Is there any evidence of a world-wide flood?

[FabiusMaximus]

Is there evidence that perhaps there was a massive flood in Mesopotamia and it’s surrounding areas?

 

[Keith_W_OR_USA]

Your Church teaches the Bible was inspired by God. Adam & Eve = real people. Abraham & Moses = real people. Why are you Catholic if you don’t believe that’s true?

When I was 7 years old I was confirmed Catholic. Had I been asked to be a confirmed Catholic at the age of twenty the answer would have been no.

 

[FabiusMaximus]

When I was 7 years old I was confirmed Catholic. Had I been asked to be a confirmed Catholic at the age of twenty the answer would have been no.

Then why profess yourself to be Catholic?

 

[Keith_W_OR_USA]

Then why profess yourself to be Catholic?

The Church confirmed me Catholic, so it is stuck with it’s decision. I don’t believe in elves, goblins and fairy tales. Anyone that has had a history education would easily know the stories in the bible are fables written by men. Just like the Book of Mormon was made up by Joseph Smith and his cohorts during the 1800’s.

 

[FabiusMaximus]

The Church confirmed me Catholic, so it is stuck with it’s decision. I don’t believe in elves, goblins and fairy tales. Anyone that has had a history education would easily know the stories in the bible are fables written by men. Just like the Book of Mormon was made up by Joseph Smith and his cohorts during the 1800’s.

I study history, and I vehemently disagree with you. Indeed, the Bible itself contains valuable historical knowledge that historians use to piece together the history of that time period. And the New Testament especially is not even close to being a “fable” regardless of whether one believes in the resurrection or not.

Additionally, it doesn’t seem to make sense to accept the definition of Catholic if you reject the Church’s teachings. After all, the Church doesn’t point a gun to your head and force you to attend Mass.

 

[minkymurph]

Are there any traces of evidence of Noahs flood?

Just about every ancient civilization from the Eskimos to the Babylonians have a flood legend.
A consistent vein that runs through all legends would suggest something happened. Legends or ‘myths’ are not solely imagination. They may be embellished and elaborated, but stem from an event, something that happened.

In my view, there was a flood as a consequence of polar ice caps melting.

 

[yellowbird]

The Church confirmed me Catholic, so it is stuck with it’s decision. I don’t believe in elves, goblins and fairy tales. Anyone that has had a history education would easily know the stories in the bible are fables written by men. Just like the Book of Mormon was made up by Joseph Smith and his cohorts during the 1800’s.

Well, I disagree. I think the Bible was inspired by God, and I’m glad for that. And regardless of how you became Catholic - here you are. And I’m glad for that too.

We’re all a work in progress…

God bless.

 

[adrift]

I study history, and I vehemently disagree with you. Indeed, the Bible itself contains valuable historical knowledge that historians use to piece together the history of that time period. And the New Testament especially is not even close to being a “fable” regardless of whether one believes in the resurrection or not.

Additionally, it doesn’t seem to make sense to accept the definition of Catholic if you reject the Church’s teachings. After all, the Church doesn’t point a gun to your head and force you to attend Mass.

I found this on the web Scientific Evidence for a Worldwide Flood

Of paticular interest was

Marine Fossils In The Mountains:
In Mountains all over the world one can find sea shells and other marine fossils. These include the Sierras, the Swiss Alps, the Himalayas and many more. 49,50,51,52,53 For more on this subject see the following video 54 by Dr. Walter Brown.

There are fossils in the Rocky Mountains that I have seen.

I am not sure if I believe in a planet wide flood. By I do believe that the flood of the Bible did destroy what human population existed hence the whole world.

Fossil record does indicate at one time much of the land masses were under water…but not in the time frame of a mythical "Noah and his ark

How do you know the time frame?

 

[arabic_catholic]

I believe Noah flood is a symbol for baptism which wash the sin , and the ship is a symbol for the church , the few people means few are saved and listen to the truth. this is the important thing . other then that it’s just a story written in a different ancient traditions

 

[Keith_W_OR_USA]

I study history, and I vehemently disagree with you. Indeed, the Bible itself contains valuable historical knowledge that historians use to piece together the history of that time period. And the New Testament especially is not even close to being a “fable” regardless of whether one believes in the resurrection or not.

Additionally, it doesn’t seem to make sense to accept the definition of Catholic if you reject the Church’s teachings. After all, the Church doesn’t point a gun to your head and force you to attend Mass.

Well I’m a liberal and the Church is stuck with me and all my friends. I find going to mass to be relaxing and helps me in my spiritual journey. Just because I think the Story of Adam and Eve and Moses are contrived doesn’t mean I don’t believe in a God at all. I pick and choose what I want to believe. The reason I do that is because I have free will that God gave me and everyone else in the world.

