Christians, yes this bible bating, but I really would like a reasonable answer?

Question

Noah built an Ark of 450 x 75 x 45 feet. Let’s say none of it was needed for food, water and stretch out room. There was room for 85,000 species if the entire ark was used.

This calculation starts at the largest land species and going down in size. There were 2 of each stored in the ark at body volume +50% to square those corners off.

Modern estimates on the low end are 10 million land species of animals.

So, where did the rest of the species come from after the Noah's ark? Evolution?

You guys are OK with math to show us the world is only 6 thousand years old. Do the math on the ark and you will see that either the ark did not happen as told or evolution has taken place to multiply the species to present levels.

Here is the question. How do you rectify this discrepancy in you mind if the bible is literally true?

For those who provided links to the one explanatory website, read down to the part where God might have put all the animals to sleep? It is down at the very end. If that happened, don't you think the Bible would mention such a miracle? It is cheating to inject a miracle not mentioned in the Bible.

And for those who say evolution is adaptation but still within a single species, look at the horse and donkey. They are not the same species. If you breed them, you get a mule that is sterile BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT THE SAME SPECIES ANYMORE. The horse and the donkey evolved from a common ancestor. Anyone can see the similarity. But, they are no longer the same species.

Answer 1

i agree with you . there are some other things that dont make since in the bible also. i believe in god and all but i am a skeptic of the bible.great question

Answer 2

You asked respectfully, so I'll answer, the quickie version. First, your modern estimates, low end, are way out of whack with what zoologists say - about 50,000, including fish.

Then, for example, zoologists show 6 species of camel. Only 1 species would go on the ark. The others "evolved" (using the word to mean adapted) later. But, they were camels before, still are camels, and will always be camels. It's not evolution as you use the word.

Then finally, if he took only very young animals, the area needed is dramatically reduced. There are some species that live together nicely. The egret, for example, rides around all day on horseback in the wild. I'll even send you a photo if you want. :-)

If you want a detailed explanation,the link provided by the potato has some useful information.

Answer 3

The answer to your question has been answered a long time ago.

The ingenious of Noah to me is that it had never rained. There was a mist that covered the earth. Without God how could Noah have known to build a boat to the exact size that would float and hold all of the animals? This boat will turn 90 degrees and not topple.

Without God how could Noah get all the animals on the boat? Maybe they weren't agressive back then.

Another wonder is that every nation in the world has some kind of story about Noah and the Great Flood. They knew nothing of the Bible, but they knew about the Great Flood.

God had to be involved from the beginning. It had to happen exactly as the Bible said it happened.

Answer 4

I think many unbelievers miss the hidden meanings in Scripture.

The flood isnt so much a literal physical zookeeping preservation operation conducted by mankind. I think even using todays technology, it would be futile to try.

I believe the flood literally did happen, I do believe Noah loaded the ark with all the creatures that he knew lived in the area and could find but it wasnt literally to save all the species, but to represent Gods principle of the remnant and to send a message and sign to the people around him that didnt think God was going to flood the earth.

So people gotta realize that many things in the Bible that people have done or were ordered to do didnt have a lot of practical value in physical terms, but was a strongly symbolic and important in other matters. Could God have forgiven people without animal sacrifices? Yes. Did they have a spiritual purpose? Yes. Did it physically matter that Jesus was born of a virgin? No, he couldve just as easily did everything he did practically being born the way we are. But the spiritual deeper meaning and other factors always comes into play.

With that being said, I believe that after the flood God ensured that all/most species would be restored to pre-flood levels. However it wouldnt surprise me to know that God punished us further by taking away some species. Gods curses have a way of getting worse over time and there is such a curse on the earth itself and nature.

Answer 5

The dimensions for the ark given in Genesis are 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide and 30 cubits high (Genesis 6:15). What is a cubit? A cubit is an ancient unit of measurement, the length of the forearm from the elbow to the longest finger (the term “cubit” comes from the Latin word “cubitum” which means elbow. The Hebrew word for cubit is “‘ammah”). As everybody’s arms are different in length this unit may seem a bit ambiguous to some but scholars generally agree that it represents somewhere between 17 and 22 inches (43-56 centimeters). The ancient Egyptian cubit is known to have been 21.888 inches. So let’s do the math…

300 x 22 inches = 6,600; 50 x 22 inches = 1,100; 30 x 22 inches = 660

6,600/12 = 550 feet; 1100/12 = 91.7 feet; 660/12 = 55 feet.



Thus, the ark could have been up to 550 feet long, 91.7 feet wide and 55 feet high. These are not unreasonable dimensions. But how much storage space does this amount to? Well, 550 x 91.7 x 55 = 2,773,925 cubic feet. (If we take the smaller measurement, 17 inches, we end up with 1.278,825 cubic feet). Of course, not all of it would have been free space. The ark had three levels (Genesis 6:16) and a lot of rooms (Genesis 6:14), the walls of which would have taken up space. Nevertheless, it has been calculated that if the ark had only 1,518,750 cubic feet of free space, a little more than half (54.75%) of the 2,773,925, it could store up to 125,000 sheep-sized animals

John Woodmorappe, author of the definitive Noah's Ark: A Feasibility Study, estimated that only about 15% of the animals on the ark would have been larger than a sheep. This figure does not take into account the possibility that God may have brought Noah “infant” animals, which can be significantly smaller than adult animals.

