Dinosaurs lived thousands of years ago, but no longer inhabit the earth. Whole sophisticated civilizations, such as the Aztecs or the civilization of Mycenae existed, were there at one time but now are known only through archeology. In certain zones of the earth, the seasons cycle through the year, bringing the seeming barrenness of winter and the blooming forth of spring. In human lives and families, there is birth and ultimately death. It is possible that the story of Noah and the ark was an allegory to help people understand the nature of the beginnings and endings of all things. In order to think about the story in this way, one would have an understanding of God as one who is in charge of the cycles of nature and interested in maintaining the cycles in a benevolent way, such as the rhythms of the tides or the moon.
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