Jews, Christians, and Muslims: If the flood story is true

[Egyptian Phoenix]

Why do other cultures have differing flood myths, such as the one found in the epic of Gilgamesh? Further more, how did Noah fit all the animals on the ark? Lastly, how did Noah get all the animals in the world to the Middle East to get them on the ark, and then get them back to their native lands after? Example: Kangaroos, koalas, polar bears, artic foxes, pandas, etc. How did they all get to the Middle East, then back wherever they came from?

[Odion]

Are you after only Jewish, Christian and Muslim responses in this thread?

[Egyptian Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Odion

Are you after only Jewish, Christian and Muslim responses in this thread?

No. Naturally, if I was, I'd put it in the Abrahamic Religions DIR. I may address a certain group in the thread, but I always want it to be open to everyone.

[Odion]

Fair enough.

There are many Christians who consider the Biblical flood of Genesis to be a local geographic flood.

I think it might be oral history from the last Ice Age that became more exaggerated, though. The Aegean Basin flooded about 11,000 years ago, close to the end of the last ice age, that seems a most logical basis for the story of Noah & Gilgamesh that originated in the Middle East, in my view. Each faith would have added their own story to go with how and why this 'flood' happened though. Since this flood became ever-larger as time went on, it became a worldwide flood to the people, and then the story of a survivor or two explains why humanity and animals didn't die out.

That's my view on a possible explanation to the Deluge.

[I.S.L.A.M617]

Originally Posted by Odion

Fair enough.

There are many Christians who consider the Biblical flood of Genesis to be a local geographic flood.

I think it might be oral history from the last Ice Age that became more exaggerated, though. The Aegean Basin flooded about 11,000 years ago, close to the end of the last ice age, that seems a most logical basis for the story of Noah & Gilgamesh that originated in the Middle East, in my view. Each faith would have added their own story to go with how and why this 'flood' happened though. Since this flood became ever-larger as time went on, it became a worldwide flood to the people, and then the story of a survivor or two explains why humanity and animals didn't die out.

That's my view on a possible explanation to the Deluge.

Sounds reasonable enough. A lot more believable than a party cruise filled with animals and a drunk old man.

[fallingblood]

Originally Posted by Yosef1986

Why do other cultures have differing flood myths, such as the one found in the epic of Gilgamesh?

Because it was a global flood that everyone was aware of. Since Hebrews were naturally the first people, and Noah's family being the family that all other people after the flood originated from, and who spread across the earth, they naturally all knew of the story

Further more, how did Noah fit all the animals on the ark?

It was a big ark. God knew how many animals there was, and since he is all powerful, he was able to fit them all on that boat.

Lastly, how did Noah get all the animals in the world to the Middle East to get them on the ark, and then get them back to their native lands after? Example: Kangaroos, koalas, polar bears, artic foxes, pandas, etc. How did they all get to the Middle East, then back wherever they came from?

God did it. After the flood, the Earth was still one giant continent, so God just had all of the animals go back from where they came from, and then he split the continents apart.

Really, if one is going to assume that God created a global flood, the rest of the questions are easy to answer.

Now, I do not believe any of this, but I was once a fundamentalist Christian, and these answer, even though simplified and some what sarcastic, explain the idea well enough.

[I.S.L.A.M617]

It was a big ark. God knew how many animals there was, and since he is all powerful, he was able to fit them all on that boat.

450 ft long, 175 ft across, 45 ft high. Definitely not big enough to fit even one of every animal. I also have an issue with where exactly all the animals crapped, and how Noah's family kept up with the cleaning of all that crap and still had time to do other things. That boat must have reeked after 40 days. I guess that story could explain the platypus though; lonely duck, lonely beaver, you know...

[Zardoz]

Originally Posted by Odion

...There are many Christians who consider the Biblical flood of Genesis to be a local geographic flood.

I think it might be oral history from the last Ice Age that became more exaggerated, though. The Aegean Basin flooded about 11,000 years ago, close to the end of the last ice age, that seems a most logical basis for the story of Noah & Gilgamesh that originated in the Middle East, in my view. Each faith would have added their own story to go with how and why this 'flood' happened though. Since this flood became ever-larger as time went on, it became a worldwide flood to the people, and then the story of a survivor or two explains why humanity and animals didn't die out...

That's pretty much how I see it. No Polar Bears on the Ark, sorry, it was local... but massive!

National Geographic: Noah’s Flood/Black Sea Expedition

[fallingblood]

Originally Posted by I.S.L.A.M617

450 ft long, 175 ft across, 45 ft high. Definitely not big enough to fit even one of every animal. I also have an issue with where exactly all the animals crapped, and how Noah's family kept up with the cleaning of all that crap and still had time to do other things. That boat must have reeked after 40 days. I guess that story could explain the platypus though; lonely duck, lonely beaver, you know...

I agree that the ark, as described, would not be big enough, but God isn't bound by that logic. He could have just shrunk them. As for the crap, it could have been recycled as food. Easier to digest as it's already been digested for them.




Again, what I stated is not my actual belief.

[Egyptian Phoenix]

I think it's a myth myself, I'm just trying to find out how Christians or Muslims explain it, if they believe it to be literally too. You know I was once a Muslim, so I know fully well Muslims believe it to be literal, and I believed it was a local flood, but I'm not sure all Muslims believe that.