Freethought & Rationalism Archive

TheBear · 07-09-2007, 08:34 PM

Creationists use flood legends from all over the world, as support for the great flood story of the Bible.

Obvious from the Biblical story - Noah and immediate family were the only ones to survive the great flood. So, that rules out any other witness to the flood, talking about anything. According to the story, they all got killed by the flood. That leaves us with Noah and his incestuous descendants. (How else do you explain it? Same with Adam and his incestuous descendants) And it leads to the question of how there are flood legends in places like Australia, and other remote places. These are just some questions. I don't want to dwell on this part too much. Just wanted to give some background and perspective.

Main point of the thread -

Given that all that were so, why would an all powerful god, who has vowed to protect his 'word' throughout all ages, allow such vastly different legends? Or, to put it another way, why aren't all the legends from the various parts of the world, exactly the same?

Also, what does this say about the reliability of oral tradition?

ericmurphy · 07-09-2007, 08:40 PM

I can't wait to see AFDave's posts here.

Vampyroteuthis · 07-09-2007, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheBear

why aren't all the legends from the various parts of the world, exactly the same?

Satan twisted the other flood legends to try to fool the true believers. Just the same as his planting the dino bones. :devil1:

Occam's Aftershave · 07-09-2007, 09:06 PM

TalkOrigins has a large collection of Flood stories from cultures all around the world.

Flood Myths

As you have noted, pretty much the only thing they all have in common is water.

One would think that they should all agree, considering that all of them must have been written by the direct descendants of Noah well after the Biblical Flood?

Now who here keeps preaching to us that oral and written historical records should be considered the highest indicators of truth and accuracy?

RAFH · 07-09-2007, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Occam's Aftershave

TalkOrigins has a large collection of Flood stories from cultures all around the world.

Flood Myths

As you have noted, pretty much the only thing they all have in common is water.

One would think that they should all agree, considering that all of them must have been written by the direct descendants of Noah well after the Biblical Flood?

Now who here keeps preaching to us that oral and written historical records should be considered the highest indicators of truth and accuracy?

Well, liquid anyway.

GolfVixen · 07-09-2007, 10:36 PM

If I were a creationist, I would argue that there are multiple versions of the flood stories around the world because Noah and his sons told the story to their descendants, and it got passed down generation from generation. And since they believe that everyone person from every corner of the globe is a direct descendant of this line, that this is how it was acquired. Therefore, every culture is telling the exact same story because there was only one story to start with. Just thought I'd play the devil's advocate...

ericmurphy · 07-09-2007, 11:05 PM

Except that they're not telling the exact same story.

Not even close.

rfmwinnie · 07-09-2007, 11:08 PM

Well, that is an easy one. Because humans are imperfect errors crept in when they passed the story down. When God confused the languages at the tower of babel the people spread out and confused their stories. God evidently doesn't care just like he doesn't care about the possibility of multiple gods (think of Hindus or the Romans) because he provided the truth for his followers to find if they just read the bible.

So the other stories are corrupted versions of the original story.

Or so my mom would say.

GolfVixen · 07-10-2007, 09:27 AM

Sorry, I didn't mean the the exact same story. Sorry for sounding misleading. I was trying to say what frmwinnie said so well.

TheBear · 07-11-2007, 02:36 PM

Anything from creationists? :huh:

07-09-2007, 08:34 PM	#1
TheBear Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: US Posts: 3,949	Worldwide Flood Legends - Oral Tradition Creationists use flood legends from all over the world, as support for the great flood story of the Bible. Obvious from the Biblical story - Noah and immediate family were the only ones to survive the great flood. So, that rules out any other witness to the flood, talking about anything. According to the story, they all got killed by the flood. That leaves us with Noah and his incestuous descendants. (How else do you explain it? Same with Adam and his incestuous descendants) And it leads to the question of how there are flood legends in places like Australia, and other remote places. These are just some questions. I don't want to dwell on this part too much. Just wanted to give some background and perspective. Main point of the thread - Given that all that were so, why would an all powerful god, who has vowed to protect his 'word' throughout all ages, allow such vastly different legends? Or, to put it another way, why aren't all the legends from the various parts of the world, exactly the same? Also, what does this say about the reliability of oral tradition?

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

07-09-2007, 08:40 PM	#2
ericmurphy Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 3,027	I can't wait to see AFDave's posts here.

07-09-2007, 09:06 PM	#4
Occam's Aftershave Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: California Posts: 2,215	TalkOrigins has a large collection of Flood stories from cultures all around the world. Flood Myths As you have noted, pretty much the only thing they all have in common is water. One would think that they should all agree, considering that all of them must have been written by the direct descendants of Noah well after the Biblical Flood? Now who here keeps preaching to us that oral and written historical records should be considered the highest indicators of truth and accuracy?

07-09-2007, 10:36 PM	#6
GolfVixen Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 1,374	If I were a creationist, I would argue that there are multiple versions of the flood stories around the world because Noah and his sons told the story to their descendants, and it got passed down generation from generation. And since they believe that everyone person from every corner of the globe is a direct descendant of this line, that this is how it was acquired. Therefore, every culture is telling the exact same story because there was only one story to start with. Just thought I'd play the devil's advocate...

07-09-2007, 11:05 PM	#7
ericmurphy Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 3,027	Except that they're not telling the exact same story. Not even close.

07-09-2007, 11:08 PM	#8
rfmwinnie Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Phoenix Posts: 1,494	Well, that is an easy one. Because humans are imperfect errors crept in when they passed the story down. When God confused the languages at the tower of babel the people spread out and confused their stories. God evidently doesn't care just like he doesn't care about the possibility of multiple gods (think of Hindus or the Romans) because he provided the truth for his followers to find if they just read the bible. So the other stories are corrupted versions of the original story. Or so my mom would say.

07-10-2007, 09:27 AM	#9
GolfVixen Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 1,374	Sorry, I didn't mean the the exact same story. Sorry for sounding misleading. I was trying to say what frmwinnie said so well.

07-11-2007, 02:36 PM	#10
TheBear Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: US Posts: 3,949	Anything from creationists? :huh:

Freethought & Rationalism Archive

The archives are read only.