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Original poster

To ask a stupid question? Noah's Ark

284 replies

Besttimelftheyear · 29/08/2024 16:44

So I am not religious, but I would say I was brought up Christian. I would say my parents were non practicing Christians, but I was taught bible stories as truth and facts. The logical adult in me now says that most of the events can be explained quite simply.

Onto the question. Noah's Ark, is there any evidence of a global flood? Noah was supposed to have taken two of each animals onto the boat while the earth was flooded and wiped out everything else.

Surely this was simply a regular flood like we see today?

What are peoples beliefs or knowledge on this?

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PotteringAlonggotkickedoutandhadtoreregister · 29/08/2024 16:57

flood narratives are very common in lots of different cultures.

remember they were often from a time when most people spent their whole lives within a 5 / 10 mile radius of where they lived because of the ease of travel so, for example, if there was a massive tsunami, it could easily seem like the whole world had flooded.

piccolorhinoceros · 29/08/2024 16:57

This is quite interesting https://www.google.com/amp/s/abcnews.go.com/amp/Technology/evidence-suggests-biblical-great-flood-noahs-time-happened/story%3fid=17884533

But do I believe a man built a boat and took two of every animal on it? Err, no.

SerenityNowInsanityLater · 29/08/2024 16:56

It’s more about symbolism than actual events. Noah’s Ark is a story of redemption, salvation. The flood is God’s wrath. The Ark is protection; God’s love for and protection of the righteous Noah. The dove represents the Holy Spirit, returning with the olive branch of peace after the flood. New hope, new creation. It’s as if the dove returns to deliver God’s peace and goodwill to mankind.

Lucy Cousins, who made the Maisy Mouse children’s books, made a beautiful one about Noah’s Ark.

StolenChanel · 29/08/2024 16:54

I had a similar religious upbringing to you and I’m often fascinated by the reality behind Old Testament stories. I remember reading somewhere that there was a huge flood somewhere in the Middle East about 8,000 years ago and have always wondered if that was Noah’s one. I mean it’s not the “whole world” but surely people would have believed the “whole world” to be much smaller than it actually is back then? I think similar things about the plagues of Egypt.

Ponderingwindow · 29/08/2024 16:54

If there were actual evidence of a global flood, the zealots would be pushing that information constantly.

SaltAndVinegar2 · 29/08/2024 16:54

It was a local flood. In those days they didn't know of the existence of most of the world.

sweeneytoddsrazor · 29/08/2024 16:52

Yes there probably were floods but would the idea of global actually be worldwide or would it have been more concentrated to the area of the world Noah or anyone else from that time knew

BlueChampagne · 29/08/2024 16:51

Other Mediterranean cultures have flood myths (Deucalion's flood, Gilgamesh).

Howdull · 29/08/2024 16:48

I believe there probably were floods, yes.