Gilgamesh And Noah's Ark

[MathGeek]

Just through my own perusal, I am again reminded of the best novel ever written.

 

 

Everything is a copy of a copy of a copy.

[Taphophilia]

Ruby,

 

Read it again and more slowly this time. I said that the information that the OP gave about what was written about Gilgermesh and about Noah took place before recorded history. Even you would admit that this is what these stories claim. I did not say that a flood took place in recorded history as you claim. My point would be clear to any unbiased observor that we do not know what happened back then so must hypothesis about them.

 

You really make me much more thoughtful on the way I answer than I really am and shaming the Doc for believing that what I said is what I meant is just wrong.

 

I think you might check into what a persecution complex is because you seem a bit paranoid. We Christians are really not plotting to get you. We have plenty on our plates just living our own lives day by day to devise such devious schemes.

 

John

 

No, recorded history started with the invention of writing around the 4th millennium BCE. As I stated the original flood myth is dated around 2900 BCE which well after the invention of writing and recorded history. We have a lot of information from this period.

[Kratos]

I am not aware of any 'recorded history' of these flood events whether localized or extra-local. There are only what most consider to be flood myths. So we are still left with submitting theories of how the similarities of these accounts or stories occurred.

 

Now if we were talking about explanations for thunder or another observable scientific phenomena, I could see how different and separate cultures could come up with similar myths to explain what they could not explain. But why a flood story? Isn't it true that there are even cave paintings and hieroglyphics that show a great flood in the ancient past? What would be the purpose of so many cultures creating this same myth?

 

I really do not know, but it is facinating to ask these questions.

 

John

[The-Captain]

I am not aware of any 'recorded history' of these flood events whether localized or extra-local. There are only what most consider to be flood myths. So we are still left with submitting theories of how the similarities of these accounts or stories occurred.

 

Now if we were talking about explanations for thunder or another observable scientific phenomena, I could see how different and separate cultures could come up with similar myths to explain what they could not explain. But why a flood story? Isn't it true that there are even cave paintings and hieroglyphics that show a great flood in the ancient past? What would be the purpose of so many cultures creating this same myth?

 

I really do not know, but it is facinating to ask these questions.

 

John

 

Nitpicking here but "great" would seem to be a very relative term for these early cultures. They could hardly tell whether a flood extended beyond their immediate area, much less conclude it covers the world. My guess is there are so many accounts of floods in myths and old art because flooding is a rather common natrual disaster. So most cultures with some history would probably have gone through a particularly severe flood at some point. Conjecture of course, but it seems like most old cultures have myths/stories/recordings of most kinds of disasters, be it earthquake, storm or flood.

[Taphophilia]

I am not aware of any 'recorded history' of these flood events whether localized or extra-local. There are only what most consider to be flood myths. So we are still left with submitting theories of how the similarities of these accounts or stories occurred.

 

Now if we were talking about explanations for thunder or another observable scientific phenomena, I could see how different and separate cultures could come up with similar myths to explain what they could not explain. But why a flood story? Isn't it true that there are even cave paintings and hieroglyphics that show a great flood in the ancient past? What would be the purpose of so many cultures creating this same myth?

 

I really do not know, but it is facinating to ask these questions.

 

John

 

Do you even know what the word "myth" means? It's from the Greek and means story, it doesn't mean it is true or false. Just because the word has one meaning in common usage, doesn't mean linguistic anthropologists and historians use the term the same way you do.

 

Cro-magnon man, who lived in the Neolithic period around 30,000 years ago, is responsible for the cave paintings and are much earlier than the origins of the flood myth and heirogliphics refers to the ancient Egyptians. Cave drawings and heiroglyphics are about 25,000 years apart. You are grossly mixing up your time periods with assumptions and hear-say. Ancient Egyptian heirogliphics show a strong Sumerian influence.

 

The Sumerians invented writing of which other written languages evolved, which is why linguistics plays such a key role in anthropology. Ancient languages share a common literary heritage and a common linguistic lineage. You assume that the flood myths developed independantly which they did not. They all share a common literary affinity which indicates they derived from the same source, the Sumerian one.

 

My kids learned this stuff in Eighth grade. Perhaps you should open a middle school social studies textbook.

[SWIM]

I don't think you will get hurt by trusting him. It will make him feel good. I won't stand by silently and watch him preach what I know to be untruths and parade what looks for all the world like evangelizing tricks. Not this time. Maybe some other time I will decide he's not worth my energy. And you did seem to be asking for clarity. So I gave what I thought was a good answer, along with support for my answers.

 

Go git em ruby! I get a hell of a lot out of your responses to him, which in an odd way, gives kratos purpose, someone who holds a twisted view of xtianity, makes a post, then someone sensible like you responds! It makes reading his mindless drivil a bit more easy to take, knowing he will get roasted on a spit in quick fashion!

 

[godlessgrrl]

But why a flood story?

 

One possibility: because some of our earliest myths come from agricultural societies, which tended to spring up in river valleys. And I dunno about where you live, but 'round these parts rivers tend to flood.

 

Just a thought, anyway.