Freethought & Rationalism Archive

stupiddrummer · 12-20-2003, 05:20 PM

Hello everybody! First, let me say high. I'm new to the forum, so go easy on me. I've made a few replies, but this is my first thread- sorry if it's been done before (I'm sure it must have)!

First, I'll be honest with you. I don't know as much about religion as many people here. Science is more my thing. I don't know the bible back to front, so if I'm wrong about anything, please feel free to call me on it!

Anyway, I've been thinking a bit about the great flood. God turns around and says "nope. I don't like it" and decides to start again. Someone (can't remember who) used the analogy of an Etch-a-Sketch

. He grabs Noah and tells him he's going to wipe out the whole of life on the planet, except him, his family, and two of each animal.

Question the first: Why was Noah chosen? He must have been pretty special to be chosen out of the entire world to survive.

Question second: Was Noah slightly taken aback by his creator's sudden decision to commit... what would be the word? Don't think genocide quite covers it!

Question third: Why a flood? Surely He could think of a better way of exterminating life on Earth? For that matter, why didn't he just remake the Earth and all life? That would have taken, what, an hour or so? Why spend 40 days? Is there even that much water on planet?

Question four: Given that we 'know' the measurements of the ark (well, it says it in the bible), would it be big enough to hold that many animals with enough space for, say, movement? Bearing in mind that, assuming that evolution is false, there must have been at least as many species on the ark as exist in the world today (plus all those we've managed to kill off since then). That is a lot of animals!

Question five: Surely a lot of species must have been lost if, say, one of the pair died from malnutrition or something. I mean how many insects must have been killed off in that voyage!

Question six: Did they really take two of every animal? What about the haemaphroditic (is that a word?) one's?

Question seven: What about plant life that will have been killed off in the flood? Did God not care about them? Then where has the current flaura and forna come from?

Question eight: (An oldie, but a goody) Errm... A flood isn't really going to bother a lot of animals! You know, the ones that live in water. Did God not worry about evil fish? And animals that fly? That's a pretty sizable population of the animal kingdom right there!

Anyway, I could go on all night with these... But lastly

Question nine: Was God not a little bit foolish to entrust such a large task to a single human? Building something like that will have been a hell of a task! What if it had fallen apart? God would have ended up with a big ball of water as the centre of the universe.

But anyway, I'm quite interested to hear if anyone else has thought about any of these, or anything similar, particularly questions 8 and 9, which I've been thinking about for a while.

Cheers!

stupiddrummer

Godless Wonder · 12-20-2003, 05:36 PM

The flood's been done around here before. Last I checked the search function doesn't work, or I'd point you to the thread. Talkorigins.org has a few things to say about the flood. See http://talkorigins.org/origins/faqs-flood.html

stupiddrummer · 12-20-2003, 05:55 PM

Yeah, I wasn't really holding out much hope that I was new and original!

Oh well.

stupiddrummer

Howard · 12-20-2003, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by stupiddrummer
Hello everybody! First, let me say high. I'm new to the forum, so go easy on me. I've made a few replies, but this is my first thread- sorry if it's been done before (I'm sure it must have)!

Hi and welcome. And everything�s been done here� usually to death. Don�t let that stop you.

Quote:

First, I'll be honest with you. I don't know as much about religion as many people here. Science is more my thing. I don't know the bible back to front, so if I'm wrong about anything, please feel free to call me on it!

You can count on that

Quote:

Question the first: Why was Noah chosen? He must have been pretty special to be chosen out of the entire world to survive.

Noah and his family didn�t have �sin genes.� God is big on sexually transmitted sin.

Quote:

Question second: Was Noah slightly taken aback by his creator's sudden decision to commit... what would be the word? Don't think genocide quite covers it!

