This story doesn’t pass my smell test, but it’s certainly making religion headlines: a Chinese-Turkish group of Christian explorers from Noah’s Ark Ministries International claims to have found the remains of Noah’s Ark on Turkey’s Mt. Ararat.
According to Abrahamic tradition, the massive wooden ship ferried Noah’s family and pairs of all the animal species to safety during the great flood, which biblical scholars estimate occurred more than 4,000 years ago. (Deluge myths are found in many other religions, which some historians believe references the end of the last ice age.)
Catholic News Agency, Fox News, and The Daily Mail are among the outlets staying on top of this story. Beliefnet blogger Ben Witherington is also on the case, noting that he’s heard it all before.
Seems pretty far-fetched to me, but then again, I’m a jaded journalist. (Plus, I learned about carbon dating vs. the Shroud of Turin and other religion artifacts back in college.) What do you think? Share your thoughts in the Comments section below.
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