Looking for answers about Noah's Ark. - Theology Online

Whalesnail · **Looking for answers about Noah's Ark. -** January 3rd, 2012, 03:41 AM

As somewhat of a christian, I was startled the other day to receive an argument from an atheist friend (someone I playfully argue with, nothing heated) who asked some questions about the story that I simply couldn't answer. He asked me How big noah's ark would have to have been.

I thought about it for the rest of the day and came to a few road-blocks. Noah had to adopt every species on the planet into the care of his boat. How would he have done that? I mean, it made sense at first. Chickens, Pigs, Birds, Horses. But then I started to think deeper. What about the creatures that lived in the ocean? How could it be possible that Noah had gone out to the sea one day and carried a pair of blue whales onto his ark? What about the creatures that live at the base of the ocean, too far for Noah to have swam.

What about the creatures that lived on yet-discovered continents? Some of these creatures are absolutely massive. The ark would have had to have been double the size of Manhattan! How can I believe in a book that clearly makes no sense?

MrDeets · January 3rd, 2012, 03:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Whalesnail

As somewhat of a christian, I was startled the other day to receive an argument from an atheist friend (someone I playfully argue with, nothing heated) who asked some questions about the story that I simply couldn't answer. He asked me How big noah's ark would have to have been.

I thought about it for the rest of the day and came to a few road-blocks. Noah had to adopt every species on the planet into the care of his boat. How would he have done that? I mean, it made sense at first. Chickens, Pigs, Birds, Horses. But then I started to think deeper. What about the creatures that lived in the ocean? How could it be possible that Noah had gone out to the sea one day and carried a pair of blue whales onto his ark? What about the creatures that live at the base of the ocean, too far for Noah to have swam.

What about the creatures that lived on yet-discovered continents? Some of these creatures are absolutely massive. The ark would have had to have been double the size of Manhattan! How can I believe in a book that clearly makes no sense?

How can you start our relationship with a lie? Somewhat of a christian, with atheist on your info??

Welcome to TOL...

Whalesnail · January 3rd, 2012, 03:50 AM

Perhaps I should have stated this in my original post, but I am not looking for any argument or fight. Only answers. And besides, if I am obviously wrong, wouldn't logical proof of that be easy to provide? I'm just so confused...

csuguy · January 3rd, 2012, 03:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Whalesnail

Perhaps I should have stated this in my original post, but I am not looking for any argument or fight. Only answers. And besides, if I am obviously wrong, wouldn't logical proof of that be easy to provide? I'm just so confused...

He makes a fair point though: why, as a 'somewhat Christian,' are you listed as an atheist? Is this an oversight or done on purpose?

MrDeets · January 3rd, 2012, 04:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Whalesnail

Perhaps I should have stated this in my original post, but I am not looking for any argument or fight. Only answers. And besides, if I am obviously wrong, wouldn't logical proof of that be easy to provide? I'm just so confused...

*Ahem*. At theologyonline.com, we have seen

ers and

before. Generally, when someones first post here shows us they are a liar(see post #2), we have a hard time taking them seriously. In the last few weeks, we have been innundated with morons and folks spoiling to fight over nothing. Someone may have the patience to answer your question, but it isn't me. To be honest I'm not a historian, anyway. Call my belief and support of the story of Noah faith... I bet you'll love that answer.

csuguy · January 3rd, 2012, 03:53 AM

Not all Christians understand Noah's ark literally. However, I believe the answers to your questions lie in the text itself. The text provides specific measurements for the ark and also tells us that the animals came to Noah, not the other way around. As for sea critters; obviously they wouldn't have had to have been on the ark; Noah's responsibility was land critters.

Whalesnail · January 3rd, 2012, 03:59 AM

I listed myself as an atheist?

well that was a terrible mistake.

As for the sea creatures, wouldn't the water from the flood drastically throw off the ratio of salt-water in the ocean, killing the marine animals? Ask any owner of fish, keeping the right ratio is crucial to your pet's health.

