Christianity

[rlspach]

I was being a jerk.

I didn't presume that. I just assumed your wit must have outpaced my mine.

 

[Fletch]

Depends whether you view the creation story as a literal representation or not. I do not, for many of the reasons outlined here:

Genesis creation myth - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Unfortunately, many folks believe that anything less than a literal interpretation compromises their faith, even though they seem more than willing to accept other "parables" as stories of morality.

This would contradict other physical evidence. I'll go with that - approximately 4.5 Billion years old.

I would ask, why is a literal interpretation important? It is the moral embedded in the story that matters anyway.

Paraphrasing a friend of mine, if the observed universe doesn't match up with our beliefs, it is the height of arrogance to declare that the universe is wrong.

 

[1946]

Very good book that you might want to read. Bible Answers 101, by Bruce Bickel and Stan Jantz. Uses scripture to validate answers to a lot of your questions.

 

[rlspach]

Paraphrasing a friend of mine

You have a smart friend.

 

[jnicol6600]

When god created adam how old was he? probably not a baby in my mind so he could take care of himself. I would say at least a teenager.
So why couldnt he create an earth with 6 billion years of history. Just something to ponder.

 

[rlspach]

So why couldnt he create an earth with 6 billion years of history. Just something to ponder.

Time is relative -Einstein

 

[mettle]

I believe earth is less than 10,000 years old,
however isn't the question of eternity more appropriate.

My point was; that, there is not a measurement BEFORE the fall of man.

 

[mettle]

Paraphrasing a friend of mine, if the observed universe doesn't match up with our beliefs, it is the height of arrogance to declare that the universe is wrong.

Good point. The Lord expects us to believe 'He is', more.

 

[dieselman]

While some have tried to count back the generations in the Bible, I do not believe one can do so. For example, the "7 days to create the Earth" in Genesis in the Hebrew actually translates more like "over a period of time," IIRC. The Bible wasn't intended as a timetable of Earth's history, nor do I believe the information is available there.

actually, the hebrew word for day used in the Genesis creation account is the same as the hebrew word used for our standard 24 hour day later on in the OT

 

[dieselman]

Also, (this may be a bit off topic as I have not read the entire thread, but I think its good food for thought), but those who say that the earth is indeed billions of years old and attempt to adopt a creation philosophy that mixes evolution and biblical creation have one flaw.

In assuming that evolution is in a sense true, then man is on a journey of inverse entropy, going from disorder to order, bad to good, savage to civil, etc. Therefore, if all of this is in progress, man's need for a savior is defeated. Salvation would not be attained through the death of Christ on a cross, but through man's evolution into a perfect, sinless being.

 

[theweakerbrother]

Using the Bible as a tool to determine how old the world is does not make sense to me. The Bible is a collection of history books, proverbs, songs of praise and worship, letters of correction, exhortation and several other categories. It spans more than three thousand years, two religions and is at the epicenter of three continents. If God exists, and I think he does, he is certainly at helm of the creation of the world.

If evolution is real, it does not 'defeat' the argument of the theist. It means that a method of creation was done differently than what most fundamentalist thought was possible. Science and religion are not competitive fields of thought, if anything they are complimentary. However, that does not mean I would expect to use a book of spirituality to explain something scientific because the Bible's collection of stories are not focused on science.

Is the world 6-8 thousand years old? Probably not. If I am wrong, does it change my salvation? Absolutely not. The study of creation is not a salvific issue.

 

[LCPer]

actually, the hebrew word for day used in the Genesis creation account is the same as the hebrew word used for our standard 24 hour day later on in the OT

Actually it isn't. Check my earlier reference to the Hebrew word YOM.

 

[Fletch]

Using the Bible as a tool to determine how old the world is does not make sense to me. The Bible is a collection of history books, proverbs, songs of praise and worship, letters of correction, exhortation and several other categories. It spans more than three thousand years, two religions and is at the epicenter of three continents. If God exists, and I think he does, he is certainly at helm of the creation of the world.

If evolution is real, it does not 'defeat' the argument of the theist. It means that a method of creation was done differently than what most fundamentalist thought was possible. Science and religion are not competitive fields of thought, if anything they are complimentary. However, that does not mean I would expect to use a book of spirituality to explain something scientific because the Bible's collection of stories are not focused on science.

Is the world 6-8 thousand years old? Probably not. If I am wrong, does it change my salvation? Absolutely not. The study of creation is not a salvific issue.

Great post. Repped.

 

[garlic_b]

Let's not forget the Psalm 90:4 multiplier constant. "For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night."

So take the age of the (earth X days/year X 1000) ~= 2-4 billion years old for the age of the earth. Which isn't too far from the cosmological calculations of around 4.5 billion. For example (12,000 years X 365 Days/Year X 1000) = 4,380,000,000 years.

 

[dieselman]

Actually it isn't. Check my earlier reference to the Hebrew word YOM.

My freshman biology teacher lied to me then...

 

[darinb]

If you are a christian then you will meet the maker of the earth soon and you can ask him but antil then pray, fast and study and you will find the answer. Man doesnt have the answer and to me it doesnt matter how old it is since if you are a christian time on this earth as we know it will end with the coming of Jesus very soon. Just my opinion.

 

[Fletch]

If you are a christian then you will meet the maker of the earth soon and you can ask him but antil then pray, fast and study and you will find the answer. Man doesnt have the answer and to me it doesnt matter how old it is since if you are a christian time on this earth as we know it will end with the coming of Jesus very soon. Just my opinion.

"Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." -- Phil 2:12 (NKJV)

 

[LCPer]

My freshman biology teacher lied to me then...

Maybe your teacher wasn't as well versed in Hebrew as you might have thought.

 

[rhino]

Given the number of self-identified Christians on the planet and the diversity of beliefs among them, I suspect it is unlikely that all of them will have the same answer for any question, much less one such as how old the Earth is.

 

[Fletch]

Given the number of self-identified Christians on the planet and the diversity of beliefs among them, I suspect it is unlikely that all of them will have the same answer for any question, much less one such as how old the Earth is.

Exactly. And Romans 14 tells us not to make a fuss about it.