaks about the sun.

Your second cite is simply incorrect:
GE 1:11-12, 26-27
11 Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. 12 The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.

26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals,[a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

27 So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.

GE 2:4-9
This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, when the Lord God made the earth and the heavens.

5 Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth[a] and no plant had yet sprung up, for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no one to work the ground, 6 but streams[b] came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground. 7 Then the Lord God formed a man[c] from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

8 Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. 9 The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

If you read carefully, you will see that there are no contradiction: in the GE 1:11, God made the land to produce vegetation. It does not necessary means that the seeds already sprouted. He created the soil that is capable to produce vegetation. In GE 2:4, he says that there were no shrub or plant on the earth, but the earth already was able to produce them. Once the soil was watered with rain, then the seeds sprouted.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Guys, "The Bible" does not even agree with itself

GE 1:3-5 On the first day, God created light, then separated light and darkness.
GE 1:14-19 The sun (which separates night and day) wasn't created until the fourth day.

GE 1:11-12, 26-27 Trees were created before man was created.
GE 2:4-9 Man was created before trees were created.

GE 1:20-21, 26-27 Birds were created before man was created.
GE 2:7, 19 Man was created before birds were created.

GE 1:24-27 Animals were created before man was created.
GE 2:7, 19 Man was created before animals were created.

GE 1:26-27 Man and woman were created at the same time.
GE 2:7, 21-22 Man was created first, woman sometime later.

...and that is just part of the way through Genesis.

Your obsession with the Bible is telling. As a "truth and evidence"s seeker you should be content with yourself.

I am content with myself.

Because I read. And I thought. A lot. And it became pretty obvious to me that what I had been told could not possibly be true.

Funny how on one hand I am being told to "read the bible" and then when I come back and show that I have, I am told "Your obsession with the bible is telling".

Is that irony? Or hypocrisy?

Are you so sure of yourself?? So, so, so sure? You seem not to have any peace, which is telling of someone who is unsure and full of self-doubt.

"The haughty looks of man shall be brought low, and the lofty pride of men shall be humbled, and the Lord alone will be exalted in that day."

No, I have lots of peace, and confidence. Plus, I have facts and evidence, and I don't believe anything that is not backed up by them. That's a VERY comforting approach, I promise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Since this is Religion forum you will meet firm resistance. A cursory Google search yields these forums that are more suitable for you:

http://www.atheistrepublic.com/forums

https://atheistforums.org/

http://www.thethinkingatheist.com/forum/

I'm not sure you understand the difference between "Religion" and "Religious".

And I don't demand anyone leave. All opinions are welcome to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've been reading about the genocide in myanmar lately and OMG how the heck can anyone believe in god after this? I mean babies were thrown into fires and some babies were cut up in front of their parents. I attend church myself but lately I cannot find my faith. The world is so fed up.

I lost in many years ago. There is absolutely no rational reason to believe in a god

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Your fist cite speaks about light and sun. It is not interchangeable, and when God speaks about the light it does not necessary means he speaks about the sun.

Your second cite is simply incorrect:
GE 1:11-12, 26-27
11 Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. 12 The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.

26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals,[a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

27 So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.

GE 2:4-9
This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, when the Lord God made the earth and the heavens.

5 Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth[a] and no plant had yet sprung up, for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no one to work the ground, 6 but streams[b] came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground. 7 Then the Lord God formed a man[c] from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

8 Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. 9 The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

If you read carefully, you will see that there are no contradiction: in the GE 1:11, God made the land to produce vegetation. It does not necessary means that the seeds already sprouted. He created the soil that is capable to produce vegetation. In GE 2:4, he says that there were no shrub or plant on the earth, but the earth already was able to produce them. Once the soil was watered with rain, then the seeds sprouted.

If you are going to parse words like that, and assign your own meaning to them, then the book simply cannot be taken literally, and is open to anyone's interpretations. You take obvious contradictions which can be spotted with grammar-school level textual criticism and try to make them fit your purposes. You wouldn't accept that type of analysis of law from your local sheriff, from a manual from your mechanic or of a medical book from your physician. Think about that, it may tell you something.

Why wasn't god just crystal clear about these things? Would have saved a heck of a lot of holy-war-in'.

And god created man in hos own image? Does god have a belly-button?

And tell me now how all those animals fit on the ark.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Guys, "The Bible" does not even agree with itself

GE 1:3-5 On the first day, God created light, then separated light and darkness.
GE 1:14-19 The sun (which separates night and day) wasn't created until the fourth day.

