Noah, Utnapishtim, and the Flood

[CaritateDei]

Dear friends of worthy,

I posted the original topic in Worthyboards on asking if anyone had done any research on Utnapishtim and Noah, and the parallel stories...wondering if they could be the same person...

...My room mate brought this up, and he knows that I am on Worthyboards. In going back through those posts, many of them were extremely rude and SOOOO NOT ME!

My room mate, apparently got into worthyboards one night for the sole purpose of causing trouble, and evidently he offended some people. FresnoJoe, you especially deserve a sincere apology for my room mate's behavior. Know that I have put a lock on my computer and don't let him use it. Again, I apologize for his comments.

That being said, I was wondering if anyone knows any information on the similarities, and the possibility that Noah and Utnapishtim could be one and the same. I am a Christian and DO believe in the authority of Scripture, but I do like to pair up that Scripture with the other Histories...I've been doing some research recently on the Creation story in Genesis and the Native American spirituality of the Great Manito, the Evil Manito, and the first humans. The parallels are AMAZING.

Anyways, does anyone have any comments or information? Evidently Tubal Cain had some interesting points as well.

Thank you all for your understanding and have a blessed Easter (Feast of the Resurrection of our Lord, I should say).

[Guest]

[Leonard]

I think it only natural that the creation stories of various tribes all springing from the same tiny geographical areas should have marked similarities.

The only real question may be: "Which tribe kept the more accurate account of the real events"?

[Guest]

And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.

Mark 16:6

I think it only natural that the creation stories of various tribes all springing from the same tiny geographical areas should have marked similarities.

The only real question may be: "Which tribe kept the more accurate account of the real events"?

Maybe the one with The Living God moving the stylus!

The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

Psalms 12:6

Love, Joe

[Ovedya]

Dear friends of worthy,

I posted the original topic in Worthyboards on asking if anyone had done any research on Utnapishtim and Noah, and the parallel stories...wondering if they could be the same person...

...My room mate brought this up, and he knows that I am on Worthyboards. In going back through those posts, many of them were extremely rude and SOOOO NOT ME!

My room mate, apparently got into worthyboards one night for the sole purpose of causing trouble, and evidently he offended some people. FresnoJoe, you especially deserve a sincere apology for my room mate's behavior. Know that I have put a lock on my computer and don't let him use it. Again, I apologize for his comments.

That being said, I was wondering if anyone knows any information on the similarities, and the possibility that Noah and Utnapishtim could be one and the same. I am a Christian and DO believe in the authority of Scripture, but I do like to pair up that Scripture with the other Histories...I've been doing some research recently on the Creation story in Genesis and the Native American spirituality of the Great Manito, the Evil Manito, and the first humans. The parallels are AMAZING.

Anyways, does anyone have any comments or information? Evidently Tubal Cain had some interesting points as well.

Thank you all for your understanding and have a blessed Easter (Feast of the Resurrection of our Lord, I should say).

There are flood stories in almost every human culture on the earth. What should be of most interest are those cultures in which the flood stories match, or nearly match, and yet have never made contact with one another. No, the Bible's flood account has not connection or relevance to Utnapishtim.

[Floatingaxe]

Utnapishtim was a mythological figure, so why would that have any bearing whatsoever on the real and living Noah? The relation of the story of the flood would have been passed down through the tribes after Noah, and due to the dispersion of peoples, the story would change a bit, due to the grapevine effect, but this entity, Upnapishtim is totally fictional anyway.

[Tubal-Cain]

CaritateDei, check your private messages.

[Tubal-Cain]

Utnapishtim was a mythological figure, so why would that have any bearing whatsoever on the real and living Noah? The relation of the story of the flood would have been passed down through the tribes after Noah, and due to the dispersion of peoples, the story would change a bit, due to the grapevine effect, but this entity, Upnapishtim is totally fictional anyway.

Not all Christians take the flood narrative as a literal/historical account. Regardless, understanding other ancient Near Eastern literature helps us to understand the Bible better. For example, in the Epic of Gilgamesh the gods want to destroy man because man is too noisy. Utnapishtim is saved by a god that is sympathetic to man. In the Bible God destroys the earth because of the wickedness of man and saves Noah and family because they are righteous. Such a comparison reveals an entirely different theology between the two cultures.

[Floatingaxe]

understanding other ancient Near Eastern literature helps us to understand the Bible better.

The Bible stands alone as a true historic document, without any help in understanding from any other source. It is the Holy Spirit that reveals the truth of it, which makes it singularly the most powerful piece of literature ever and stands far above any other. It is alive.

Such a comparison reveals an entirely different theology between the two cultures.

Go figure, eh? On one hand you have the awesome God and on the other hand, a myth.

[apothanein kerdos]

Dear friends of worthy,

I posted the original topic in Worthyboards on asking if anyone had done any research on Utnapishtim and Noah, and the parallel stories...wondering if they could be the same person...

...My room mate brought this up, and he knows that I am on Worthyboards. In going back through those posts, many of them were extremely rude and SOOOO NOT ME!

My room mate, apparently got into worthyboards one night for the sole purpose of causing trouble, and evidently he offended some people. FresnoJoe, you especially deserve a sincere apology for my room mate's behavior. Know that I have put a lock on my computer and don't let him use it. Again, I apologize for his comments.

That being said, I was wondering if anyone knows any information on the similarities, and the possibility that Noah and Utnapishtim could be one and the same. I am a Christian and DO believe in the authority of Scripture, but I do like to pair up that Scripture with the other Histories...I've been doing some research recently on the Creation story in Genesis and the Native American spirituality of the Great Manito, the Evil Manito, and the first humans. The parallels are AMAZING.

Anyways, does anyone have any comments or information? Evidently Tubal Cain had some interesting points as well.

Thank you all for your understanding and have a blessed Easter (Feast of the Resurrection of our Lord, I should say).

The difference between the two seems subtle, but is actually vast. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, where we find this story, it is presented in a mythical fashion. After the flood occurs Utnapishtim and his wife are granted immortality. In other words, he is almost deified and looked upon as holy and amazing. Noah, on the other hand, is shown to be a normal man and a sinner. It shows him getting drunk and naked soon after the flood subsides.

In other words, Noah is not deified or even shown to be that great of an individual - he is shown as someone who survived a tragic event and sinned after...and also died. The Bible is unique in that its heroes all have flaws, and it has no problem exploiting these flaws.