What impact would finding Noah's Ark have upon the world?

[Lookingglassman]

Let's say a documentary crew along with a well respected scientist were given persmission to climb Mt Ararat and seek Noah's Ark. They eventually locate it and video and photograph their find.

The ship is huge and many stalls and cages are found within it. It is located high up on the mountain and along with it are found human artifacts such as tools and pots that date the same age as the wood of the Ark. The measurements of it are exactly as the Bible describes.

Would this discovery cause many to doubt their religion and brace Christianity? Would its discovery be seen as one of the most important dsicoveries in human history?

 

[RJDiogenes]

The existence of a real Noah's Ark is impossible for many reasons. Such a discovery as you describe would only prove the existence of some kind of Noah Cult who built a replica at some point, either as part of their worship or as a deliberate attempt to delude people. However, given that we live in a world where significant numbers of people will show up to worship the image of Christ in the stain on a men's room wall or a baloney sandwich, millions would probably believe it and be profoundly influenced by it.

 

[Zulu Romeo]

Would this discovery cause many to doubt their religion and brace Christianity? Would its discovery be seen as one of the most important dsicoveries in human history?

Not to a great degree, as the Ark and Noah feature in Judaism and Islam.

 

[RoJoHen]

The existence of a real Noah's Ark is impossible for many reasons.

Not if, ya know, God made it possible.

 

[JiNX-01]

Would this discovery cause many to doubt their religion and brace Christianity? Would its discovery be seen as one of the most important dsicoveries in human history?

Not to a great degree, as the Ark and Noah feature in Judaism and Islam.

Exactly. All three religions lay claim to the Ark, and that triggers the Apocalypse.

 

[Zulu Romeo]

Would this discovery cause many to doubt their religion and brace Christianity? Would its discovery be seen as one of the most important dsicoveries in human history?

Not to a great degree, as the Ark and Noah feature in Judaism and Islam.

Exactly. All three religions lay claim to the Ark, and that triggers the Apocalypse.

Well, there were dogs and cats living together on that Ark too...

 

[RandyS]

Wasn't there already a documentary on this some thirty years ago? I have a clear memory of watching a show about the discovery of some biblical artifact with my grandma, and right after that, I asked her what all the fuss was about and she told me the story of Noah's Ark.

EDIT: Never mind. I just remembered, it was an episode of "In Search Of.....". My (then) eight year old brain immediately thought "Spock" because of Nimoy.

 

[M'Sharak]

Wasn't there already a documentary on this some thirty years ago? I have a clear memory of watching a show about the discovery of some biblical artifact with my grandma, and right after that, I asked her what all the fuss was about and she told me the story of Noah's Ark.

EDIT: Never mind. I just remembered, it was an episode of "In Search Of.....". My (then) eight year old brain immediately thought "Spock" because of Nimoy.

I also recall a film in the late 1970s or early 80s which documented former astronaut James Irwin's (unsuccessful) searches for Noah's Ark. One thing I remember about it was a seemingly too-regular object on a mountainside which was spotted in an aerial photograph. (The film may have been a repackaging of some of the "In Search of..." material -- I'm not sure about it, but that material would definitely turn up again later.)

Would this discovery cause many to doubt their religion and brace Christianity? Would its discovery be seen as one of the most important dsicoveries in human history?

Not to a great degree, as the Ark and Noah feature in Judaism and Islam.

There are other flood stories, as well, in which appear Noah-like figures -- in Greek mythology (Deucalion) and the Epic of Gilgamesh (Utnapishtim,) to name just two examples. No one religion or culture has got Noah or the Ark all to themselves.

 

[Zulu Romeo]

Would this discovery cause many to doubt their religion and brace Christianity? Would its discovery be seen as one of the most important dsicoveries in human history?

Not to a great degree, as the Ark and Noah feature in Judaism and Islam.

There are other flood stories, as well, in which appear Noah-like figures -- in Greek mythology (Deucalion) and the Epic of Gilgamesh (Utnapishtim,) to name just two examples. No one religion or culture has got Noah or the Ark all to themselves.

Given all this, then, contrary to what the OP proposes, if such a find were to be found then maybe the people of the world might even hold fast to their own religions more tightly than before. Thus, the outcome of such a find may well turn out to be a very bad move as everyone will lay claim to their story being the true tale, and we've all seen what can happen when that occurs...

 

[Aragorn]

I'm guessing at least one fanatical group will try to destroy it.

 

[RoJoHen]

I'm guessing at least one fanatical group will try to destroy it.

I would try to wield its power.

 

[Zulu Romeo]

I'm guessing at least one fanatical group will try to destroy it.

I would try to wield its power.

I would try and take it, using well-researched knowledge and facts and my trusty whip to avoid cunning traps, claiming that it belongs "in a museum" then start shooting swordsmen and Nazis in an attempt to find it.

I might even bring my dad along.

 

[Marc]

Would this discovery cause many to doubt their religion and brace Christianity? Would its discovery be seen as one of the most important dsicoveries in human history?

Not to a great degree, as the Ark and Noah feature in Judaism and Islam.

Iirc there's also "great flood" stories in the a number of other religions - think the Hare Krishna's have for one.

 

[cultcross]

Let's say a documentary crew along with a well respected scientist were given persmission to climb Mt Ararat and seek Noah's Ark. They eventually locate it and video and photograph their find.

The ship is huge and many stalls and cages are found within it. It is located high up on the mountain and along with it are found human artifacts such as tools and pots that date the same age as the wood of the Ark. The measurements of it are exactly as the Bible describes.

Would this discovery cause many to doubt their religion and brace Christianity? Would its discovery be seen as one of the most important dsicoveries in human history?

And the wood survived this long... how exactly?

 

[Colonel Green]

Would this discovery cause many to doubt their religion and brace Christianity? Would its discovery be seen as one of the most important dsicoveries in human history?

Not to a great degree, as the Ark and Noah feature in Judaism and Islam.

Owned!

 

[Thespeckledkiwi]

I think what would have more of an impact on the world would be finding the Ark Covenant again and the original ten commandment tablets.

Flood stories are very prevalent in many religions, myths and folklore. In fact, I believe they recently had a scientific discovery regarding this matter that showed one of the seas in the Middle East greatly expanded (and is still expanded to this date) that completely swallowed villages near the coast edge.

 

[JiNX-01]

Not to a great degree, as the Ark and Noah feature in Judaism and Islam.

Exactly. All three religions lay claim to the Ark, and that triggers the Apocalypse.

Well, there were dogs and cats living together on that Ark too...

And you all thought it would be a battle over the Holy Land.

 

[kitsune]

I think what would have more of an impact on the world would be finding the Ark Covenant again and the original ten commandment tablets.

Interestingly, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church claims posession of the Ark, and they've apparently shown it to visiting VIPs over the years.

 

[T'Girl]

No impact.

People of faith don't need the physical ark to affirm their beliefs. And you could parade every relic (and person) from the bible in front of a atheist and they would just call every bit of it fake.

Atheist: "I denial your very existence!"
Jesus: "I'm standing right in front of you." - wave hand in atheist's face - "Hello ..."

 

[ryan123450]

The world has already discovered the burial cloth which covered Christ and shows the footprint of his resurrection, yet "the world" is willfully blind to it's existence and meaning, so I imagine the same would be true of the Ark.