called “Le Lâcher de la colombe” (“The
dove sent forth from the ark”)
Noah’s Ark Ministries International, a Chinese Christian evangelical group, claims to have found “Noah’s ark” in Turkey.
It’s overdue. Various groups have been claiming every 2-3 years that this mythical boat has been found, but actual evidence never finds its way to the hands of independent investigators. The last ark discovered was by Bob Cornuke in 2006. It, too, never found its way to any real scientists to investigate.
The current “discovered ark” is alleged to be “carbon-dated to 4,800 years ago” by the Chinese “investigators.” There’s no revelation of the methodology or procedures used in conducting the radiocarbon dating, but even if the dates are correct, there’s ample evidence that the region was forested in the Bronze Age. There should be wooden structures.
My prediction: the site will always remain “a closely guarded secret”; no scientific publication of the find(s) will see the light of peer-reviewed literature; any additional information will be in the form of press release from the “ministry.”
Obviously they haven’t located “Noah’s ark.” There’s no reason to accept such a story was accurate given the earlier progenitor of the tale in the form of Gilgamesh, from which the anonymous authors of Genesis borrowed heavily, sometimes word-for-word.
What they should be looking for is Utnapishtim‘s boat or, better yet, Ziusudra‘s raft. But there is no evidence for a flood that was able to reach the peaks of Mt. Ararat -nor is there enough water in the entire world to make it happen. There are probably any number of real reasons to send archaeological expeditions to Mt. Ararat, but any of them looking for a boat that contained two of every species on the planet during a global flood is a colossal waste of time.
EDIT: On Paleobabble, Mike Heiser shares an email he received from someone alleging inside information to a very elaborate hoax. “In the late summer of 2008 ten Kurdish workers […] are said to have planted large wood beams taken from an old structure in the Black Sea area”
EDIT (9/28/2019): The Paleobabble link is broken.
Regardless of whether or not the ark has been found, one of the things I get tired of hearing is the straw man argument about how a worldwide flood is impossible. Those who make arguments such as this show their ignorance of the Bible and its account of the flood. The Bible does not say that every species on the planet was on the ark. It says that two of every kind of land animal was on the ark. That means, two dogs, not two pit bulls and so on. Also, the Bible states that the mountains were raised up and the valleys sank down after the flood. This means that preflood mountains would have been lower than those of today, and it likely means that the oceans were not as deep. Regardless of whether you believe the story or not, if you’re going to try to tear apart the story, at least use the actual text and stop making up your own.
If you think you get tired of “strawman arguments,” I get tired of those that don’t know how to actually recognize a strawman. See my response in the link below to fully understand.
https://ahotcupofjoe.net/2010/06/an-apologist-for-noah/
I am strongly believe it is the Ark, thanks to the expedition teams, this finding of the world historical evidents is to lead the non believers to reconsider and read the Bible. There is an existance of God. There is a rewarding and punishing. We need not to explore for evident to believe but must believe and should believe. Every words that stated within the Bible is now revealing and for those who are not believing it is noe to begin explore about the word of God by seeking for Bible study, because the time is near and it is here. The Old Testement has revealed as well as the New Testement. I am not a preacher, therefore, I Am not a qualified person to preach, but only sharing the ventures what I have found internally. Simple facts. God has said to Moses. ” I Am the Omega and the Alpha”
If there if life must occupy with death.
What begins must ends.
And we are ending….
We must thanks to the Turkish Government for allowing the expedition teams to go on with their findings and thanks to the expedition teams for their deligent works.
God Bless You All!!!
Except it doesn’t because this “ark” has been demonstrated to be yet another hoax. See the link in the last paragraph of the post above. So there’s nothing to reconsider. Indeed, there is no “Noah’s ark” because there very likely wasn’t any Noah. The story was more or less stolen from more ancient stories that were less global in their impact (see https://ahotcupofjoe.net/2010/06/an-apologist-for-noah/ for more details).
I have no idea really what you’re attempting to say here. Evidence should always be sought to support the claims of others. The more extraordinary the claim, the more extraordinary the evidence should be. I have no wish to refute your religion or your religious beliefs, but it seems to me that there are many, many who believe in the same god you do who understand that much of the old testament is simply allegorical and mythical. As poetry and literature, it has worth. As an instrument for societal introspection, it has utility. As a literal word of a divine entity that should be accepted blindly as the way things really happened, these texts become useless and comical.
These words don’t follow any logical premises. What does it mean to be “now revealing?” I see a mythology built upon a chronicaled framework of minor historical events. The extraordinary claims made within this mythology are often held a “truth” but continue to fall short of even a good legend. The most mediocre evidence is always lacking where there should be extraordinary evidence to support the claims.
You claim not to be a “preacher,” but you are wrong. Your words are pure, superstitious proselytizing. I agree that you aren’t qualified to preach, yet you do so anyway. Please don’t post this sort of crap on my blog again.
Which god? Humanity has thousands of them both extant and extinct. Many of them contradict each other and some try to kill each other and humanity as well. Which god do you wish to appeal to? Presumably that evil character from the old testament, Yahweh, who orders Moses to kill all men, women and children of another, hated, race who have done little to harm Moses or Yahweh. Oh. Yeah. Moses gets to keep the little girls for sex slaves. I prefer no blessings from that god, thanks all the same.