Is Noah's arc meant to be a true story for christians?

Most ancient myth's are usually based on ancient facts passed on by the tribal leaders who's illusions ( a false beliefs) are passed on by word of mouth , and we all know how how accurate that means of propaganda is... Needs a lot of belief, illusion, and illusionists, with a good smattering of faith over the top, A large dollop of manipulation of young minds and or a very sponge like Mindset that absorbs only what sounds right and feels good.

I don't even understand why he needed a boat. He blinked the freaking universe into existence, why go through all that rigmarole?

Mankind. Look at how people ask questions about it now. If he had just gone zap, floated the animals in the air until the waters were gone....................................that's just a guess on my part. Scripture doesn't tell us God's reasons for everything He does.

My impression is that there is rarely any reason given for God's actions - it's all pretty arbitary - sure we're talking about it now but mostly to say it's a myth or distortion, but hey, he's God; he's allowed to not prove he exists AND provide circumstantial evidence for why he doesn't.

I feel really sorry for him - being omniscient he knows how this is going to end but he seems disinclined to push the fast forward button. I'd be so freakin' bored.

Yeah... that's why they invented the bibble... trying to turn myth int fact.

I just had a thought - this is old testament, so it's also a true story for Jews. I wonder what their scholars generally make of it?

That's not really true. Plenty of stories in the bible do tell us exactly why God did what He did. But things like the ark, not so much.

Okay, bear with me one second. Not asking you to believe a single thing, just asking you one simple question. IF He exists, and IF He is what scripture says He is, it seems kind of irrational to not believe. But, that's not what it's about. It's all about faith. I used to argue on the S&R threads continuously. But, thank goodness, someone stepped in and got me to understand I don't need to do that.

He didn't have to float anything in the air, he didn't need a flood. If "he" even exists at all, and he is what is advertised, he just could have zapped the wicked ones to cinders and gone on from there. The ark story is just a recension of a myth that existed before the Jews showed up.

He could have done it anyway He wanted to. Yep.

By the way, it is thought that the flood story might be based on the event in which the Black Sea came into existence. Flood stories are far older than the bible.

I have the utmost respect for your beliefs Arella and have no desire to turn this into a typical A2K bunfight about religion.

But the faith thing. God made me without the ability to believe without evidence. It's his fault I'm going to hell.

It's arbitrary like nature is today; great floods, volcanoes, tsunamis, landslides, and wars. One minute you're living, and the next second - poof! you're gone from this world.

They are fairly universal in the pre-Judaic religions I believe I've read.

And I respect yours also. Thank you. It is nice to be able to civilly discuss.

Yes, and in particular, in the Epic of Gilgamesh. That is considered by many scholars to be the oldest piece of literature ever discovered. It was enjoying a new popularity at the time of the so-called Babylonian captivity of the Jews, and it is highly likely that they picked the tale up at that time--although i doubt that they'd ever admit it.

You can read about the Epic of Gilgamesh by clicking here. The Jews did a major overhaul of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the bible) after the Persians let them go back to Palestine, and they likely incorporated the new stuff they had read when they got back "home." As i say, they're not likely to admit it, because of the same old scriptural inerrancy schtick the religious have got going on. They'll tell you they got it all directly from god.

Here's the Wikipedia article on the sense of the current theories about the Black Sea.

This is an article on the Black Sea deluge being an explanation for the flood stories.

By the way, that last source, "Religious Tolerance dot org," is a great source for information about religion and religious groups.

Hey now some schzophranic set around a camp fire in the village that eventualy developed the morals of our society. Give the guy a break he did the best he could with the knoledge he had at that time

i prefer consciouness ot the bicameral minf but i will give him a break if you proff-read ur posts?

http://www.julianjaynes.org/

Deal

groan