Noah's Ark.

[wildwood]

I'm bored so here goes...

Are there any religious folks on Answerbank who believe the Noah's Ark account as in Genesis? I mean, only 6 people left 6000 years ago, and some insects are parthenogenic so so not possible to have a pair most of the time. Not to mentioned the animals that lived on island/continents.

[jno]

squarebear, Noah's ark was made of wood, Joan of Arc was Maid of Orleans

[squarebear]

Hehe very good! I haven't heard that one before :-)

[jomifl]

and Ark light is a low alcohol beer

[sandyRoe]

Does the Peri Reis map not depict the coast of Brasil ?

[rowanwitch]

All the water fell off the edge of the disk onto the back of the giant turtle... missed the elephants though

[McMouse]

One day God calls down to Noah and says "Noah, I want you to make me a new Ark".
Noah replies, "No probs God, anything you want after all you're the boss".
But God interrupts, "Ah but there's a catch this time Noah, I want not just a couple of decks, ..... I want 20 decks one on top of the other".
"20 DECKS!", screams Noah, "Well, OK Big Man, whatever you say, should I fill it up with all the animals just like last time?"
"Yep, that's right, well ..... sort of right.......this time I want you to fill it up with fish" God answers.
"Fish?" Queries Noah.
"Yep, fish ... well, to make it more specific Noah, I want Carp, wall to wall, floor to ceiling - Carp!"
Noah looks to the skies, "OK God, let me get this right, you want a New Ark?"
"Check".
"With 20 decks, one on top of the other?".
"Check".
"And you want it full of Carp?".
"Check"
"But why?" asks the perplexed Noah, who was slowly but surely getting to the end of his tether.
"Well...." says God, "I just thought it would be nice to have a Multi-Storey Carp Ark"

[squarebear]

You're a bit late McMouse. DT posted that on page 2.

[McMouse]

Apologies DT.........I should have read all the posts.

[jake-the-peg]

A great flood event and an ark is a theme in Gilgamesh and there are stunning similarities.

http://www.religioustolerance.org/noah_com.htm

When Gilgamesh was first translated in the 19th Century this caused an astonishment because it predates the bible story.

there is a very interesting idea that it could have it's roots in a great flood like when the mediteranean was formed but that's too early.

There was work on the idea that when the black sea was formed thousands were displaced starting the great flood myth.

There was some drilling in the coastal areas of the black sea and fresh water shell fish fossils were found at areas below a certain depth leading people to believe that it was once a smaller freshwater lake that flooded catastrophically.

http://en.wikipedia.o...ack_Sea_deluge_theory

That is still contraversial but if true it's easy to see how such an event could cause the Flood myth to enter European culture

[naomi24]

Jake, Venator posted a link to the Epic of Gilgamesh at 21.45 yesterday.

[jake-the-peg]

Oh yes so he did, but it wasn't originally Babylonian ( who were contemporary with the old testament authors - obviously) but rather Sumarian which places it much earlier.

Anyway I'll see Gilgamesh and raise with the hindu story of Manu who (guess what) also saves Humanity from a great flood and becomes the father of mankind

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manu_(Hinduism)

Getting familliar this story isn't it?

[rowanwitch]

http://www.talkorigin...faqs/flood-myths.html

Should be enough to keep you all going for a while

[naomi24]

Jake, yes it was Sumerian - carved on stone originally.

[sandyRoe]

Isn't it remarkable how 'lesser faiths' have adopted a story from The Bible?

[jomifl]

Even before it was written, quite amazing! possibly a miracle..

[flip_flop]

Oh come on, this is boring - where are the believers?

I'm interested in hearing the people who believe in this old pony provide an explanation.....without using the word metaphor.

[sandyRoe]

You accept that God can send inundation to punish mankind for their iniquity yet quibble about the capacity of an Ark?
Where's the need for metaphor?

[naomi24]

I wonder why God made Noah get the hammer and nails out at all. You'd think any friend capable of doing it would have just zapped the ark into existence. Old meany!

[sandyRoe]

If you don't put a bit of elbow grease into something you don't appreciate it as much.

[Arksided]

that's true but why zapp an Ark into existence when you can zapp someone for not even trying.