How many animals were on the ark? Woodmorappe estimates about 16,000 “kinds.” What is a “kind”? The designation of “kind” is thought to be much broader than the designation “species.” Even as there are 400-something dog breeds but they all belong to one species (Canis familiaris), in the same way many species can belong to one kind. Some think that the designation “genus” may be somewhat close to the Biblical “kind.”

Nevertheless, even if we presume that “kind” is synonymous with “species,” “there are not very many species of mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles. The leading systematic biologist, Ernst Mayr, gives the number as 17,600. Allowing for two of each species on the ark, plus seven of the few so-called “clean” kinds of animals, plus a reasonable increment for known extinct species, it is obvious that not more than say, 50,000 animals were on the ark.” (Morris, 1987)

Some have estimated that there were as many as 25,000 kinds of animals represented on the ark. This is a high-end estimation. With two of each kind and seven of some the number of animals would exceed 50,000, though not by very much relatively speaking. Regardless, whether there were 16,000 or 25,000 kinds of animals, even with two of each and seven of some, scholars agree that there was plenty of room for all of the animals on the ark, plus food and water with room to spare.

Answer 6

Ok, first two of every kind or speicies. So two Cows, not two of every type pf cow. Two Dogs, not two wolves, two hyinas ect.

So that limits the amounts, second they were all most likely very young (Babies) so they take up less space and less food.

Also no water dwelling animals, so that knocks off your species list. How many speciecs lived 6000 years ago?

So More types came as a result of micro evoloution, Micro is not creating a whole new specieces like man from ape.

Micro-evolution is the adaptations and changes within a species while macro-evolution is the addition of new traits or a transition to a new species. Like A wolf into a Golden retriever. Macro evoloution is a theory and can't be proved. Micro can. See Source article

So to me there is no discrepancy .

Answer 7

You aren't specifically wrong to wonder about such things or ask a question.

But let's be real. Isn't this a lot like people who argue about the shadow on Mt. Aararat being Noah's ark? Religious texts are not written with the intent of ANYTHING being conclusively proven.

When you really get down to it, I don't even think it's about the material being figurative and metaphoric vs. historical fact. It's more about WHAT THE STORY IS TELLING YOU.

In my recent study of Kabbalah, for example, I feel I learned a great deal from concepts that I barely take a word of as being literal. It's the message in the writing.

Answer 8

No discrepancy in my mind! Here's an idea. If God could create the universe with a single word, don't you think He could give Noah some containers of DNA for 10 million animals? And then "reanimate" them? The God of everything could shrink and put in stasis all the animals too. Nothing is impossible for God. The wisdom of Man is folly to God.

I think you watched too many cartoons about the Ark with animals heads sticking out of windows.

Answer 9

There are many Christians who believe in the Creation story, Noah's Ark and Evolution. They aren't mutually exclusive.

I left my home this AM for the office. I kissed the kids good buy, my wife, and patted our dog on the head. When I get home tonight, I'll kiss the wife, the kids and pat our dog on the head. Everyone will brief each other on their respective days.

Some details in each persons story is left out. It just can't fit into an hour long conversation. Some things will happen at home, while I am in the office, which I will never know about. For example, my oldest son may walk into the living room, tell one of his younger brothers, 'good job on your picture. I really like it,' and I'll never hear about that piece of the day.

In reflecting on Biblical truth, the stories and teachings are primarily intended for our spiritual health, and in telling us about sin and salvation. There are plenty of details between Creation, Noah, Abraham, David, Jesus, Paul, etc., that we don't know.

God's creation may very well include, and from the little that I've read, probably does, include some level of evolution.

Answer 10

Seriously dude, you are trying to interpet a story which is far more symbolic than litteral and trying to figure out the math for it.
The story of the ark is meant to show spiritual cleansing of the world through the lineage of Noah. The world was not flooded with water, nor was it wiped out. This is symbolic of the world drowning in earthly problems while Noah and his family floated above the rest on Gods love. Noah was the chosen one to populate the new culture, which would eventually be the Christian Church.

Answer 11

1. We do not know how big the ark was. The Bible says 300x50x30 cubits. A cubit is the distance between the finger tip and the back of the elbow. Hebrew cubit is 18 inches, Egyptian is 22 inches. How long was a pre-flood cubit? We don't know. There several fully human ancient skeletons approaching 15 feet. It is possible that a pre-flood cubit could have been 4 feet-we do not know.
2. Only pairs of "kinds" of animals were taken on the ark. That is-only one pair for the entire dog family-and so on.
3. Noah was 500 years old-he was not stupid, and neither is God.
You assume a lot here, we just do not know.