Hey! Who are you, a stupid drummer, to questions God�s methods? A stupid acoustic guitar player maybe, but not a stupid drummer

Quote:

Question third: Why a flood? Surely He could think of a better way of exterminating life on Earth? For that matter, why didn't he just remake the Earth and all life? That would have taken, what, an hour or so? Why spend 40 days? Is there even that much water on planet?

Floods make for great artwork� and throughout history they have been the deadliest of all natural disasters, er� acts of God, er� whatever.

Quote:

Question four: Given that we 'know' the measurements of the ark (well, it says it in the bible), would it be big enough to hold that many animals with enough space for, say, movement? Bearing in mind that, assuming that evolution is false, there must have been at least as many species on the ark as exist in the world today (plus all those we've managed to kill off since then). That is a lot of animals!

That�s why Noah and his sons brought their wives. Women are great at making do with limited space.

Quote:

Question five: Surely a lot of species must have been lost if, say, one of the pair died from malnutrition or something. I mean how many insects must have been killed off in that voyage!

What� there aren't enough freakin� bugs for you?

Quote:

Question six: Did they really take two of every animal? What about the haemaphroditic (is that a word?) one's?

Watch your language man. This isn�t a smut forum.

Quote:

Question seven: What about plant life that will have been killed off in the flood? Did God not care about them? Then where has the current flaura and forna come from?

Flaura re-germinated and forna screws like a bunny farm.

Quote:

Question eight: (An oldie, but a goody) Errm... A flood isn't really going to bother a lot of animals! You know, the ones that live in water. Did God not worry about evil fish? And animals that fly? That's a pretty sizable population of the animal kingdom right there!

The fish weren�t foul and the fowl weren�t fishy, so they were allowed to live. (Sorry, best I could do off the cuff.)

Quote:

Question nine: Was God not a little bit foolish to entrust such a large task to a single human? Building something like that will have been a hell of a task! What if it had fallen apart? God would have ended up with a big ball of water as the centre of the universe.

Noah was non-union. God knew he�d finish no matter what.

Quote:

But anyway, I'm quite interested to hear if anyone else has thought about any of these, or anything similar, particularly questions 8 and 9, which I've been thinking about for a while.

Maybe you need a hobby.

Quote:

Cheers!

Same to you.

Howard (who has way too much free time.)

Rational BAC · 12-20-2003, 06:46 PM

Not to worry too much. Genesis is a fairy tale. I would say most of the Old Testament is a little on the silly side. Hardly divine inspiration in any of it.

Does not stop anyone from being a Christian.

Not every Christian is a literalist fundy you know.

Valdemar · 12-20-2003, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Howard
[B]

Noah and his family didn�t have �sin genes.� God is big on sexually transmitted sin.

Excellent. Then we can't possibly have a sinful nature because we are all descended from Noah.

Sorry, I'm post-whoring to get to 100.

Postcard73 · 12-20-2003, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by stupiddrummer
Question third: Why a flood? Surely He could think of a better way of exterminating life on Earth? For that matter, why didn't he just remake the Earth and all life? That would have taken, what, an hour or so? Why spend 40 days? Is there even that much water on planet?

Presumably this would have taken six days plus the amount of time it took God to destroy it. I guess it was less tiresome for him to send a flood and he didn't feel like resting again...

sharon45 · 12-20-2003, 10:02 PM

Most of the first books are used with much symbolism. The Noah story shows a lesson in great faith and obedience, while later, introducing the "Noahide Laws".

Howard · 12-21-2003, 02:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Rational BAC
Not to worry too much. Genesis is a fairy tale. I would say most of the Old Testament is a little on the silly side. Hardly divine inspiration in any of it.

Right, but walking on water, casting out demons and coming back form the dead are credible phenomena.

Solsticin · 12-21-2003, 03:12 AM

Quote:

Question six: Did they really take two of every animal? What about the haemaphroditic (is that a word?) one's?

Actually, that "two of each animal" thing drives me crazy. I've never figured that out. He took seven of each clean animal and 2 of only the unclean animals. What's this obsession with unclean animals?

