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Noah's flood

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Hello! I'm Just trying to demonstrate biblically that Noah's flood was global(worldwide)

Genesis 1:9-10:
9 And God said, Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear. And it was so. 10 God called the dry ground land, and the gathered waters he called seas. And God saw that it was good.

before the flood, there was one "land" and water in one place; do we still have the same picture today? were there continents? are the "seas" still gathered in ONE place today? what happened?

Genesis 6:15 This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide and thirty cubits high


Genesis7:19 They rose greatly on the earth, and all the high mountains under the entire heavens were covered. 20 The waters rose and covered the mountains to a depth of more than fifteen cubits

here we're told in a first place that the high mountains under the entire heavens were covered; but the precision in the next verse is that they were covered "only" to a depth of more than 15 cubits; so we can asume that above 20 cubits for example, the high mountains were not covered;
Also, at creation, there was a certain amount of water on earth:

Genesis1:6-7 :
6 And God said, Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water. 7 So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so.

and with Noah's flood:
Genesis 7:11 "...on that day all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened."

so we can understand that the water above the vault came down, and I believe that though there's water cycle to equilibrate everything, the among of water on earth had increased since the flood; and parts of the "land" are still covered by water;
Around Japan, pyramids have been found deep under the waters; who build them? were there water at that place when they build them? how have they managed to build under the water? so if this is connected with Noah's flood, then there must have been a land in that area;
It's known that the sphinks in Egypt was once flooded, is this connected with Noah's flood?
You must have heard of atlantid, a land in the atlantic ocean that "desapeared" under the waters in one night; has this got any connection with Noah's flood? if yes, then the flood was worldwide because how to explain the "lost land" around Japan and the "lost Atlantid"?
we can insinuate that the mountains were not occupied( that people lived in the land and valleys) in those days; when the flood occured, the water filled the earth and though water dryed as the Bible states, it wasn't the whole earth that dried, only the land around the mountain dried, the rest of the land remained in the water as the water from above came down increasing the quantity of water on earth since then;
so, we can conclude that our actual continents were in fact mountains before the flood, and this can help understand the shapes of our continents and oceans;
 

juvenissun

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Hello! I'm Just trying to demonstrate biblically that Noah's flood was global(worldwide)



Genesis7:19 They rose greatly on the earth, and all the high mountains under the entire heavens were covered. 20 The waters rose and covered the mountains to a depth of more than fifteen cubits

here we're told in a first place that the high mountains under the entire heavens were covered; but the precision in the next verse is that they were covered "only" to a depth of more than 15 cubits; so we can asume that above 20 cubits for example, the high mountains were not covered;
Also, at creation, there was a certain amount of water on earth:

An interesting way of reading it. Thanks.
Somebody else responds to this?

I don't think it is a proper way of read it. A key idea of the flood is that God is using it to wipe out nearly all people of the world. If (all) mountains were only covered 15 cubits deep, I am afraid many people would survive the flood.
 
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granpa

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Hello! I'm Just trying to demonstrate biblically that Noah's flood was global(worldwide)

instead of using the bible to prove the theory that you've already decided on, maybe you should just study the bible to see what it really says.
 
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mark kennedy

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instead of using the bible to prove the theory that you've already decided on, maybe you should just study the bible to see what it really says.

Why is it that a creationist can't post in here without being insulted by a TE? Why is that? The Bible meaning what it says is the theory, stop correcting things just for the sake of being confrontational. It's rude for one thing but more importantly, your wrong. Your not going to defend a theory that God created the heavens and the earth by finding a text that says it. What happens is that you are exposed to the natural revelation of God's divine attributes and eternal nature.

What is this theory you already decided on, that God is the Creator?
 
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Biblewriter

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An interesting way of reading it. Thanks.
Somebody else responds to this?

I don't think it is a proper way of read it. A key idea of the flood is that God is using it to wipe out nearly all people of the world. If (all) mountains were only covered 15 cubits deep, I am afraid many people would survive the flood.

15 cubits (22-1/2 feet) is not enough water depth to drown some people?????

This is wholly unreasonable. Assuming, for the point of argument, that the Bible is indeed true and that text here is accurate, if the water even just reached the top of the highest mountain, very few would have been able to survive. But over twenty feet higher than that would unquestionable leave no survivors, other than in a boat or something other that floats. But having the water, which, by the way, would be too salty to drink, stay that way for many days would most absolutely leave no survivors except those in the ark.
 
