Noahs Ark.....its in the Netherlands!

Chlidonias

Chlidonias

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Noah's "real-life" ark takes shape on Dutch river - Yahoo! New Zealand Entertainment
For three years, the quaint old city of Dordrecht has watched in amazement as a local businessman's dream of building a real-life Noah's ark, stocked with thousands of plastic animals, became a reality.

The enormous vessel stands at an abandoned quay on the Merwede River, about 65 kilometres (40 miles) south of Amsterdam. Here, Johan Huibers, 52, and a team of 50 dedicated employees put the final touches to what they believe is the only life-size wooden ark in existence.

"We want to tell people about God," the deeply religious Dutchman told AFP when asked why he undertook the project. "We wanted to build something that can help explain the Bible in real terms."

The plan is to open what Huibers, who is in construction, calls "a Bible museum" by the end of the year, but he will allow local residents in on a one-day sneak preview later this month.

His undertaking is all the more amazing as Huibers is building the replica according to ancient standards cited in the Book of Genesis, which say the boat was 300 cubits long, 30 cubits high and 50 cubits wide.

With a cubit estimated roughly as the distance between the elbow and fingertips, or a half-metre (1.5 feet), this makes the ark's dimensions staggering -- about 150 metres long (490 feet), roughly four storeys high and some 25 metres across. It weighs around 3,000 tonnes, Huibers said.

A massive roof protects sprawling decks where Huibers plans to place life-sized replicas of some 1,600 animal species to represent the Biblical tale of Noah, who was ordered by God to build the ark to save his family and animals of all species before the earth was swamped by a massive flood.

"The wood is Swedish pine, because that's the closest we think to the 'resin wood' God ordered Noah to use in the Bible. The animals are plastic and come from the Philippines," Huibers told AFP.

On board there will be sleeping quarters, including Noah's bedroom, a theatre and stage, a fully equipped restaurant as well as conference facilities to seat 1,500 people. There is even a millstone to grind wheat to make "Biblical bread", and artists are painting walls with the story of the ark and other Biblical tales.

The idea for the project came in 1992, said Huibers, when in true Dutch fashion he had a nightmare about the low-lying Netherlands again being flooded by surging waters from the North Sea.

"The next day I bought a book about Noah's ark. That night while sitting on the couch with my kids, I looked at it and said: 'It's what we're going to do'."

By 2004, he had build a smaller ark -- 70 metres long -- which he used to take passengers on joyrides along the Dutch canals. Huibers pushed these profits into his grand plan and by mid-2008, construction of the "big ark" had started.

The rest of the financing came from a three million-euro (four million-dollar) bank loan, 500 euros a year from his church and a "100-euro donation from my 93-year-old mother".

Not all share his vision, including his wife Bianca, a police officer, who "berated" him with the Dutch saying "being normal is being crazy enough," Huibers laughed.

"In the beginning my dad's project was a bit strange," agreed his son Ray, 23, who now works full time to help finish the ark. "But now I find it really great."

Others like Dennis Langeveld, 30, who works on a construction project across the quay, are less convinced.

"He has to do what he has to do," he said munching a sandwich during his lunch break as he watched activity at the ark. "Maybe he knows something we don't."

Next year, Huibers wants to tow the ark like a barge across the Channel and moor it somewhere in London during the 2012 Summer Olympics "to tell people about God."

He has already done a trial run to Rotterdam, Europe's largest port, and believes his vessel is completely seaworthy.
"I have always been a dreamer," Huibers said smiling.
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Noah's Ark

Prejudiced atheistic grumpy old man comment coming up 'what a silly thing to do...'
 
The rest of the financing came from a three million-euro (four million-dollar) bank loan, 500 euros a year from his church and a "100-euro donation from my 93-year-old mother".
Click to expand...
Johan Huibers: "Hello Mr. Bank Manager, I'd like to get a loan please"
Bank Manager: "Certainly. How much would you like to loan from us?"
Johan Huibers: "Well, three million euros should do"
Bank Manager: "Well, that's certainly a lot of money. What are your plans for this money, if you don't mind me asking?"
Johan Huibers: "I'm going to build an ark"
Bank Manager: "um........"