If I remember right, the extra 5 of each clean animal were for eating if needed. My Biblical scholar days are long gone, and I don't crak that toilet paper holder open unless necessary anymore, so I'm not looking it up, sorry

(Seriously though, I will look it up if you need more info, I'm just lazy and it's late. You sound like a fellow drummer, so you have my eternal devotion

)

12-20-2003, 05:20 PM	#1
stupiddrummer Regular Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Leamington Spa, Midlands, UK Posts: 250	Some questions about Noah Hello everybody! First, let me say high. I'm new to the forum, so go easy on me. I've made a few replies, but this is my first thread- sorry if it's been done before (I'm sure it must have)! First, I'll be honest with you. I don't know as much about religion as many people here. Science is more my thing. I don't know the bible back to front, so if I'm wrong about anything, please feel free to call me on it! Anyway, I've been thinking a bit about the great flood. God turns around and says "nope. I don't like it" and decides to start again. Someone (can't remember who) used the analogy of an Etch-a-Sketch . He grabs Noah and tells him he's going to wipe out the whole of life on the planet, except him, his family, and two of each animal. Question the first: Why was Noah chosen? He must have been pretty special to be chosen out of the entire world to survive. Question second: Was Noah slightly taken aback by his creator's sudden decision to commit... what would be the word? Don't think genocide quite covers it! Question third: Why a flood? Surely He could think of a better way of exterminating life on Earth? For that matter, why didn't he just remake the Earth and all life? That would have taken, what, an hour or so? Why spend 40 days? Is there even that much water on planet? Question four: Given that we 'know' the measurements of the ark (well, it says it in the bible), would it be big enough to hold that many animals with enough space for, say, movement? Bearing in mind that, assuming that evolution is false, there must have been at least as many species on the ark as exist in the world today (plus all those we've managed to kill off since then). That is a lot of animals! Question five: Surely a lot of species must have been lost if, say, one of the pair died from malnutrition or something. I mean how many insects must have been killed off in that voyage! Question six: Did they really take two of every animal? What about the haemaphroditic (is that a word?) one's? Question seven: What about plant life that will have been killed off in the flood? Did God not care about them? Then where has the current flaura and forna come from? Question eight: (An oldie, but a goody) Errm... A flood isn't really going to bother a lot of animals! You know, the ones that live in water. Did God not worry about evil fish? And animals that fly? That's a pretty sizable population of the animal kingdom right there! Anyway, I could go on all night with these... But lastly Question nine: Was God not a little bit foolish to entrust such a large task to a single human? Building something like that will have been a hell of a task! What if it had fallen apart? God would have ended up with a big ball of water as the centre of the universe. But anyway, I'm quite interested to hear if anyone else has thought about any of these, or anything similar, particularly questions 8 and 9, which I've been thinking about for a while. Cheers! stupiddrummer

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12-20-2003, 05:36 PM	#2
Godless Wonder Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 4,197	The flood's been done around here before. Last I checked the search function doesn't work, or I'd point you to the thread. Talkorigins.org has a few things to say about the flood. See http://talkorigins.org/origins/faqs-flood.html

12-20-2003, 05:55 PM	#3
stupiddrummer Regular Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Leamington Spa, Midlands, UK Posts: 250	Yeah, I wasn't really holding out much hope that I was new and original! Oh well. stupiddrummer

12-20-2003, 06:46 PM	#5
Rational BAC Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Tampa Bay area Posts: 3,471	Not to worry too much. Genesis is a fairy tale. I would say most of the Old Testament is a little on the silly side. Hardly divine inspiration in any of it. Does not stop anyone from being a Christian. Not every Christian is a literalist fundy you know.

12-20-2003, 10:02 PM	#8
sharon45 Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Southwest, US Posts: 8,759	Most of the first books are used with much symbolism. The Noah story shows a lesson in great faith and obedience, while later, introducing the "Noahide Laws".

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