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Greg1234

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Why is it that a creationist can't post in here without being insulted by a TE? Why is that? The Bible meaning what it says is the theory, stop correcting things just for the sake of being confrontational. It's rude for one thing but more importantly, your wrong. Your not going to defend a theory that God created the heavens and the earth by finding a text that says it. What happens is that you are exposed to the natural revelation of God's divine attributes and eternal nature.

What is this theory you already decided on, that God is the Creator?

It seems like Creationists aren't allowed to discuss anything beyond what is alloted to them. Even if Creationism is entertained it cannot be so complex as to suggest that the ancient beast-men breached their Darwinian terms of contract and possessed insight outside of unconditional ineptitude. So every time Creationists begin to discuss Creationism the territorial police are always on the scene to ensure that the "intelligentsia" are the center of attention and that ancient man's sole responsibility of varnishing his own ignorance like a good Darwinian beast-man is maintained.

To them, we're trying to be like methodological naturalism so we must see a vacancy in supernatural explanations and be ever striving towards materialism. Not only that but we common folk also need to send our tithes to our hosts at the ivory towers lest they unleash torment on us for forsaking the annual shedding of ancestral ignorance manifested as supernatural grunts on parchment. Theyve unwittingly been sanded into seeing the purely naturalistic unintelligent formation of man as an absolute.

The overall idea in both flavors of Darwinism is that creation has to be filled out with the purely naturalistic assembly of man, not supernatural "ignorance". And even if Darwinism is reavealed to be wrong, naturalism as the ultimatum etches it's place in doctrinal matters and perpetually resuscitates a Darwinian origination. Alternatively, Creationism and its supernatural basis stand as the antithesis of "everlasting naturalism" as the "never-was." The creation of man could not be a supernatural act. It doesn't matter whether or not Creationism has been refuted, it's just that creation could not be a supernatural act. Period.
 
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An interesting way of reading it. Thanks.
Somebody else responds to this?

I don't think it is a proper way of read it. A key idea of the flood is that God is using it to wipe out nearly all people of the world. If (all) mountains were only covered 15 cubits deep, I am afraid many people would survive the flood.

I've got to agree with Biblewriter here. A cubit is the length of your arm (2 to 3 feet)... generously using 2 ft times 15, that's 30 feet. No human can tread that for a year (length of time of the flood). Also the point was made about no food/water on a boat for that length of time.
 
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tyronem

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Hello! I'm Just trying to demonstrate biblically that Noah's flood was global(worldwide)

Absolutely biblically the Bible leaves no option, it was a global flood. As to the mechanics of it I recommend you read Dr Henry Morris's Hydroplate theory that sufficiently describes in detail the conditions that occurred in a global flood.

Cheers

T
 
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granpa

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bear in mind that if you use the septuagint numbers the flood will be much further back in time.
genesisnumbers.png
 
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G

good brother

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I've got to agree with Biblewriter here. A cubit is the length of your arm (2 to 3 feet)... generously using 2 ft times 15, that's 30 feet. No human can tread that for a year (length of time of the flood). Also the point was made about no food/water on a boat for that length of time.

A "cubit" is the length from one's elbow to the end of the middle finger, generally about 18 inches. There was also a "royal Egyptian cubit which was 21 inches long.

In Christ, GB
 
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iambeeman

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Genesis7:19 They rose greatly on the earth, and all the high mountains under the entire heavens were covered. 20 The waters rose and covered the mountains to a depth of more than fifteen cubits

here we're told in a first place that the high mountains under the entire heavens were covered; but the precision in the next verse is that they were covered "only" to a depth of more than 15 cubits; so we can asume that above 20 cubits for example, the high mountains were not covered;
Also, at creation, there was a certain amount of water on earth:

I don't think you looking at this right. I believe what God is saying here is that the mountains where covered over the top by 15 cubits, not that the water came up around the base to a depth of 15 cubits.

Interesting though.
 
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Calminian

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I've always thought the most compelling evidences for a global flood were flood legends found around the world. Currently I'm reading Flood Legends - Global Clues of a Common Event, by Charles Martin. Fascinating is gross understatement. The consensus is definitely that it was global and that it killed off all that were outside the vessel. No local event, no survivors.

