“The Neanderthals and the Mega fauna lived and died out, apparently long before 10,000 years ago: this is beyond dispute.” “Beyond dispute” - until new facts appeared. Didn’t researchers recently prove Neanderthals and Homo Sapiens coexisted, even intermingled…
Thus, is this discussion about truth or about combining scientific career with SDA church membership?
Although just being an engineer, not a geologist nor an anthropologist, to me the report very much looks like a desperate attempt as mentioned…
God endowed man with so great vital force that he has withstood the accumulation of disease brought upon the race in consequence of perverted habits, and has continued for six thousand years. (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 3, p. 138)
Infidel geologists claim that the world is very much older than the Bible record makes it. They reject the Bible record, because of those things which are to them evidences from the earth itself, that the world has existed tens of thousands of years. And many who profess to believe the Bible record are at a loss to account for wonderful things which are found in the earth, with the view that creation week was only seven literal days, and that the world is now only about six thousand years old. (Spiritual Gifts, vol. 3, pp. 91, 92; also in 1SP 87 and Signs of the Times, March 20, 1879)
The great controversy between Christ and Satan, that has been carried forward for nearly six thousand years, is soon to close; and the wicked one redoubles his efforts to defeat the work of Christ in man’s behalf and to fasten souls in his snares. (The Great Controversy, p. 518)
The great controversy between Christ and Satan, that has been carried on for almost six thousand years, is soon to close. (Signs of the Times, May 8, 1884)
A cunning and cruel foe attends our steps, and is working every moment, with all his strength and skill, to turn us from the right way. Ever since he succeeded in overcoming our first parents in their beautiful Eden home, he has been engaged in this work. More than six thousand years of continual practice has greatly increased his skill to deceive and allure. (Signs of the Times, September 29, 1887)
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As a researcher using the scientific method, I have found support both for and against my own theories over the years. That’s the way of research. We cannot “prove” anything. New information is always emerging and we have to evaluate this in an objective way.
However, in regard to the Genesis account, we find a literal context for the proto-evangelion in Genesis 3:15, a literal sanctuary service in the OT and a “literal” Messiah (Jesus Christ). If we have the correct starting point, we arrive at the correct conclusion. Rene G.
I applaud the authors attempts to use scientific evidence to develop theories about creation and match them against scripture. I also applaud them for their continued responses to those who have critiqued their writings. I do however, find what they have written to be unpersuasive.
Robert_Sonter’s comments took the words out of my mouth. The author’s postulate that the earth is 4 billion years; and that there is no dispute that plants, animals and hominids existed before 10,000 years and then suggest that all of those were destroyed and the earth covered in water (massive flood that happened millions of years before Noah?). After this destruction of all life, then God created land, plants, animals and man in 6 days.
The problem is that while the author’s offer scientific evidence to support their theory about the age of the earth, they provide no evidence that supports their theory that all plant and animal life was destroyed by water covering the earth (what about plants and animals that lived in the water) and no evidence or reasoning to explain why God would have destroyed or allowed all of that life to end, only to recreate it all back in 6 days, plus no scientific evidence of course that shows a 6 day creation of all life. And yet, the author’s insist this must be how it is. I find this to be contradictory on their part.
I’m not arguing for a young earth, old earth, creation or evolutionary model. Christianity is a matter of faith on my part. I’m suggesting that author’s are dogmatically scientific on the aspect of the theory they are invested in, while curiously not addressing scientific clues on the parts of the evolutionary theory they don’t choose to address. I’d like to see them address their suggestion that all life ended AND THEN, God created everything in 6 days, what support do they have for that? Can they address the challenges with that as proposed by evolutionary scientists?
Thank You.
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I am grateful to Jared, spectrumbot, and Col J. Gibson and D. Stuart Letham for their original essay entitled titled “Ice Ages Research Demolishes Young Earth Creationism” and their willingness to follow up to responses. This is the kind of ongoing conversation that Spectrum was designed for!
In my view, Gibson and Letham would do a service by publishing a paper describing in detail their model. In saying this, I am not asserting their model is correct. I actually don’t think so, but that is beside the point, as we can all learn something from each other.
At this time when church officials are trying to shut down the conversation, we need writers to articulate the many synthesis of scripture and science abroad in Adventism.
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I am a computer scientist. I know all about deductive reasoning; including how too much extrapolation can lead you down the wrong path.
When will we admit how many assumptions we are introducing into these theories?