 

[adrift]

I believe Noah flood is a symbol for baptism which wash the sin , and the ship is a symbol for the church , the few people means few are saved and listen to the truth. this is the important thing . other then that it’s just a story written in a different ancient traditions

I believe that it is connected to baptism as well as we read in 1 Peter

18For Christ also suffered* for sins once, the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous, that he might lead you to God. Put to death in the flesh, he was brought to life in the spirit.g 19In it he also went to preach to the spirits in prison,* 20who had once been disobedient while God patiently waited in the days of Noah during the building of the ark, in which a few persons, eight in all, were saved through water.h 21This prefigured baptism, which saves you now. It is not a removal of dirt from the body but an appeal to God* for a clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

I don’t believe it was just a story. I think if that were the case, much would be lost.

 

[JonNC]

No, The Noah flood is a tale from the Mesopotamia Societies and was part of many myths that were incorporated into old testament writings. There was no Adam and Eve, No Abraham or Moses. These are just stories people told each other and was put into writing by those authors.

Curious. I understand your position regarding the flood, adam and Eve, etc. But Moses is a historic individual. I don’t believe this is in question. My curiousity, however, is where do believe the mythos (a much better word for what you are describing than fable) ends and historical fact begins? Do you see a distinction between OT and NT?

Jon

 

[minkymurph]

Is there evidence that perhaps there was a massive flood in Mesopotamia and it’s surrounding areas?

I had read several theories. One theory is the flood described in Genesis was a localized flood. However, there is also evidence of flooding in South America in the same time period.

Personally, I don’t see why anyone would have a problem with the flood, as there is every possibility there where floods, or a flood. To me, even the most staunch atheist could not conclude nothing in the bible actually happened.

 

[PRmerger]

No, The Noah flood is a tale from the Mesopotamia Societies and was part of many myths that were incorporated into old testament writings. There was no Adam and Eve, No Abraham or Moses. These are just stories people told each other and was put into writing by those authors.

I am curious. Battles are also mentioned in many myths.

Do you believe that there are no such things as battles in reality?

 

[PumpkinSeed]

Just about every ancient civilization from the Eskimos to the Babylonians have a flood legend.
A consistent vein that runs through all legends would suggest something happened. Legends or ‘myths’ are not solely imagination. They may be embellished and elaborated, but stem from an event, something that happened.

In my view, there was a flood as a consequence of polar ice caps melting.

Yes, I have heard about that.

Interesting enough, there are a few people in the world who still know the flood story.

Technically since all was destroyed, we came from noah, his wife, and his kids. The story passed down, and even after all these generations there are some people who still have the real story account.

I think that was on the history channel or something.

But its interesting to know that the story is still being passed down, in Noah’s own words.


Of course you can still find it in the bible, but I mean the actual story of it. I’m not sure if it was one of noahs children or his grandchildren. But the story still passed down even after all the time thats passed.

 

[rossum]

I am curious. Battles are also mentioned in many myths.

Do you believe that there are no such things as battles in reality?

Do you believe that there was once one very big battle that covered the whole world for a year?

Humans tend to live near rivers, so the places where humans live tend to flood. It is not unusual for those places to flood. There are lots of stories of floods, just as there are lots of stories of battles. Lots of local battles do not make a single extremely large battle. Lots of local floods do not make a single extremely large flood.

rossum

 

[PRmerger]

Do you believe that there was once one very big battle that covered the whole world for a year?

Humans tend to live near rivers, so the places where humans live tend to flood. It is not unusual for those places to flood. There are lots of stories of floods, just as there are lots of stories of battles. Lots of local battles do not make a single extremely large battle. Lots of local floods do not make a single extremely large flood.

rossum

Actually, rossum, I think you were being too literal with my post.

I was addressing this false paradigm: there are ancient myths that describe a flood, therefore there could not have been a true flood as depicted in the Bible.

Clearly, that is a false assignation. Why? Just because myths mention [Concept A] does not necessarily mean that [Concept A] doesn’t exist. To wit: battles. Myths describe battles, but that doesn’t mean that battles don’t really exist.

As to whether there was a worldwide flood, I am an agnostic about that.

 

[minkymurph]

Lots of local floods do not make a single extremely large flood.

No - but they make lots of localized flooding on a global scale, and may be connected in terms of a common cause.

 

[PumpkinSeed]

So, I take it that there is no evidence of a world wide flood?

Obviously there would be evidence for small floods, but I’m talking Noahs flood.

 

[Cat]

So, I take it that there is no evidence of a world wide flood?

Obviously there would be evidence for small floods, but I’m talking Noahs flood.

Yes, there is, but I am not the one to go through it with you. I’m trying to talk my husband into getting on this forum and responding to you.

In the meantime, perhaps you could check out the Journal of Creation. This is a real journal with contributions by scientists, not preachers. Here is the link to the archives about the Flood: creation.com/article/6399