For certain the Bible agrees with this. I think the OPs sincere effort to minimize the damage is incorrect, both textually and evidentially.
 
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G

good brother

Guest
I've always thought the most compelling evidences for a global flood were flood legends found around the world. ...The consensus is definitely that it was global and that it killed off all that were outside the vessel. No local event, no survivors.

For certain the Bible agrees with this. I think the OPs sincere effort to minimize the damage is incorrect, both textually and evidentially.


Amen.

In Christ, GB
 
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BillyJoel

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Hello, I'm new to the forum and I have some opinions to put in. These were questions I was unable to find answers to so that's basically why I joined the site; to get answers.
You all seem to contain loud opinions and seem educated on the topic of the flood so here it goes...
1) How was Noah able to gather all the animals?
2) How did he feed them, (they were in the arc for a very long time and the elephants alone would need so much food)?
3) Did he and his sons shovel all the feces off the arc?
4) How did some of the animals not freeze? They were at extremely high altitudes, it's very cold up there.
5) Oxygen? High altitudes= less air
6) Some animals need meat, so did he bring extra animals to feed the lions/tigers/ etc? Two lions need a lot of meat!
7) Increasing water levels that drastically throws off the salt concentration. A lot of fish would also die. Did Noah bring two of every fish with him as well?
8) If god used "magic" to help Noah with these difficulties, how come he didn't kill the humans with magic, then reproduce everything again?

That's all I really have for this topic.. please please please excuse my ignorance, I'm not trying to be rude, I 100% believe that the flood did happen Im simply looking for some guidance

all my love, and may god bless !
 
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Papias

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BillyJoel, welcome to the forum!

Yes, those are difficult questions. I've been in this conversation for 20 years, and have yet to hear answers to them that don't require large doses of magic. Those, and others like them, are examined also here:
Problems with a Global Flood, 2nd edition

The one that really got me thinking, early on, was the realization of what it would be like when the ark landed and the waters subsided. The flood lasted a year - everything would have been decayed away and desolate, and the animals would have gotten off the ark with nothing to eat besides each other. The others are similar, as you pointed out.

It's good that the Vatican doesn't require us to take the flood story as a global, actual, recent, detailed history, - updating out interpretation with current findings from God's creation is fine, as is a description of a local (not worldwide) flood, and so on. Among the views allowed for Catholics such as you and I, a local (and still real, historical) flood is often seen as likely, especially when the words of Genesis are studied closely, as this Catholic writer says:

If the Fathers had considered the universality of the Flood as part of the body of ecclesiastical tradition, or of the deposit of faith, they would have defended it more vigorously. It is true that the Congregation of the Index condemned Vossius's treatise "De Septuaginta Interpretibus" in which he defended, among other doctrines, the view that the Flood covered only the inhabited part of the earth; but theologians of great weight maintained that the work was condemned on account of its Protestant author, and not on account of its doctrine.


(c) There are also certain scientific considerations which oppose the view that the Flood was geographically universal. Not that science opposes any difficulty insuperable to the power of God; but it draws attention to a number of most extraordinary, if not miraculous phenomena involved in the admission of a geographically universal Deluge.
  • First, no such geological traces can be found as ought to have been left by a universal Deluge; for the catastrophe connected with the beginning of the ice-age, or the geological deluge, must not be connected with the Biblical.
  • Secondly, the amount of water required by a universal Deluge, as described in the Bible, cannot be accounted for by the data furnished in the Biblical account. If the surface of the earth, in round numbers, amounts to 510,000,000 square kilometres, and if the elevation of the highest mountains reaches about 9000 metres, the water required by the Biblical Flood, if it be universal, amounts to about 4,600,000,000 cubic kilometres. Now, a forty days' rain, ten times more copious than the most violent rainfall known to us, will raise the level of the sea only about 800 metres; since the height to be attained is about 9000 metres, there is still a gap to be filled by unknown sources amounting to a height of more than 8000 metres, in order to raise the water to the level of the greatest mountains.
  • Thirdly, if the Biblical Deluge was geographically universal, the sea water and the fresh water would mix to such an extent that neither the marine animals nor the fresh-water animals could have lived in the mixture without a miracle.
  • Fourthly, there are serious difficulties connected with the animals in the ark, if the Flood was geographically universal: How were they brought to Noah from the remote regions of the earth in which they lived? How could eight persons take care of such an array of beasts? Where did they obtain the food necessary for all the animals? How could the arctic animals live with those of the torrid zone for a whole year and under the same roof?
No Catholic commentator will repudiate an explanation merely for fear of having to admit a miracle; but no Catholic has a right to admit Biblical miracles which are not well attested either by Scripture or tradition. What is more, there are traces in the Biblical Flood story which favour a limited extent of the catastrophe: Noah could have known the geographical universality of the Deluge only by revelation; still the Biblical account appears to have been written by an eye-witness. If the Flood had been universal, the water would have had to fall from the height of the mountains in India to the level of those in Armenia on which the ark rested, i.e. about 11,500 feet, within the space of a few days. The fact that the dove is said to have found "the waters . . . upon the whole earth", and that Noah "saw that the face of the earth was dried", leaves the impression that the inspired writer uses the word "earth" in the restricted sense of "land". Attention has been drawn also to the "bough of an olive tree, with green leaves" carried by the dove in her mouth on her second return to the ark.
CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Deluge

