Posted on 02/17/2008 5:05:48 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Dogubayazit (Turkey’s Iran-Armenian Border) • For the first time in the seven decade-long history of the search for the legendary Noah’s Ark, a Turkish-Hong Kong exploration team on Tuesday came out with “material evidence”, to prove that the Ark was nestled on Mount Ararat, Turkey’s highest mountain peak bordering Iran and Armenia.
A panel of experts, comprising Turkish authorities, veteran mountaineers, archaeologists, geologists and members of Hong Kong-based Noah’s Ark Ministries International, also displayed an almost one-metre-long peice of petrified wood before the media and specially invited international experts.
The experts claimed it to be a part of a long structure they had unearthed during their February-August 2007 exploration. “It is for the first time in the history of the Ark search that an exploration team is getting a material evidence and graphic documentation. This makes it not only a the significant breakthrough in the Ark-search, but one that is supported with the most substantial evidence in recent history,” the panel said.
The revelation is expected to open up a fresh chapter in the ongoing debates in the scientific community on the search for Noah’s Ark.
Narrating the genesis of their exploration on Mount Ararat, the mount which has a direct reference in Holy Quran (Mount Judi) and Bible, the panel said the search team had made several foiled attempts before unearthing the evidence at an altitude of 4,500-metres of the estimated 5,165 metre volcanic mountain.
“The structure was discovered in the interiors of an unusual cave. The 11.5m wide and 2.6m high white wooden texture was revealed after removing thick layers of volcanic ash on the cave wall,” panel members said at a press conference.
One of the underlying issues in the search for the Ark is the proper identification of its wood fragments. A petrographic examination carried out by the Applied Geoscience Centre of the Department of Earth Sciences, University of Hong Kong, identified the object as a petrified wooden structure, the panel said.
“Some of the big holes found on the structure indicate the locations where branches used to grow on tree. In places, original holes are partly or completely replaced by individual minerals and crystalline materials that can be found in rock materials,” said Dr Ahmet Ozbek, a panel member, who is also a faculty of Geology Engineering Kahramanmara Suctcu Imam University.
Dismissing the possibilities of the structure being wood that could appear naturally around the discovery site, Professor Oktay Belli, director, Eurasian Archaeology Institute, University of Istanbul, said researches have proved that there was no vegetation on Mount Ararat ever since 2000BC, because of the asperities of Ararat’s climate.
Talking to The Peninsula, Cemalettin Demircioglu, Dogubayazit City Governor, under whose jurisdiction the mount is located, said the civic body will invite more international experts to conduct further scientific studies on Mount Ararat.
“History has more than one times corroborated the legendary evidence that the ark was nestled on Mount Ararat. We will introduce the latest findings to the world and continue the scientific study. All interested scientists and NGOs can join our missions” he said. However, he said, those who are involved in the project must ensure the findings are not used politically, religiously, or for any vested interest.
Located in the Far Eastern Turkey, Ararat is great prize for mountain collectors. Ark sighting has often been reported from this mountain. The observation of Vessel-shaped features in aerial photograph of Ararat had caused a stir in the late 1950’s. However, this is the first time an exploration team is coming out with “material evidence”.
I ¢ u ♂ ... means ... "I sent you mail."
You want a scientifically plausible explanation for a scientifically implausible hypothetical occurrence?
Okay ... Ya see, back then, there were no oceans, only lakes and seas. Sea of Gallilee, Dead Sea, and so forth.
The world was very smooth, with dry land covering almost all of it. Animals could walk all over the place. People could migrate everywhere.
Well, then, when the flood came, Noah's flood, that is -- THE flood -- when the flood came, it only took a few cubits worth of water and you were sunk, man!
And then poor Noah was cooped up in the Ark all that time, with just the worst sort of traveling companions and all, while the skin of the Earth was getting really waterlogged and pruny.
So finally the skin of the Earth just kinda split apart, and began shrinking and shriveling, and the mountains grew out of that.
Before the flood, it was all low hills, but afterward, whoa man! I mean real mountains!
The kind that if you go up them to talk to the local shrubbery, you get frostbite, you know?
Now, is that scientific enough for you?
True understanding comes from within. Be not deceived by false christs, the world teems with them, all after your money of course. I’m often reminded of Ghandi’s words : tyrants and murderers come and for a time seem invincible but in the end that always fall(hitler, saddam); truth and love are forever. As a righteous person, seek out the truth of all things, and live forever(overcoming even pakistani fish story-flood myths). As our Lord said, it’s a hard and narrow path to the straight gate, not many find it, most preferring the wide freeway that has a CLIFF at the end...
Well, dude! Most people prefer Cliff Notes, even on road maps.
Didn’t the plains indians make a good living hazing buffalo over cliffs. Up in Alberta they even have a tourist site : head bashed in(or some such name), buffalo kill site...
Kids today!
The way they drive!
It is not because the area is remote, it is because the political entities that have controlled the area have been resistant to it.
The Reverend Malthus, a couple of centuries ago(as an economist arguing with another economist, Richardo)gave 3 basic methods for reducing populations that had over run their food/resource base : war, disease, famine. With people he suggested “moral prudence”, ie, family planning(abortion to some)as another way to limit population numbers. They didn’t have teen age car drivers back then as a check on over population....
Oh!
susie
It’s true!
I suppose that’s what passes for intelligent discourse.
s
You have to sift and glean.
Yup, separate the wheat from the chaff.
...and I always get such a kick out of those who seek to ‘correct’ God’s word as some amalgamation of prior legends, myths, tales, etc. from various cultures. Just a hoot.
No thanks, pal. Either the Bible is real or it isn’t. Either God’s word is perfect or it isn’t. Either it’s accurate or it isn’t. Either it’s all truth....or it’s a lie.
Three guesses what side of those arguments I fall on.
God's word is perfect, but those humans who translated, transcribed and debated the meanings were not. Because the bible is a divinely inspired work of imperfect human hands I accept that there inaccuracies.
Even for Biblical Literalists, its all a question of hermeneutics isn't it? Words have different meanings over time within every language. For example, can anyone definitively state the meaning of "well regulated militia"? An exercise with sophisticated translation software made the leap from "ram jet" to "sheep spray". Compound that with serial translations through a dozen languages and dialects and all you will have left is thematic story. For me the repeated theme that love of God and adherence to his laws results in salvation is sufficient. I don't need or accept the story of a prehistoric "SS Minnow" to convince me.
The question is : how does water 15 cubits deep, about the depth of a 22’ deep hurricane’s storm surge, cover a 16,000 foot high mountain?
Unfortunately, if you take that view, then it’s left up to someone (you?) to decide which parts are *true* and which ones in error. If any part of it is in error, it calls the entire thing into question. So....
susie
I have no idea, and the good news is, it’s not a salvation issue, so while it might be of academic interest, it’s not really important. When I get to Heaven tho, I’ll be sure to ask!
susie
Actually, its up to each of us to determine for ourselves which is true and not true. You may rely on politicians, church leaders and elders, but I will do my own research and reach my own conclusions.
If you only think part of the Bible is true, then it might as well all be false. However, I’m not here to have a theological discussion with you. You will believe whatever you will, and nothing I could say would have any impact on that.
susie
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