Fairy Tale Ark Debunked

When people think of Noah’s ark, they often think about a “bathtub” ark with huge giraffes coming out of the top and elephants spilling over the sides. Many children’s Sunday school curricula depict the ark as a tiny ship unable to hold the required number of animals. The Ark Encounter was built to debunk some of these myths and help people answer questions about the truth of Noah’s Ark (and why AiG’s Answers Bible Curriculum teaches the truth of God’s Word without “watering down” the message).

Once Upon A Time . . .

You may have seen pictures like this in books when they talk about the ark. But the real Noah’s ark, the one described in the Bible, would have been huge (510 feet long and 51 feet tall, assuming a 20.4 inch cubit)—and amazingly seaworthy in even the roughest waters. This is a ship that could have kept the occupants safe during a year-long ordeal.

The 7 D’s of Deception

There are many issues with the idea of a “fairy tale ark.” At the Ark Encounter, we explain the 7 D’s of Deception for our guests to learn why it matters.

1. Disregarding God’s Word: Using artistic license and stylizing the ark is not necessarily sinful, but these cute arks drastically distort Scripture and make the account look like a fairy tale.
2. Distorting the Message: Fairy tale ark stories often focus on cute animals on a fun boat ride. But the flood account is about the righteous and holy God judging an exceedingly sinful world.
3. Deceptively Cute: Cute things are not necessarily innocent or harmless, and good intentions can lead to disastrous consequences.
4. Discrediting the Truth: Christians should defend the truth against atheists that love to use fairy tale arks to mock the Bible.
5. Destructive for All Ages: The cute fairy tale arks are not only marketed for children. The abundance of these items made for adults attacks the truthfulness of Scripture.
6. Disorienting the Reader: Some children’s books talk about the Biblical dimensions while presenting a “bathtub” ark. This confuses the readers rather than instructing them.
7. Defaming God’s Character: By treating Noah’s Ark and the flood as a fairy tale rather than a story of judgment, these stories trivialize the righteous God.

Committed to Truth

At the Ark Encounter, we are committed to presenting the truth of the Bible from the very first verse. We look forward to reopening so our guests can learn more from exhibits just like this!