However all those questions are resolved, remember that God gave us our minds as one of His greatests gifts to us.

In Christ-

Papias
 
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Jpark

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Hello, I'm new to the forum and I have some opinions to put in. These were questions I was unable to find answers to so that's basically why I joined the site; to get answers.
You all seem to contain loud opinions and seem educated on the topic of the flood so here it goes...
1) How was Noah able to gather all the animals?
2) How did he feed them, (they were in the arc for a very long time and the elephants alone would need so much food)?
3) Did he and his sons shovel all the feces off the arc?
4) How did some of the animals not freeze? They were at extremely high altitudes, it's very cold up there.
5) Oxygen? High altitudes= less air
6) Some animals need meat, so did he bring extra animals to feed the lions/tigers/ etc? Two lions need a lot of meat!
7) Increasing water levels that drastically throws off the salt concentration. A lot of fish would also die. Did Noah bring two of every fish with him as well?
8) If god used "magic" to help Noah with these difficulties, how come he didn't kill the humans with magic, then reproduce everything again?

That's all I really have for this topic.. please please please excuse my ignorance, I'm not trying to be rude, I 100% believe that the flood did happen Im simply looking for some guidance

all my love, and may god bless !
1. God.

Genesis clearly says they came to Noah (Genesis 6:20) (Notice the 'to keep them alive' which indicates they didn't fear him) and Noah brought them into the ark.

Speaking of fear, notice Genesis 9:2:

The fear of you and the terror of you will be on every beast of the earth and on every bird of the sky; with everything that creeps on the ground, and all the fish of the sea, into your hand they are given.

So it is a plausible interpretation.

2. God.

God sustained them. Then again, Gen. 6:22 says keep. Noah and his family must have been overworked...

3. Likely God.

If humans can hold their feces in, why can't animals? I admit, just the thought makes me laugh. ^_^

4. See #2.
5. See #2.
6. See #2.
7. Fish weren't on the ark because they don't breathe air (Gen. 7:22). It doesn't mention the death of fishes. I'll just say God.

8. Could have done it in an instant (Job 34:14-15), killing all but Noah and his family, but they wouldn't be able to survive in the aftermath. The Earth would be inhospitable.
 
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Greg1234

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Hello, I'm new to the forum and I have some opinions to put in. These were questions I was unable to find answers to so that's basically why I joined the site; to get answers.
You all seem to contain loud opinions and seem educated on the topic of the flood so here it goes...
1) How was Noah able to gather all the animals?
2) How did he feed them, (they were in the arc for a very long time and the elephants alone would need so much food)?
3) Did he and his sons shovel all the feces off the arc?
4) How did some of the animals not freeze? They were at extremely high altitudes, it's very cold up there.
5) Oxygen? High altitudes= less air
6) Some animals need meat, so did he bring extra animals to feed the lions/tigers/ etc? Two lions need a lot of meat!
7) Increasing water levels that drastically throws off the salt concentration. A lot of fish would also die. Did Noah bring two of every fish with him as well?
8) If god used "magic" to help Noah with these difficulties, how come he didn't kill the humans with magic, then reproduce everything again?