:D
 
I think this is a marvellous idea! Now we can finally test God's plan and attempt to put two animals of every species on the Ark "except the floating ones and the swimming ones who will get out due to a loophole in the plan" (said in a James Mason voice). If he can do it the Bible is right. If he can't it is wrong :D

 
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Noah's Ark

Isn't there something in the Bible about having two of every unclean beast and seven of every clean beast? What about subspecies? Inverts?
Hitherto undescribed species of Amazon rainforest beetles? Unicorns, Dinosaurs? Important to get this right -- personally I think using plastic animals is a cop-out, and he should be obliged to use real ones that need feeding and cleaning out... My comments here are no dafter than what this bloke is doing [and what a colossal waste of money that could go towards conserving some of 'God's Creation']
 
So, 1,600 animal species = all species on Earth? There are 400,000 described beetle species alone - and of course there's no way any of these could have evolved since the flood as EVOLUTION ISN'T REAL*!

Even allowing for the fact that pelagic/deep sea species wouldn't need a lift (though of course freshwater species and shallow-water specialists such as corals would need to be saved from a global Flood such as this), 1,600 is nowhere near. Where would you put all these animals? Not to mention the food for them, and enough fresh water to maintain them, and to change water in the aquatic animals' tanks. And large stocks of mirrors to enable flamingos to breed as pairs ( ;) ).

There's no room, so basically, either the story is complete nonsense (or, to be charitable, a rather grim morality tale - 'be good or you'll be drowned en masse') or else... could it be? A TARDIS? Noah a Time Lord?**



Actually, he would have had to bring disease-ridded animals in order to preserve all the species of parasitic animals - tapeworms, fleas, lice et al seem to have made it through the Flood OK. Must have been rather a grim place!







*sarcasm alert

** yes, I know. God Did It. Hmmm...
 
Noahs Ark

Just a thought; what about the plants, without which we're all stuffed?
 
Noah's Ark

Noah's Conservatory -- that huge floating greenhouse [with darkened bit for mushrooms] towed behind the Ark, with enough of every plant to sustain life on Earth post-flood. Greenfly could ruin the whole thing. Mustn't forget all the freshwater plants [another strain on the on-board desalination system], and enough grass to keep the herbivores going.
Any minute now, some vegan is going to suggest that the only life form you need to save is Quorn -- not in the Bible, but would not need a very big boat......
Is this getting just a little bit silly, or actually quite a good way to spend a wet Sunday morning?
 
FBBird said:
Is this getting just a little bit silly, or actually quite a good way to spend a wet Sunday morning?
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I'm enjoying it!

I'm now wondering about microbes - bacteria and Archaea must have also survived - and things like nematodes.

In fact, how would Noah ever know he'd got every species? I'm sure the Big Guy wouldn't be too impressed if one of his creations were missed. Was Noah given a grand checklist? You can just imagine him all ready to go, the rain starting and having to stall as he's still desperately seeking the last couple of spider or weevil species...
 
Maguari said:
So, 1,600 animal species = all species on Earth? There are 400,000 described beetle species alone - and of course there's no way any of these could have evolved since the flood as EVOLUTION ISN'T REAL*!
.
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Love the comments so far, but this one in particular - thanks Maguari ! There is a wave of this nonsense coming to Europe from America and some idiots are actually falling for it !
The truth about these creationists is that they are not just denying evolution, they are in fact denying ALL SCIENCE (thats just even harder to sell) as everything is connected - Geology, Biology, Physics, Chemistry and so on.

God help us if creationism becomes a fashion over here as well !
 
Noah's Ark

Just imagine; you're Noah [or this chap who's trying to educate us all], and you've got every species of non-marine life form on board, and some splitter comes along to reveal that the Lesser Spotted Wotsit, from new DNA studies, is actually several species, and you've got to go out and catch a load, DNA testing them to check which taxon they belong to. Then along comes a lumper and says that bit of research has been discredited and you can let them all go again [but they've just discovered three new beetles and a hummingbird.....]. And by the way, have you got Burmese Dwarf Elephants? [of which you need seven, because they're not 'unclean']
 
FBBird said:
Just imagine; you're Noah [or this chap who's trying to educate us all], and you've got every species of non-marine life form on board, and some splitter comes along to reveal that the Lesser Spotted Wotsit, from new DNA studies, is actually several species, and you've got to go out and catch a load, DNA testing them to check which taxon they belong to. Then along comes a lumper and says that bit of research has been discredited and you can let them all go again [but they've just discovered three new beetles and a hummingbird.....]. And by the way, have you got Burmese Dwarf Elephants? [of which you need seven, because they're not 'unclean']
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If I didnt know better I'd almost start to think this story had just been made up to put the fear of God into people and so assert the power of the church, without thinking about whether what was being presented as truth was really in any way feasible.