GE 1:11-12, 26-27 Trees were created before man was created.
GE 2:4-9 Man was created before trees were created.

GE 1:20-21, 26-27 Birds were created before man was created.
GE 2:7, 19 Man was created before birds were created.

GE 1:24-27 Animals were created before man was created.
GE 2:7, 19 Man was created before animals were created.

GE 1:26-27 Man and woman were created at the same time.
GE 2:7, 21-22 Man was created first, woman sometime later.

...and that is just part of the way through Genesis.

Your obsession with the Bible is telling. As a "truth and evidence"s seeker you should be content with yourself.

I am content with myself.

Because I read. And I thought. A lot. And it became pretty obvious to me that what I had been told could not possibly be true.

Funny how on one hand I am being told to "read the bible" and then when I come back and show that I have, I am told "Your obsession with the bible is telling".

Is that irony? Or hypocrisy?

Are you so sure of yourself?? So, so, so sure? You seem not to have any peace, which is telling of someone who is unsure and full of self-doubt.

"The haughty looks of man shall be brought low, and the lofty pride of men shall be humbled, and the Lord alone will be exalted in that day."

No, I have lots of peace, and confidence. Plus, I have facts and evidence, and I don't believe anything that is not backed up by them. That's a VERY comforting approach, I promise.

Maybe you should look at a career in law. Faith(s) is not concerned with evidence that’s acceptable to you.

[Anonymous]

What is faith?
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews11:1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Show me one bit of evidence of this and I will bow before him.

God owes you no "evidence". Don't you understand that? You are nothing compared to God.

Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
John 20:29

I didn't ask "him" for evidence.

I asked you for evidence.

I accepted Jesus into my heart. I have no idols (money, power, sex, looks, popularity, travel, food, and other deities) in my life. I live for God. He is my first love, my firs commitment, even before my family. He created me. He created all my mental faculties and abilities. I am happy and delighted to obey Him. I need no "evidence". Evidence is in my heart and in my actions that are congruent with my heart that is devoted to God. If you are asking me to summarize all my Biblical knowledge for you, I won't do it. Someone on another thread posted lots of useful links to gain the basic knowledge of the Abrahamic faiths.

So.... do you think for yourself? As in, do you/have you ever questioned your faith? Or is everything you don't understand a matter of giving it to god?

Of course I think for myself. Who else would I be thinking for. Unless your question is a snark. God gave me mental faculties and abilities to think for myself. I choose to put all my thoughts, intents, and deeds before God. He didn't force me. I chose my faith in Him guided by the Holy Spirit.

No it wasn't snark. More not realizing that possibly if you have questions, dilemmas etc. you would pray about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Guys, "The Bible" does not even agree with itself

GE 1:3-5 On the first day, God created light, then separated light and darkness.
GE 1:14-19 The sun (which separates night and day) wasn't created until the fourth day.

GE 1:11-12, 26-27 Trees were created before man was created.
GE 2:4-9 Man was created before trees were created.

GE 1:20-21, 26-27 Birds were created before man was created.
GE 2:7, 19 Man was created before birds were created.

GE 1:24-27 Animals were created before man was created.
GE 2:7, 19 Man was created before animals were created.

GE 1:26-27 Man and woman were created at the same time.
GE 2:7, 21-22 Man was created first, woman sometime later.

...and that is just part of the way through Genesis.

I don't have time to analyze each of the verses now, but please, go back to the Bible and provide a proper citation, not your interpretation of the word of God.

Your fist cite speaks about light and sun. It is not interchangeable, and when God speaks about the light it does not necessary means he speaks about the sun.

Your second cite is simply incorrect:
GE 1:11-12, 26-27
11 Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. 12 The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.

26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals,[a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

27 So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.

GE 2:4-9
This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, when the Lord God made the earth and the heavens.

5 Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth[a] and no plant had yet sprung up, for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no one to work the ground, 6 but streams[b] came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground. 7 Then the Lord God formed a man[c] from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

8 Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. 9 The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

If you read carefully, you will see that there are no contradiction: in the GE 1:11, God made the land to produce vegetation. It does not necessary means that the seeds already sprouted. He created the soil that is capable to produce vegetation. In GE 2:4, he says that there were no shrub or plant on the earth, but the earth already was able to produce them. Once the soil was watered with rain, then the seeds sprouted.

+1

I have never been able to adequately figure out where Adam and Eve's sons found their wives. Do you have any insight to this?