That's all I really have for this topic.. please please please excuse my ignorance, I'm not trying to be rude, I 100% believe that the flood did happen Im simply looking for some guidance

all my love, and may god bless !

It depends. There are scientific communities which expound on the magnitude of the flood. Also, attempting to localize it to a single spot will prove to be futile as the magnitude of such events seldom isolate themselves to tiny locales. For example, that's why we don't ask "if the fire was global was the entire ocean on fire and why couldn't it be like a California conflagration?" :wave:
 
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Achilles6129

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Hello! I'm Just trying to demonstrate biblically that Noah's flood was global(worldwide)

Absolutely, no question that Biblically it was. You gave some good points in your OP. A few I would add (just off the top of my head) would be:

1) How is that that all the birds die in a local flood?

"21And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man:" Gen. 6:21

2) God says he will destroy every living substance he has made:

"For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth." Gen. 7:4

3) The language at the end of the Flood indicates that it was a global event that happened to the earth. In other words, God uses global language right at the end of the Flood. Consider:

"21And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.
22While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease." Gen. 8:21-22

There are other points as well, but those are just a few. Good article.

As far as Papias' response:

(c) There are also certain scientific considerations which oppose the view that the Flood was geographically universal. Not that science opposes any difficulty insuperable to the power of God;

Glad to hear you say it. In other words, if God could walk on water, rescue Shadrach/Meshach/Abednego from the burning fiery furnace, resurrect Himself from the dead, and create the entire universe with galaxies of billions upon billions of stars in them, then I'm sure he could manage an event like Gen. 6-9, correct?

but it draws attention to a number of most extraordinary, if not miraculous phenomena involved in the admission of a geographically universal Deluge.

Nothing wrong with that at all. See above answer.

First, no such geological traces can be found as ought to have been left by a universal Deluge; for the catastrophe connected with the beginning of the ice-age, or the geological deluge, must not be connected with the Biblical.

As you know creationists dispute this, and as a matter of fact claim that much (though not all) of the fossil record was deposited by the Flood, rather than through evolution.

Secondly, the amount of water required by a universal Deluge, as described in the Bible, cannot be accounted for by the data furnished in the Biblical account.

Now, a forty days' rain, ten times more copious than the most violent rainfall known to us, will raise the level of the sea only about 800 metres;

Wherever you got this from, they are not reading the Scriptures correctly. The 'fountains of the great deep' are also where the water came from:

"11In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened." Gen. 7:11

Also, I believe the 40 days' rain that you mention is only the initial storm. The rain actually lasts for much longer:

"1And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters assuaged;
2The fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained;" Gen. 8:1-2

This verse takes place after the 150 days.

Thirdly, if the Biblical Deluge was geographically universal, the sea water and the fresh water would mix to such an extent that neither the marine animals nor the fresh-water animals could have lived in the mixture without a miracle.

Firstly, many fish/marine animals died as a result of the Flood (this is confirmed by the geologic record - 95% of which is dead marine life). Secondly, I think an assumption is made about the salinity of the ocean during the pre-Flood era. I think the ocean would be more salty post-Flood due to massive amounts of erosion. In addition, some marine animals are capable of surviving in both saltwater and freshwater (or in certain amounts of both). Also, one must account for layering (not mixing) of fresh and saltwater which would allow marine life to survive.

These are only a few possibilities. Whatever the problems, they are nothing that the Creator of the Universe can't handle.

Fourthly, there are serious difficulties connected with the animals in the ark, if the Flood was geographically universal: How were they brought to Noah from the remote regions of the earth in which they lived?

This ignores the fact that the earth was all one land-mass prior to the Flood.

How could eight persons take care of such an array of beasts? Where did they obtain the food necessary for all the animals? How could the arctic animals live with those of the torrid zone for a whole year and under the same roof?

They all could have gone into hibernation, or had a slowed metabolism, and all of these problems would be eliminated. Again, nothing the Creator of the Universe shouldn't be able to handle, since he is directly involved with these events anyways.

Noah could have known the geographical universality of the Deluge only by revelation; still the Biblical account appears to have been written by an eye-witness.

It was. God.

If the Flood had been universal, the water would have had to fall from the height of the mountains in India to the level of those in Armenia on which the ark rested, i.e. about 11,500 feet, within the space of a few days.

