Editing Methuselah (section)

===Literal===
Some [[biblical literalists]] attempt to justify "969 years": perhaps early humans had a better diet, or a hypothetical "water [[vapor canopy]]" protected the earth from radiation before the Flood.<ref>John C. Whitcomb, Jr. and Henry M. Morris, "The Genesis Flood" (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1961), 399–404</ref> Others introduce theological causes: humans were originally to have everlasting life, but [[sin]] was introduced into the world by Adam and [[Eve]], its influence became greater with each generation, and [[God]] progressively shortened human life, particularly after the Flood.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Cultural Dictionary of the Bible|author=Pilch, John J.|publisher=Liturgical Press|year=1999|pages=144–146|isbn=0-8146-2527-4}}</ref> The ''[[Catholic Encyclopedia]]'' says "Certain exegetes solve the difficulty to their own satisfaction by declaring that the year meant by the sacred writer is not the equivalent of our year."<ref name= adv/>