Why does the mythical belief that Noah's Ark was a boat instead of a flouting box?

Question

The word Ark means Box not boat. A boat would have required tons of rock for ballast and would still have rocked violently. A box flouts with little movement. It also is far easier to build and has far more available room for storage.

Doesn't Christendom believe that even the smallest facts of the Bible are important, or do they believe that Christians are not capable of understanding these things?

Okay, bad grammar.
Why does the mythical belief still hold in Christendom.....?

People who don't think the Ark can hold a good sampling of animals don't much believe in evolution.

Answer 1

not only that -- it would have needed to be about the size of the Titanic to hold what it claims to have held --passengers and animals.

additionaly, two more Titanics would have been required for holding fresh food and fresh water for the period of time for all those people and animals.

the story is not only impossible, it is a silly fairy tale.

Answer 2

Webster's defines a boat as, "a small vessel for travel on water." Couldn't the box you described also be considered a boat? I think you're arguing over semantics. That's like saying, "No - I don't drive a car - I drive an automobile." What's the difference between a boat and a floating box? Not necessarily anything. Without bringing the whole subject of religion into the picture, go ask 100 people what you would call a large thing which floats on water and holds people and cargo, and I'm betting nearly 100 will call it a boat (or a ship).

I've been in many boats of various sizes. None of them required rock for ballast, and none of them rocked violently except in high winds (I don't recall any high winds being mentioned in the Noah story). I've also seen boxes floating in the water that rocked violently in the waves (back in my Navy days we used to dispose of garbage by tossing it over the back of the ship - I suppose they still do). I suppose the real difference is the size of the device (small boats rock a lot more than large ones - the same goes for boxes).

Regarding jen198leverett's comments about how big it would have to be - I think she's making some incorrect assumptions at the base of her argument. How many different kinds of animals are there? The Bible uses the word 'kinds', not species. It would be perfectly congruous with the Bible account if there were only one pair of dogs taken (representing all the various species of dogs), one kind of horse, etc. In many cases the amount of variation between similar species is so minor that within other species we see much greater variation (e.g., the difference between the different species of finches on the Galapagos islands are insignificant as compared to the wide degree of variations we see within the single species of homo sapiens).

Have you ever wondered why nearly every culture around the world has some sort of flood story? It seems to me, that while in some cases the details might have gotten mixed up as the story was passed down from generation to generation, that there must be at least some basis in fact, for the story to have gotten started in the first place (note - there is no universal story of destruction by fire - why not?).

Answer 3

Gen.8:21; The imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth.

At least this shows that we are capable of imagination, some imagine it to be a myth,
and I have no Idea how they pass the math, but I do not bypass or doubt any of it.
My dad was a carpenter, I have watched him work. It was amazing. Last for years to come.
I just imagine Noah to be as wise as my dad. A PLACE FOR EVERY THING AND EVERYTHING IN ITS PLACE.
So I put the ark into art as I imagined God might want, for special care of the the animals, the birds and the people with their place.
How to place them, the water and the feed, the cleaning after them and people, dung dried atop ark, how to get it there with birds at the top.
It sure seemed to me that I could have done it. I did imagine that God delivered animals at the right age, that in 375 days, all is perfect for all.

Answer 4

I believe the ark was square, like a box. There is proof of this. I have done some studies on this. there is a great show called "digging for the truth" that covered this in an episode too. It IS totally possible to have built this big enough to carry the animals and everything that was needed.

http://www.worldwideflood.com/ark/modelers/ark_modelers.htm

Answer 5

does the shape of the thing really matter?

as said, one of those "investigating the bible with science" shows went over it, and made a scale model of what they figured it probably was according to the instructions in the bible. iirc with their scable model they found that particular design and proportions could stand a tidal wave larger than anything humanity as we know it has ever seen, and just get rocked a little, and not even come close to capsizing, or something like that.

sure, in a PRACTICAL sense, it makes a difference. but considering the story is as much metaphor and concept as anything, (if not entirely) rather than practicality, whats the difference on how its SHAPED?

and Jen, theres also the theory that each "animal" would actually have been a proto-species representative, like one pair of canines that would re-evolve into all the dogs, wolves, cyotes, and whatnot as we know it... thus reducing the overall number of animals massively.

my personal opinion is that the flood story is based on a real occurance, (of course... with a bit of creative liscense applied...) but that it wasn't only one ark, but several, or several from different parts of the world. (but it makes a better story for it to be thought of as a lone boat)

Answer 6

Christians dont have the ability to see "outside the box" (no pun intended) - they cannot even fathom how I, as an Atheist, can live my life NOT beleiving in their God.... And you expect them to hear the term Noah's Ark and NOT think of a boat??? They cannot do that....
It is also a fact that, when you point out glaring contradictions and mistakes and illogical problems with the Bible, they simply state that the details dont matter - Jesus' word is what matters... Never mind that his word comes out of a book full of mistakes.

JaMan is a perfectly pious Christian. Try not to hold it against him.... Personally, I think your beard makes you appear wise and lovable.

Answer 7

Tomato Potato

Answer 8

does is really matter if it was a BOX? you could call it a RECTANGLE to right? or a NOUN or a OBJECT, it's in the water so it's a damb BOAT!!!! I don't care if it's a Box and I don't even care how big it was either, or its exact shape. Doesn't mean people think Christians are stupid idiot.
go shave your face hair, it looks like a mop. or should I say cotton rolls or white hair long. GET IT?????

Answer 9

Noah's Ark was a giant robot.

Answer 10

Oh Papa Bear you must have better things to do then ask and wonder all of this.
It is called an Arc made of wood.