Proto: first, original, relating to a precursor. greek.
Homo sapien: wise or rational (sapien) man (homo). latin.
The picture of the origins of homo-sapiens from the perspective of ancient alien or ancient astronaut theory, is one of other beings from other planets or dimensions coming to earth as our progenitors and creating humanity out of their own DNA (or whatever building blocks they are made of). In some tellings of ancient accounts, these beings used a less evolved form of humanlike being as part of their building blocks. In other versions, we were produced from a combination of their genetics and ingenuity. In some stories, the purpose of our existence was to be their slave class. All of these ideas actually have truly interesting corresponding - although very different - explanations and accounts in the Bible. But none of the biblical accounts have to do with the original creation of humankind. In the biblical account, this part of history comes later.
But none of the renditions of the accounts from an ancient alien perspective are pictures of love. They are pictures of base necessity, lust, greed, exploitation, servitude and enslavement. Such a picture fits in well with the core value of evolutionary theory - survival of the fittest. Ancient alien theory dovetails well with Darwinian Evolution, because while it makes an attempt of understanding the physical aspects of humanity (the ‘homo’ of homo sapien), it still has no answers for the thinking, feeling, willing, caring, processing, acting, rationalizing, loving (sapien) mind of man.
Adam and Eve were real people - the proto homo sapiens of long ago. In fact, the identity and reality of these first humans, is completely entwined with not only the origin, but also the destiny of humanity. The account of humanity’s beginning, is that after God molded, shaped and prepared a habitable environment, He then created Adam, not from another life-form, like a being from another world or an organism from this one, but from the earth itself. “Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being (Genesis 2:7).” Mankind came from the dirt. And mankind goes back to the dirt when we die. In the next chapter in Genesis it says, “By the sweat of your face You will eat bread, Till you return to the ground, Because from it you were taken; For you are dust, And to dust you shall return (3:19).” The Hebrew word for ‘ground’ in these verses is ‘adamah’. Look familiar? Yes, Adam, the proto homo sapien, was named after the dirt he came from.
Why does this matter? Because the Bible claims that humanity is intrinsically connected to the ground we walk on. We were created from the elements of this world, and are inseparably connected to it. We did not come from another world, and were not seeded by other beings who did. We are earthlings. This planet is our home, from beginning to end. Our origin and destiny are completely connected with it. This is where we belong. This is where we will always belong.
But it’s important to note from the Genesis account that is Adam’s body that was created from the dust. It’s our physical aspect that is connected to the earth itself. The word for ‘dust’ in Hebrew is ‘aphar’, and means ‘dirt, dust, debris, dry soil, rubbish, rubble.’ Not a very pretty picture. But humanity is not a collection of cells that was formed over time from random processes of natural selection through the development of other creatures that eventually became us. How very depressing, and worthless that would make us all. But we didn’t just pop out of the dirt either. God formed man. the Hebrew word for ‘formed’ is ‘yatsar’ and means to ‘form, fashion, plan, ordain, make’. It is also the same word that is translated, ‘potter, pottery, earthenware.’ What an incredible picture! God took the most seemingly worthless, unnoticed, often abhorred, brushed off, stomped on, mundane substance, put it on a pottery wheel and carefully crafted the most incredibly beautiful beings. It is the true picture of beauty from ashes. God didn’t just carelessly step back and watch the processes of evolution form people. God created humanity with hands-on thought, precision, care, love, direction. He was directly involved with forethought and got His hands dirty in the mud for us. What an incredible picture of His love for us. Humanity is so incredibly valuable to Him.