;)
 
you infidels really annoy me, with your ignorant beliefs in "science":
Maguari said:
Even allowing for the fact that pelagic/deep sea species wouldn't need a lift (though of course freshwater species and shallow-water specialists such as corals would need to be saved from a global Flood such as this), 1,600 is nowhere near. Where would you put all these animals? Not to mention the food for them, and enough fresh water to maintain them, and to change water in the aquatic animals' tanks.
Click to expand...
as I understand it, Noah had no need to take aquatic animals on board the Ark because salt water is heavier than fresh water so there is a layer at the top for all the freshwater animals to live in safely. And even if that wasn't the case, if you mix fresh and salt you get brackish water which is perfectly good for keeping all forms of aquatic life alive.*

FBBird said:
Just a thought; what about the plants, without which we're all stuffed?
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plants can easily survive a global flood by becoming dormant**


*what Creationists actually say!!!!
**ditto!!!!!!!


(seriously, read some Creationist/Fundamentalist Flood websites - they're a brilliant way to spend a wet day :D)
 
I didn't think it was possible for my opinion of Creationists to sink any lower. Childonias, you just managed it! If they seriously believe that then they're even more blinkered than I thought.

(part of me would love to read those websites, but I'm quite confident they would lead to a mood of high annoyance and likely breakages in my vicinity! :D )
 
And finally, finally ... the Flying Dutchman has come home.
Beware as he is also threatening to come to London soon! :D

What a waste of a good few million euros ....

Signed, another Dutchman not wishing to be associated with this old gunk.
 
Maguari said:
I didn't think it was possible for my opinion of Creationists to sink any lower. Childonias, you just managed it! If they seriously believe that then they're even more blinkered than I thought.

(part of me would love to read those websites, but I'm quite confident they would lead to a mood of high annoyance and likely breakages in my vicinity! :D)
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my favourite quote ever with regards to the survival of aquatic animals during the Great Flood:
Major public aquariums use the ability of fish to adapt to water of different salinity from their normal habitat to exhibit freshwater and saltwater species together. The fish can adapt if the salinity is changed slowly enough.
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(from creation.com/images/pdfs/cabook/chapter14.pdf)

also:
There is also a possibility that stable fresh and saltwater layers developed and per*sisted in some parts of the ocean. Freshwater can sit on top of saltwater for extended periods of time. Turbulence may have been sufficiently low at high latitudes for such layering to persist and allow
the survival of both freshwater and salt*water species in those areas.
Click to expand...
the pdf also covers the survival of plants....

Read it and be saved.
 
Maguari said:
I didn't think it was possible for my opinion of Creationists to sink any lower. Childonias, you just managed it! If they seriously believe that then they're even more blinkered than I thought.

(part of me would love to read those websites, but I'm quite confident they would lead to a mood of high annoyance and likely breakages in my vicinity! :D )
Click to expand...

Not all Creationists are as stubborn and radical as this. There are plenty that beleive in things such as evolution, and do not take stories in the Bible and other books as hard facts. I am one of them. I just don't appreciate you labbeling the vast majority of the world as backwards nuts.
 
KCZooFan said:
Not all Creationists are as stubborn and radical as this. There are plenty that beleive in things such as evolution, and do not take stories in the Bible and other books as hard facts. I am one of them. I just don't appreciate you labbeling the vast majority of the world as backwards nuts.
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by definition a Creationist cannot believe in evolution. There is a big difference between being a Creationist or a Fundamentalist and simply being religious or a Christian
 
Chlidonias said:
my favourite quote ever with regards to the survival of aquatic animals during the Great Flood:

(from creation.com/images/pdfs/cabook/chapter14.pdf)

also:

the pdf also covers the survival of plants....

Read it and be saved.
Click to expand...

By the Great Green Arkleseizure, what a load of utter tripe. Utter, utter tripe and just flat out lies. The gall of these people is astonishing - they seem to rely on their readers being unrelentingly thick. Unfortunately, I suspect at least some of them are.
 
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