Other Flood Storys

[MarshallBryant]

I just noticed the Chinese Characters Flood Story remnant indicating yet another Worldwide Flood story from antiquity.

I know the Archeologists like to assume the "oldest" records are the most accurate, but this isn't necessarily the case. They have encouraged the story of Gilgamesh as the precedent for all other flood stories. But antiquity is not necessarily the most accurate.

In general, an actual event from long ago may survive in many variations in the separate cultures and traditions. What is remarkable is that there remains so many diverse cultures with their own version of an event between four to five thousand years ago and all of which deem the retelling significant enough to survive the millennia.

Further speculation may indicate a good basis for treating pre-flood dating and post-flood dating differently because of the significant change in the climatology before and after.

Thoughts?

 

[.Jeremiah.]

I like what you say here.
I was of the mind that the oldest records would be more accurate, but after reading your post, I don’t see why that has to be the case.

Do you look at these stories as stories, or actual events?

 

[dqhall]

I just noticed the Chinese Characters Flood Story remnant indicating yet another Worldwide Flood story from antiquity.

I know the Archeologists like to assume the "oldest" records are the most accurate, but this isn't necessarily the case. They have encouraged the story of Gilgamesh as the precedent for all other flood stories. But antiquity is not necessarily the most accurate.

In general, an actual event from long ago may survive in many variations in the separate cultures and traditions. What is remarkable is that there remains so many diverse cultures with their own version of an event between four to five thousand years ago and all of which deem the retelling significant enough to survive the millennia.

Further speculation may indicate a good basis for treating pre-flood dating and post-flood dating differently because of the significant change in the climatology before and after.

Thoughts?

We have better record keeping in more recent centuries than those of more than 2000 years old. The Atrahasis flood legend has a god saving a man, his family and some livestock from a river flood. Atrahasis was instructed to build a boat in advance of an imminent flood. The legend is thought to be an Assyrian cuneiform copy of a Sumerian document. It was found in Iraq.

 

[MarshallBryant]

I look for these as independent confirmation of the Genesis account. The dispersion of the peoples after the flood would infer there should be a common history/story among the scattered peoples. Some will have a written account earlier than others; however, all will have some variation of how accurately the histories/stories are handed down.

It is my belief that the biblical account is accurate because it was inspired by God and preserved from error. The others, though possibly written down earlier, would not have this divine protection. But we have the Gilgamesh story and the Chinese story along with the Genesis account; all occurring within the same millennia in 2000-3000 BC. It just seems a little too common to have occurred independently.

It also suggests it was more than a regional event that some suggest.

We must be sure to consider it as evidence for, and not proof of the biblical account for the scripture is self supporting.

 

[MarshallBryant]

We have better record keeping in more recent centuries than those of more than 2000 years old. The Atrahasis flood legend has a god saving a man, his family and some livestock from a river flood. Atrahasis was instructed to build a boat in advance of an imminent flood. The legend is thought to be an Assyrian cuneiform copy of a Sumerian document. It was found in Iraq.

This could be an independent legend or another adapted flood story based on the deluge. Some include the animals and some do not. If it does not, perhaps it is necessary to localize the flood to explain their survival. Who knows?

What I found most interesting about the Chinese character history is the number 8 as the number in the boat and 8 elders. It is unexpectedly precise detail.

 

[RaymondG]

It is my belief that the biblical account is accurate because it was inspired by God and preserved from error. The others, though possibly written down earlier, would not have this divine protection.

Why do you believe that the biblical account is inspired but not the older accounts? Do you feel that God can inspire anything outside of the bible, or writing written after the bible was sealed?

 

[MarshallBryant]

Why do you believe that the biblical account is inspired but not the older accounts? Do you feel that God can inspire anything outside of the bible, or writing written after the bible was sealed?

God can inspire anything but confusion and contradiction, Therefore I choose the dependable scripture and judge everything else by it. Even the Bible has a few portions that do not claim divine inspiration, but only human advice. Now it can be good advice, but it's not divine inspiration.

 

[RaymondG]

God can inspire anything but confusion and contradiction, Therefore I choose the dependable scripture and judge everything else by it. Even the Bible has a few portions that do not claim divine inspiration, but only human advice. Now it can be good advice, but it's not divine inspiration.

I see, so you are saying that you have made the determination that it is divine and have chosen to not trust anything outside of it especially if it sounds foreign.

Note that this will not be the first time people stuck to one book and dismissed anything outside of it. It happened in the new testament was introduced by Jesus. And it will happen again.

I find it unwise to continue to repeat mistakes of the past.

 

[MarshallBryant]

I see, so you are saying that you have made the determination that it is divine and have chosen to not trust anything outside of it especially if it sounds foreign.

Note that this will not be the first time people stuck to one book and dismissed anything outside of it. It happened in the new testament was introduced by Jesus. And it will happen again.

I find it unwise to continue to repeat mistakes of the past.

So do you determine inspiration by Feel? Anyone can feel like something they desire is inspired. It doesn't make it so.

 

[RaymondG]

So do you determine inspiration by Feel? Anyone can feel like something they desire is inspired. It doesn't make it so.

Inspiration is a feeling from within and you can get from reading words, a thought or vision popping your head etc... that causes a reaction of some sort or gives a knowing beyond belief.

One cannot say that, these words will be inspirational, and no other words will or can.

2k years ago there was scripture, and because One came with new words....He was dismissed and his words deems incapable of being inspired.

I do not limit God's communication to a book or 66 books. I will allow Him to speak to me through any source He sees fit... be it one I have deemed less knowledgeable than myself , or the son of a wood worker.

 

[MarshallBryant]

Inspiration is a feeling from within and you can get from reading words, a thought or vision popping your head etc... that causes a reaction of some sort or gives a knowing belong belief.

One cannot say that, these words will be inspirational, and no other words will or can.

2k years ago there was scripture, and because One came with new words....He was dismissed and his words deems incapable of being inspired.

I do not limit God's communication to a book or 66 books. I will allow Him to speak to me through any source He sees fit... be it one I was deem less knowledgeable than myself , or the son of a wood worker.

 

[9Rock9]

I remember being involved in online debates where someone would refute the Flood story from Genesis by pointing out that the Ancient Egyptians did not have a flood myth.

That said, they still have a myth about a god trying to punish mankind and nearly wiping out the human race.

 

[JM]

Flood stories are universal because the flood happened. Pretty simple. I believe some call this, "Christ among the Pagans" or some such nonsense. In the distance collective history of mankind we all know the flood happened but without special revelation we do not have the details of such an event.

 

[lismore]

Flood stories are universal because the flood happened.

Yes