by sizemik 91 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
The Ark may not be a myth . . . but it's role in a Biblical world-wide deluge is.
Nobody can say for sure the Ark did not, or could not, have existed . . . you'll get no argument from me on that.
What is scientifically ludicrous . . . is it's described role in a Biblical Global flood . . . THAT is just "pure crap" . . . scientifically speaking of course.
there is an interesting book called before the flood which highlights some key points and is worth a read. There is evidence that there was a flood in the area of the Black Sea that was a major disaster. At the end of the ice age there was a rise in sea level which forced the Mediterranean Sea into the fresh water lake that is now called the Black Sea.
All fresh water crustaceans in the lake died simultaneously and the lake increased in size and settlements on the shores of the lake were submerged under the rising water. It is possible that a farmer put livestock onto a floating structure to save them from the rising water but certainly bot all the speicies of animal on the entire world.
What is interesting is the fragility of freshwater crustaceans if they all died in the black sea because of the introduction of salt water then it would be reasonable to suppose that any worldwide flood would have resulted in the death of all fresh water life as the water would become toxic for them. In addition why do some continents contain species unique to them. If all the animals were on the ark then they would in all locations.
As the ice melting was a wide spread phenomena it is no surprise flood stories are a feature of many cultures.
@Larsinger58
You think God created a global flood without thinking the whole thing through?
No . . . I think men created a global flood without thinking the whole thing through
The Bible's flood story came after more than 400 previous flood myths from just about every civilization, the stories varied somewhat and of course the names were changed, but the basic premise was always the same:
1. Humans are guilty of transgression.
2. God decides to punish them with a flood.
3. God sends instructions to a faithful chosen person to build a craft, and how to ensure survival of all the species of animals.
4. The flood destroys every living creature not on the craft.
Flood Myths- Part 1
http://www.dreamscape.com/morgana/titania.htm
Flood Myths- Part 2
http://www.dreamscape.com/morgana/puck.htm
The Watchtower even brags about all these other civilizations having flood myths, as if that proves the Bible's authenticity, when all it does is prove that it's plagiarized!
A global flood defies science. This story was my first step away from bible literalism.
Beyond the geological implications, the diversity of life that we now have could have not came from the small sampling brought onto the ark.
Interestingly enough, most people who believe in a global flood fervently disbelieve evolution. Yet extremely fast evolution could be the only possible way such a diversity of life could develop. We're talking much quicker evolution than biologists propose.
Here's a short article that goes into detail, from someone with far more scientific knowledge than I:
http://paleo.cc/ce/ark-gene.htm
As ProdigalSon pointed out there were many other myths about a global flood. And as others pointed out there was possibly a local flood. What I find likely is that there was a disastrous local flood, possibly more than one in different areas. Through oral tradition these cultures embellished and mythologized it.
Nicolaou made an insightful point on faith being a hinderance to understanding. I learned this firsthand while discussing evolution with my dad. No matter how much convincing evidence I presented to him, he threw out or distorted anything that conflicted with his worldview. I realized that while religious people consider their faith a virtue, in reality it often hinders their reasoning.
Reading the thread again, I see sizemlk covered some of the same ground I did concerning species, etc. Sorry for any retread.
@ mindseye, Earlier in the thread, I made the exact same point of the possibiliy of a Local delege, that had a catastrophic effect, this would then not nessesitate housing the countless millions of creatures alluded to by Sizemic. After all the purpose of the flood was primarily wipe out mankind, who at that time according to the bible, spoke one language and lived in a small geograghical area.As I suggested earlier, ther was no need for Noah to go to Aus to get kangaroos, or the Americas to get buffalo ect, this was simply not nessesary, because the creatures in these areas would not need to be touched by any flood because humanity at that time was restricted to one small area in the middle east, and since all humanity lived in a small area, only that area and the creatures within would be subject to a deluge,consequently, many fewer creatures were at risk, so fewer needed to be housed in the Ark, so the Ark really could have housed the creatures at risk in that area of deluge, and it was a viable craft built along optimum dimensions.
After all the purpose of the flood was primarily wipe out mankind, who at that time according to the bible, spoke one language and lived in a small geograghical area.
but thats completely untrue, people lived all over the globe about 2400bc and there was multiple written language, egyptian and summarian spring to mind.
but even if i had no evidence that what you propose is obviously false, you would still need to provide evidence, which i do not think you can.
There are many accounts of Atlantis being deluged by a flood between 11,000 and 13,000 years ago. It may have been Antarctica, at one time an equatorial continent before a massive pole and axis shift. There are also many accounts of Lemuria being slowly deluged, somewhere between 50,000 and 55,000 years ago, of which the Hawaiian Islands are a remnant. As we have seen with the recent earthquake and tsunami is Japan, landmasses can actually be pulled down below sea level, which is another way for the land to be flooded.
I think it's a safe bet that all these flood myths came from those two deluges. One thing is for certain, it didn't happen globally the way the Bible says it did, and in the time period that it says. What we're reading is the version of a priesthood trying to make everything fit into their own culture and into their own timeline to fit their theology.
Hey, don't patronize Larsinger with your Satanic science! He's the frakin' Son of God!
Also, all proof against the story of the Flood is a contraption of Satan. Including cave-paintings!
