quote:WASHINGTON (AP) - An expedition is being planned for this summer to the upper reaches of Turkey's Mount Ararat where organizers hope to prove an object nestled amid the snow and ice is Noah's Ark.
A joint U.S.-Turkish team of 10 explorers plans to make the arduous trek up Turkey's tallest mountain, at 5,430 metres, from July 15 to August 15, subject to the approval of the Turkish government, said Daniel McGivern, president of Shamrock-The Trinity Corporation of Honolulu, Hawaii.
The goal: to enter what they believe to be a mammoth structure some 14 metres high, 23 metres wide and up to 137 metres long that was exposed in part by last summer's heat wave in Europe.
If it does turn out to be a big boat of about the right dimensions, what will this do for the credibility of the scriptural account? For archaeology? For history? My mind boggles...
People have said for years how the Bible can't be taken for history. Especially so far back. I'm eagerly awaiting what might happen if I can start arguing "Well, they found the Ark, didn't they?"
[ April 27, 2004, 05:43 PM: Message edited by: Eaquae Legit ]
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
I doubt anything, those who don't believe will rightly say it proves nothing except that there was once a big boat, and those who do will believe will be more sure (and rightly so) that there is further proof of their beliefs. At least that's my take on it.
Hobbes Posted by pooka (Member # 5003) on :
I'm so glad they aren't bringing anything back. 80 days worth of animal droppings...
quote: Geologists say even though there is evidence of a flood in Mesopotamia in Sumerian times, it is not possible for a ship to make landfall at an altitude as high as Mount Ararat.
This seems a substantial objection. Unless Mt. Ararat rose up at some time subsequent.
I recall an episode of that show with Leonard Nimoy about it. "In search of..." or something like that. I guess I see it as like the shroud of Turin. It might be real, but it could very easily be a fake.
Posted by ReikoDemosthenes (Member # 6218) on :
in any event, a large boat so high up on a mountain gives cause for speculation...
Posted by UofUlawguy (Member # 5492) on :
I remember seeing an entire, film-length documentary on the search for Noah's Ark, that looked like it was made in the 1970's. It was done in a much more serious fashion than the subject matter warrants, in my opinion.
Posted by odouls268 (Member # 2145) on :
quote: "Well, they found the Ark, didn't they?"
To which the reply would come, "No they didn't neccesarily find the Ark, they found a big boat."
Whatever it is will never be proven to be Noah's Ark. But at the same time, I could never prove that I actually sat here and typed this either.
Posted by Eaquae Legit (Member # 3063) on :
Oh, I know. I'm just a bit cranky at being called illogical for my beliefs recently. That bit was more a reaction to that than anything.
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
I believe the ark existed. I am very skeptical that evidence of it will be found. The idea that the ark would still exist in a state remotely resembling a boat is pretty far fetched.
If you accept the Creationist strict timeline it was over 4000 years ago.
How many wooden structures survive 4000 years?
Posted by UTAH (Member # 5032) on :
I'm skeptical of the evidence also, especially after soooo many years???? As far as the believers and the nonbelievers, we have each in abundance, don't we? In the scriptures are accounts of those that saw and spoke to angels and still didn't believe. What are ya' gonna' do. . .
[ April 27, 2004, 07:40 PM: Message edited by: UTAH ]
Posted by UofUlawguy (Member # 5492) on :
I believe the story of Noah, but I believe in a local, not global, Flood, and I don't believe that the present-day Mt. Ararat is where Noah's Ark came to land.
I believe endeavors like the search for the actual Ark make good stories, but I don't take them seriously.
Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
"It's not to be taken literally. It refers to all makers of dairy products."
- Life of Brian
I think if they find a big boat, full of the petrified crap of millions of animal species, and the dimensions are correct, then it's a pretty awesome and mind-boggling discovery.
If, on the other hand, they find rotted wood scattered on a mountainside, it could be anything.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
Eaquae, if they DON'T find the Ark, will you stop believing in the Noah story?
Posted by Eaquae Legit (Member # 3063) on :
No. I just won't have any evidence for my belief, aside from scripture. But since I haven't had any before, this won't come as a huge blow to me.
![[Smile]](smile.gif)