Again, this is assuming the earth was as it was now pre-Flood. No YEC says that. We say that the earth was virtually one land-mass and the mountains were lower in time past, and uplifted after the Flood.

Attention has been drawn also to the "bough of an olive tree, with green leaves" carried by the dove in her mouth on her second return to the ark.

The tree sprouted after the Flood.

In short, good OP.
 
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Freedom63

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BillyJoel, welcome to the forum!

Yes, those are difficult questions. I've been in this conversation for 20 years, and have yet to hear answers to them that don't require large doses of magic. Those, and others like them, are examined also here:
Problems with a Global Flood, 2nd edition

The one that really got me thinking, early on, was the realization of what it would be like when the ark landed and the waters subsided. The flood lasted a year - everything would have been decayed away and desolate, and the animals would have gotten off the ark with nothing to eat besides each other. The others are similar, as you pointed out.

It's good that the Vatican doesn't require us to take the flood story as a global, actual, recent, detailed history, - updating out interpretation with current findings from God's creation is fine, as is a description of a local (not worldwide) flood, and so on. Among the views allowed for Catholics such as you and I, a local (and still real, historical) flood is often seen as likely, especially when the words of Genesis are studied closely, as this Catholic writer says:

If the Fathers had considered the universality of the Flood as part of the body of ecclesiastical tradition, or of the deposit of faith, they would have defended it more vigorously. It is true that the Congregation of the Index condemned Vossius's treatise "De Septuaginta Interpretibus" in which he defended, among other doctrines, the view that the Flood covered only the inhabited part of the earth; but theologians of great weight maintained that the work was condemned on account of its Protestant author, and not on account of its doctrine.


(c) There are also certain scientific considerations which oppose the view that the Flood was geographically universal. Not that science opposes any difficulty insuperable to the power of God; but it draws attention to a number of most extraordinary, if not miraculous phenomena involved in the admission of a geographically universal Deluge.
  • First, no such geological traces can be found as ought to have been left by a universal Deluge; for the catastrophe connected with the beginning of the ice-age, or the geological deluge, must not be connected with the Biblical.
  • Secondly, the amount of water required by a universal Deluge, as described in the Bible, cannot be accounted for by the data furnished in the Biblical account. If the surface of the earth, in round numbers, amounts to 510,000,000 square kilometres, and if the elevation of the highest mountains reaches about 9000 metres, the water required by the Biblical Flood, if it be universal, amounts to about 4,600,000,000 cubic kilometres. Now, a forty days' rain, ten times more copious than the most violent rainfall known to us, will raise the level of the sea only about 800 metres; since the height to be attained is about 9000 metres, there is still a gap to be filled by unknown sources amounting to a height of more than 8000 metres, in order to raise the water to the level of the greatest mountains.
  • Thirdly, if the Biblical Deluge was geographically universal, the sea water and the fresh water would mix to such an extent that neither the marine animals nor the fresh-water animals could have lived in the mixture without a miracle.
  • Fourthly, there are serious difficulties connected with the animals in the ark, if the Flood was geographically universal: How were they brought to Noah from the remote regions of the earth in which they lived? How could eight persons take care of such an array of beasts? Where did they obtain the food necessary for all the animals? How could the arctic animals live with those of the torrid zone for a whole year and under the same roof?
No Catholic commentator will repudiate an explanation merely for fear of having to admit a miracle; but no Catholic has a right to admit Biblical miracles which are not well attested either by Scripture or tradition. What is more, there are traces in the Biblical Flood story which favour a limited extent of the catastrophe: Noah could have known the geographical universality of the Deluge only by revelation; still the Biblical account appears to have been written by an eye-witness. If the Flood had been universal, the water would have had to fall from the height of the mountains in India to the level of those in Armenia on which the ark rested, i.e. about 11,500 feet, within the space of a few days. The fact that the dove is said to have found "the waters . . . upon the whole earth", and that Noah "saw that the face of the earth was dried", leaves the impression that the inspired writer uses the word "earth" in the restricted sense of "land". Attention has been drawn also to the "bough of an olive tree, with green leaves" carried by the dove in her mouth on her second return to the ark.
CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Deluge

However all those questions are resolved, remember that God gave us our minds as one of His greatests gifts to us.

In Christ-

Papias

Excellent response with very helpful resources. Thank you! :thumbsup:
 
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