Thursday, May 8, 2008

The Matsya Avatar and the Flood.

Not at all happy with evolution and other assorted scientific theories, a group of Protestant fundamentalists have come up with the "science" of "Intelligent Design".

Having read a few of their ideas, I'm reminded of a quote from Voltaire, who said,
"The Holy Roman Empire is neither Holy, nor Roman, nor an Empire."

Likewise, Intelligent Design isn't an Intelligent Design.

Among some of the ideas favored by the ID folks is the claim geological evidence proves that a world wide, great flood had occurred in ancient times.That evidence, they say, proves that the flood mentioned in Genesis happened just as the Book says and is not a religious allegory.

But, isn't it just as likely that the flood evidence might, instead, prove that the Hindu tale found in the Satapatha Brahmana - known as the flood of Manu -could have happened rather than Noah's tale.

In that story,while washing his hands,Manu came across a fish which (it turns out) happens to be Vishnu's Avatar Matsya. At one point in the tale the fish says to Manu,
"In such and such a year that flood will come. Thou shalt then attend to me (i.e. to my advice) by preparing a ship ; and when the flood has risen thou shalt enter into the ship, and I will save thee from it."

To make a long story short, the world is destroyed by flood and only Manu is saved....his boat coming to rest upon a mountain.

Ah.....I guess not. That story is much harder to fathom than the story of Noah's Ark. (he said, tongue firmly in cheek).

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