沒有挪亞方舟

英國廣播公司（BBC 1）本月(編按: 3月21日)稍後播映一個新節目，由理性角度力證《聖經》中挪亞造方舟避過大洪水一事毫無科學和歷史根據，只是編造的「神話」。 由BBC宗教及倫理部製作的《挪亞方舟》，訪問了多位歷史學家和科學家，他們都認為沒證據顯示地球曾發生淹沒所有陸地的大洪水、沒有如此大的方舟，甚至沒有挪亞這個人物。

史上沒洪水能盡淹大地 受訪的科學家指，就算集合全地球的水，或連續四十天日夜不停下雨，亦不能淹沒所有陸地。

另外，以當時技術水平，沒可能建造一艘有「鐵達尼」號三分二大小的巨船。而且要把全世界每種動物都送一對上船，估計要花三十五年之久。

專家的結論是，「挪亞方舟」一事乃猶太人杜撰，取材自公元前二千七百年，巴比倫國王吉爾伽美什遇上河水氾濫一事，目的是彰顯上帝大能。

Animals into the ark two by two? Not if you believe the BBC By Chris Hastings, Media Correspondent (Filed: 07/03/2004)

The Biblical story of Noah's ark is a "great myth", devoid of any scientific or historical credibility according to a new BBC programme about the great flood.

挪亞方舟的聖經故事是「大神話」，沒有任何科學或歷史的可信性，根據新的BBC大洪水的節目。

Noah's Ark, which has been produced by the Corporation's religion and ethics division, argues that there is no evidence to support the idea of an ark, a global flood or even a man called Noah.

挪亞方舟節目是宗教公司和道德部門所製作，認為沒有證據支持方舟、全球洪水或甚至叫挪亞那人的理據。

It claims that the story in the Book of Genesis was a fabrication inspired by the story of King Gilgamesh, who was caught up in a flood while trying to transport his own livestock. Gilgamesh, who was King of Uruk in Babylonia in around 2,700 BC, had a shaved head and wore make up as well as a kilt. He bore no resemblance to the traditional image of Noah as displayed in countless paintings.

這表明創世記的故事是吉爾伽美(Gilgamesh)國王所虛構，在洪水中上了方舟並同時試圖運送他自己的牲畜。吉爾伽美在西元前2,700年曾在東風烏魯克做國王，剃去頭髮及穿著一條蘇格蘭短裙。他與挪亞的傳統形象毫無相似，在無數的圖畫中顯示。

He and his family were stranded at sea when a freak flood swept them from the river they were in. Unable to drink seawater they stayed alive by drinking the beer that they were transporting.

他和他的家人被困在海上時，瘋狂的洪水席捲他們所在的這條河。不能喝海水，他們喝帶來的啤酒以存活。

Jeremy Bowen, the programme's presenter, tells viewers: "It is time to forget the original story and start again.

傑瑞米•博文節目的主持人，告訴觀眾：「這是一個時間忘記原來的故事，然後再度開始。

The traditional notion of the Noah story does not pass any sort of rational or historical test.

挪亞方舟故事的傳統觀念不能通過任何一種理性或歷史的測試。

Maybe it was not meant to, maybe it was made up."

也許挪亞洪水故事不是或許是自作。

In the programme, Bowen interviews a number of scientists and historians who dismiss the idea that the world was engulfed by a global flood.

在該節目中，寶榮採訪一些科學家和歷史學家，駁回世界陷入全球洪水的想法。

They say that there is not enough water in all of the world's oceans to support a torrent of such proportions.

他們說全世界海洋並沒有足夠的水，來支援這種大洪流。

Bowen further concludes that even 40 days and nights of continuous rain would not have produced enough water.

寶榮進一步得出結論，甚至四十晝夜和持續的下雨將不會產生足夠的水。

Recent claims that the flooding could have been caused by a comet bursting onto the earth's surface are also dismissed.

最近的聲稱，導致洪水的可能是一顆彗星衝擊地球表面，此理論也不被接納。

Bowen and his team also contradict traditional notions about the ark itself, saying that such a huge ship - two thirds the size of the Titanic - would have not been possible with the level of technology available at the time. Loading so many animals onto a single vessel would have taken 35 years, it claims.

鮑恩和他的團隊也與方舟本身發生衝突，傳統觀念說 ─ 三分之二大小的鐵達尼號 ─ 建造這種巨大的船在當時的科技水準是辦不到的。運載很多動物至一艘船要花時三十五年之久。

They conclude that the Noah story was invented by Jewish scribes who embellished the story of Gilgamesh to evoke an all powerful and vengeful God.

他們的結論是挪亞故事是猶太人的經學家發明的，美化吉爾伽美的故事來喚起全能和復仇神。

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