I'm going to go update my profile now. I feel like an enourmous fool

.

csuguy · January 3rd, 2012, 04:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Whalesnail

I listed myself as an atheist?

well that was a terrible mistake.

As for the sea creatures, wouldn't the water from the flood drastically throw off the ratio of salt-water in the ocean, killing the marine animals? Ask any owner of fish, keeping the right ratio is crucial to your pet's health.

I'm going to go update my profile now. I feel like an enourmous fool

.

Haha, np.

The salt-water ratio may have been messed with, but that would be God's responsibility to deal with; Noahs was only to look after land animals. Or do you think God incapable of modifying the 'rules,' as it were, when bringing something about?

Whalesnail · January 3rd, 2012, 04:11 AM

I never thought of it like that... Thanks!

Gill White · January 3rd, 2012, 05:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Whalesnail

As somewhat of a christian, I was startled the other day to receive an argument from an atheist friend (someone I playfully argue with, nothing heated) who asked some questions about the story that I simply couldn't answer. He asked me How big noah's ark would have to have been.

I thought about it for the rest of the day and came to a few road-blocks. Noah had to adopt every species on the planet into the care of his boat. How would he have done that? I mean, it made sense at first. Chickens, Pigs, Birds, Horses. But then I started to think deeper. What about the creatures that lived in the ocean? How could it be possible that Noah had gone out to the sea one day and carried a pair of blue whales onto his ark? What about the creatures that live at the base of the ocean, too far for Noah to have swam.

What about the creatures that lived on yet-discovered continents? Some of these creatures are absolutely massive. The ark would have had to have been double the size of Manhattan! How can I believe in a book that clearly makes no sense?

Why do whales have to put on the ark?

Gen 6:7
(7) And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.

Gen 6:17
(17) And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.

Gen 7:21-23
(21) Every creature that crawls on the earth died, including birds, domestic and wild animals, and everything that swarms over the earth, along with every human.
(22) Everything on dry land (every living, breathing creature) died.
(23) Every living creature on the face of the earth was wiped out. Humans, domestic animals, crawling creatures, and birds were wiped off the earth. Only Noah and those with him in the ship were left.

Nothing in these verses tells us, that fishes or whales were inlcuded in this destruction.

I did a study on this some time back, and when you calculate the time God told Noah, to build this ark, it took Noah about 98-100 years.

Also God sent the animals to Noah, he did not go looking for them:

Gen 6:20 (ERV)
(20) Two of every kind of bird, animal, and creeping thing will come to you so that you might keep them alive.

Gen 6:20
(20) Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive.

One Eyed Jack · January 3rd, 2012, 05:18 AM

You could check out www.worldwideflood.com.

Sealeaf · January 3rd, 2012, 05:58 AM

Because the flood story appears in other places that the OT, it is at least a common folk tale amoung the ancient peoples of the middle east. Given this there exists a real possiblity that it is based on the societal memory of a real event.
The mediteranian basin and the Black Sea basin both may have been flooded in prehistoric but human times. Most likely is that the Black Sea basin harbored a prehistoric human culture. There are enigmatic ruins on the shore of the Danube river that are believed by acheologists to represent a small permanent stone age town that existed in a mild pocket climate during the ice age. The ruins are tentatively dated as going back 30,000 years. The Danube runs into the Black Sea. As the ice melted sealevels rose approximately 300 feet. At some point it started to run through the valley where Istanbul is now. It is not beyond the relm of the possible that some local guy 10000 years ago noticed that there was a salt water brook running through his field, took a walk up it and saw an ocean and put 2 and 2 together, gathered up his family and his live stock put them on the biggest boat he could build to ride out the coming flood.

This was in pre literate times so the survivors passed his story on and added a moral to it and eventually it finds its way into the Old Testament and the Saga of Gilgamesh.