Christians squirm over Noah novel
2012-03-05 09:56by Marlene Malan
Die Arkvaarders (In The Shadow of the Ark), written by Belgian novelist Anne Provoost, was first published in 2001 and has already made international headlines.
The book, which portrays Noah and his sons as murderers and rapists, is part of the high school syllabus in the Netherlands.
American critics such as Harriet Klausner and Faith V Smith said that although the book is well written, “it’s not for everyone”.
“Provoost’s portrayal of these Biblical figures unsettles readers,” said Klausner.
The book has been translated into seven languages and has won many literary prizes.
“Bible readers will take offence to the sadistic deeds of murder and violence, as well as the sexual undertone, in the description of life on the Ark during the flood,” said Smith.
“It contains sexual detail which could have probably been left out.”
Loaded sexual atmosphere
A loaded sexual atmosphere is depicted between Noah’s son Ham and Re Jana, a teenager that Ham smuggled onto the Ark.
The story sees the 14-year-old girl bathing Ham and his brothers, Shem and Japhet.
Lesbian relationships and teenage pregnancy are also prevalent in the book.
According to Protea Boekhuis, the publisher of the Afrikaans version, it is possible that the book will be a prescribed reading in South African high schools.
Mr Nicol Stassen, Protea Boekhuis’s CEO, said Provoost is one of the most successful youth authors of the Netherlands.
“One of her other books, Vallen (Falling), has been translated into nine languages. A successful film was made of it.”
‘A literary gem’
According to Mr Izak de Vries, Protea’s marketing head, the novel is a literary gem.
“It’s for the old and young. I do target adults in my marketing, but look at works such as Die Uurwek Kantel and Toorberg. They aren’t books for teenagers, but both sold thousands in schools.
“In South Africa we have so-called “setworks” and then we have books that have been approved for libraries. We do indeed suggest books to the education departments. I will suggest Die Arkvaarders.”
Stassen said “There’s nothing in the book that young readers haven’t seen on TV or in movies. Someone who’s surprised by the themes or actions in the book hasn’t read a teen book, or any book for that matter, in the last 20 years.
“It’s perhaps a good thing if the some of the church elders read the book. In my experience, the people who would complain are those who don’t read other books and aren’t prepared to listen to others’ viewpoints.
“The Bible contains a lot of sex and violence. There’s nothing in Die Arkvaarders which isn’t in the Bible as well.”
‘Polluting the holy book’
In contrast, Dr Isak Burger, president of the AGS, complained that the book “pollutes the holy book of Christians.
“It’s irresponsible to prescribe such a book to scholars.
“It’s disgusting, even though it’s fiction. There are no references in the Bible or from any other source that justify this drivel.
“It was this kind of immorality and sexual abuse that led to God flooding the world.
“Because the faithful, just Noah and his family had not yet succumbed to this perverse lifestyle, that is why God chose them.”
(All photos: anneprovoost.be)
– Rapport
McBrolloks 
l agree fully and totally with Dr Isak Burger, the reason GOD chose to spare Noah and his family was because of the godly life that Noah had led, and the reason that the LORD flooded the earth was because of the incredibly sinful and sexually immoral lives that the people were living, just as the majority of the world is living again in today’s society.
This book even though it is fiction will only further add to the already exixting disdain that mankind has for GOD and the power of GOD. it seems that its sole purpose of this author is to bring into dispute the sanctity of the word of GOD and the almighty power of GOD. GOD would never have tolerated this kind of behaviour in the Ark, that is suggested by the book as it is for these very reasons that HE destroyed the world and virtually all its people. GOD abhors fornication, adultery and lesbianism and homosexuality is an ABOMINATION in the eyes of GOD. And Noah and his family feared the wrath of GOD.
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You have not critically looked at your book of fables, the one you call the Bible. One fable is Noah and his Ark:
How long was Noah on the ark?
“Noah entered the ark in the 600th year of his life, on the 17th day of the 2nd month (Genesis 7:11-13). Noah left the ark on the 27th day of the 2nd month of the following year (Genesis 8:14-15). Therefore, assuming a lunar calendar of 360 days, Noah was on the ark for approximately 370 days. Noah was told to go on the ark and in 7 days it would rain. So Noah was on the ark 7 days prior to the flood adding to the 370 making it 377.”
The story of Noah and the ark has even young children asking questions:
• How was it possible to get all the animals in the world on one boat?
• Where did Noah get all the food for the animals to last for such a long period, and where did he store it?
• Where did all the water come from to cover the whole world, and after the flood where did all the water go?
This is again just another story from the Bible. Many clerics claim Noah’s story, as a matter of fact most of the book of Genesis, is an allegory; in other words stories that are not factually true but have hidden meanings. Other clerics claim the book of Genesis, actually the entire Bible, is factual. (No wonder the ongoing fight between them is so laughable – almost as if each interpreter of the Bible had a visitation from God to lay out His Word’s meaning just to that specific individual.)
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“This book even though it is fiction..”
The Bible is one thick book containing mostly fiction. So, if you compare one fictional story to the other, the newer version looks closer to reality than the old one.
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