Did an asteroid cause Noah's Flood Tsunami?

[KnightoftheRose]

One more thing:

Let's suppose Noah lived during the tail-end of the Ice Age (yeah, I think civilization is alot older than we give it credit); as soon as the glaciers began to melt, huge pools of water would've gathered up behind them. When the glaciers weakened, they would collapse, and the pooled up water would pour out across the landscape. Since the glaciers would've covered the entire planet during that timeframe, so would the following floods.

My point is, a global flood isn't impossible - nor is it really all that incredible.

[KnightoftheRose]

Simply dumping a glacier into any ocean is going to cause ripples, but ripples are going to fade pretty fast. Tsunami are different because you have the displacement of a huge body of water, rather than a single small localised object.

All it takes is a little rise in the ocean for many landmasses to be submerged.

but additionally has problems with the vague frame of reference

See my previous post

Also, as above, there are plenty of flood stories, which perhaps isn't surprising as humanity traditionally settles by bodies of water (bodies of water which are prone to periodic catestrophic flooding)

True, true. But they still have those myths, so we can't rule out a global flood on the grounds that "no other culture has recorded such an event", or whatever.

but so far, there appears to be a lack of scientific evidence of any global flood.

Yup. Then again, if we place the flood at the end of the Ice Ages, any proof of global flooding would be buried deep in the fossil records - so just give it some time.

As for local flooding - well, there's plenty of evidence of that - the flooding of the Black Sea is one particularly extreme flood, that should certainly have impacted on the consciousness of any humans who witnessed and survived that massive deluge (and as has been argued, is close enough to Mesopotamia to have been an influence on the people there, and their worldview).

Very true. It's been suggested the Fertile Crescent flooded out completely, too, and that's where the Biblical flood myth came from.

It's also worth noting that the Biblical account appears to focus on heavy sustained rainfall effectively being a cause of the flooding.

Again, true. After the Ice Age, there would've been a dramatic increase in rain (the Sahara was a beautiful savanna with lakes post-Ice Age.)

Also, note this: "...on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened."

So, there was both a great surge from the oceans, as well as heavy rain.

So if there is to be an argument for a local flood or global flood, attributed to any time period or particularl Biblical period, then I personally find the idea of a space strike as a very unsatisfactory way to approach such an idea.

I do, too. An earthquake, or my previous model of the glacier melting, is much more likely.

[Vajradhara]

agreed... lack of evidence is not evidence of lack.


yet... without said evidence, it remains a speculative position predicated, i would presume, on ones religious tradition.

leaving aside the religious aspects... one thing can be said for sure... humans, living near water, have experienced periodic flooding events that, for some, were the basis of their civilization, vis a vie the Egyptians, and, for others, representend the destruction of their civilization.

heh. as the Taoists say... water seeks the lowest level.

[LensmanZ313]

http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/flood-myths.html

Here's a link to various flood stories from many cultures . . . .

[Bandit]

i think some have to be in an actual flood (or disaster) to really understand how it works. Once the crest breaks, reguardless of how, it does not take long for land to be submerged. I live on a major river & last spring the river crested & stayed that way for about two weeks. First, I only need to dig about 5 feet to hit water, kind of like places in Florida.

Once the river went back down, we still had standing water for two months & the sub pumps ran non stop for most of the summer. There are also fountains & springs in the earth that break loose & gush out from the ground & ocean. I cant explain how.

You have to literally SEE peoples homes & cars & dumpsters & belongings floating & not just watch the news to really believe it. I remember rain storms in Texas & Florida where it only took a couple of hours to see people scrambling for there lives.
Sandbags & dambs are not going to stop the water from causing destruction, they only slow down the waves temporarily. Nothing can stop masses of water & the force they have.
I dont think it was an asteroid. That seems like it would do more damage or a different kind of damage than just a flood.
I am not a flood expert but have lived through a few things to tell about & what to do to stay safe as possible.

[truthseeker]

Back in Noah's day they didn't have cars and motor bikes so most people, unless they were nomadic, just posted up somewhere and stayed there. In the whole of the Old Testament it doesn't look like these folks did too much traveling outside of what we call the Middle East, which is the whole world to one who doesn't go anywhere, doesn't have the pony express, watch TV, or doesn't have a telephone.

I seldom forget that these are the stories of this particular group of people, passed down through the generations. I think it was quite simple, really. It rained. REALLY HARD. For a really long time. Which is perhaps unusual in a desert area (I live in LA and this rain is kicking our butts, though nothing like the usual rains in the southern states.) Noah sensed it coming (Native Americans usually sense the weather as well), built the ark, and the rest is written. I don't think the story is all that mystical. Of course, I could be missing something.