How Old is the Earth?How Old is the Earth?

Creationist time line

1 inch = 750 years

6000 years ago

Creation

4000 BC

Noah 4400 yrs ago

2400 world wide flood

Jesus birth

“0”

Today

2007

• Creationists believe that that the earth was created instantly approx 6000 yrs, (or at least under 10,000 years old).

• Young Earth Creationists.

Evolutionist time line

1 inch = 2,500,000,000 years

Big Bang

20 billion years ago

4.6 Billion years ago

Earth forms

3 Billion years ago

Life forms

Man evolved 3,000,000

Years ago

• Evolutionists claim that the earth and the solar system is about 4.55 billion years old (give or take 1%). They believe this amount of time was necessary for life to evolve.

• Which is right?

• No-one was there to see and it cannot be repeated so we have to look at the evidence.

Geology Rocks!Geology Rocks!

• There are rocks all over the world in layers

• Lets look at Mrs Thomson’s holiday videos!

• The rocks are in layers, and the lowest layers would have to be put down first…but how long ago?

• This is what creationists and evolutionist disagree on.

Counting tree ringsCounting tree ringsIf care is taken, If care is taken, tree-ring counting tree-ring counting gives us an gives us an accurate absolute accurate absolute method of dating method of dating going back for going back for 8200 years. 8200 years. Therefore we Therefore we know beyond know beyond reasonable doubt reasonable doubt that the world that the world was not created was not created in 4004 BC.in 4004 BC.

The Radiocarbon ClockThe Radiocarbon Clock

Radiocarbon dating can only be applied to organisms that were once alive and is a means of determining how long ago they died. By measuring how much radiocarbon remains in ancient organic materials, it is possible to calculate how long ago they died.

Is Radiocarbon dating reliable?Read 2.5

How old is life on Earth?How old is life on Earth?The evidence that the Earth is 4600 million years old is very strong.

Bacteria fossils -3000 million years old.

Sea snail fossils 600 million years old

Primitive fish 400 million years old

Dinosaurs 200 million years ago

Man built the pyramids only 4500 yrs ago!

Not all former life was preserved Not all former life was preserved as fossils, in fact the vast as fossils, in fact the vast majority simply vanished majority simply vanished without trace.  The most likely without trace.  The most likely materials to survive fossilisation materials to survive fossilisation are the hard parts such as are the hard parts such as shells and objects which in life shells and objects which in life were constructed from resistant were constructed from resistant materials, such as Coral.  In materials, such as Coral.  In order for softer materials to order for softer materials to survive, the conditions must be survive, the conditions must be extremely favourable. extremely favourable. 

Creationists believe the Earth is only Creationists believe the Earth is only 10 000 years old or less! 10 000 years old or less!

How can they believe this in the face of How can they believe this in the face of the evidence?the evidence?

They have three different answers:

1. They claim radioactive dating is inaccurate.

2) They believe fossil evidence can be 2) They believe fossil evidence can be explained away by the massive flood in explained away by the massive flood in Genesis. (Huge waves travelled around they Genesis. (Huge waves travelled around they earth and deposited mud animals etc, when earth and deposited mud animals etc, when compressed by the weight of the water they compressed by the weight of the water they formed rocks.)formed rocks.)

A huge flood would/ could have changed the way the world looked very quickly)

3. They believe in the Theory of Apparent Age.

This theory states that God did create the Universe in 6 days, but he made it so that it appeared old i.e. tree were created fully grown with tree rings.

Logically it is impossible to tell the difference between:

I. A world which is really very old

and

II. A world which is young but has been given the perfect appearance of age.

However using common sense (I) must be preferred to (II).

Even from a Christian point of view why would God deceive us by leaving old fossils lying about?

Question? Did Adam have a belly button?