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Original poster

Biblical reference for Earth being 10,000 years old?

28 replies

tatt · 18/08/2008 21:10

This was mentioned in the programme about Darwin but I don't reacll seeing this in the bible. Can anyone quote me a reference?

OP posts:

AMumInScotland · 18/08/2008 21:16

As far as I'm aware there isn't a specific reference, but it's a figure people reach when they carefully add up a number of dates and time intervals which are mentioned.

Original poster

tatt · 18/08/2008 21:21

where would I look for the dates/intervals - in the begats?

OP posts:

Elk · 18/08/2008 21:27

I thought it was calculated from all the begats.

AnitaBlake · 29/12/2008 19:06

There is no reference. This is 'Young Earth Theory' it is pretty much made up. It is based on the idea that 'Short Period Comets' should have deteriorated to noth8ing in less than 10,000 years and therefore the Earth canno be older than this. The 'begats' etc was originally calculated by Ussher. This has given a 'creation date' of the Earth of 4004BC, making the Earth 6000 years old. This was calculated assuming each generation was 25 years. HTH

believer07 · 29/12/2008 19:19

Ok this is not scientific but, God always works via a system of numbers. Numbers are very significant in the Bible. Such as 40 days of rain in the noah storey, and 40 years in the wilderness. 40 being the number of testing. Other significant numbers are 6,7,8,10 and 12 amoung others.

In the Bible 6 is the number of man
7 is the number of perfection. For example it was given men to work 6 days, also God created the world in 6 days as a home for his creation man and rested on the 7th Day.

In my opinion I believe the world is around 6-8 thousand years old.

I believe that God has given man 6,000 years on the earth and then Jesus will return and spend 1,000 years ruling the earth. I think it was 2,000 years from moses to abraham, then 2,000 years from abraham to the birth of Jesus, and now we are just over 2,000 years from the birth of Jesus.

There seems to be in Genesis an alluding to a period of time before the creation of the world as we know it, when the earth was dark and without form. But I dont think we can put a time on that either short or long from the text.

believer07 · 29/12/2008 19:20

Sorry 2,000 years from Adam to Abraham and then 2,000 to Jesus, and now 2,000 from Jesus to now.

CoteDAzur · 29/12/2008 19:23

Just curious - Do you then believe that God has created the earth several thousand years ago, but with million-year old fossils already buried underground?

believer07 · 29/12/2008 19:39

Yes I do, and I take that on faith, I am not the best person RE. the dinosaur thing. I have seen several study type presentations that explain fairly well how the dinosaurs and the like got compacted in the great flood.

My faith in creation rather than evolution comes just from looking at the complex nature of the body and nature.

for example, before formula milk babies all breastfed, so if we came from slime/fish etc how could the abiltiy to breastfeed happen before all the infants died out.

Also appatently giraffes have a system of valves in their necks that stop all the blood flowing to their brains and blowing their brains out when they stoop to drink. How could these valves have been evolved if every time a giraffe stooped to drink its brain got blown out. I understand that these are maybe not the best examples but as I said I am not the best person.

look here it may help

I like this

CoteDAzur · 29/12/2008 19:52

It doesn't matter how fossils form. Carbon dating shows irrefutably that they are millions of years old, not thousands.

Mammals like whales give milk to their babies so I don't know why you find it incredible that our ancestors wouldn't be able to.

Why would a giraffe's head explose when bent down? There isn't that much of a difference in height (several meters).

From these questions, my understanding is that you don't really know how evolutionary mechanisms work, but that is up to you to research if you wish to learn.

I am just intrigued that anyone would believe earth was created some thousands of years ago with million year fossils already buried in it. Why in heaven would God do this?

CoteDAzur · 29/12/2008 19:53

Not all fossils are dinosaurs, by the way. There are plant fossils more than 100 million years old.

AnitaBlake · 29/12/2008 20:04

believer07, I believe you are referring to the Intelligent Design idea. I'm curious, do I also have valves that stop my head exploding if I bend down? I can certainly feel a rush of blood to my head. Would other animals also have these valves, perhaps suggesting a ommon ancestor?

Just one other point, if we can't exist without a creator, where did He come from? Surely a creature complex enough to create the heavens and the earth and the creatures within them must have been created also?

KayHarker · 29/12/2008 20:09

lol, I love how this one never goes away. well, I say love...

CoteDAzur · 29/12/2008 20:10

Before we go into "God", I'd like to hear why believer thinks He created the earth only a few thousand years ago, BUT put million year old fossils in the ground.

AnitaBlake · 29/12/2008 20:12

Fair point CoteDAzur! I'm always curious about this one, as a scientist I like to know all angles before making a choice.

CoteDAzur · 29/12/2008 20:19

I don't understand why the giraffe is singled out for having a jugular valve, by the way.

All mammals do. We have jugular valves, as well.

believer07 · 29/12/2008 20:23

As I said I am not the best person. I only made an attempt to answer the question. As for carbon datings, carbon dating machines are man made and therefore serve mans purpose in disproving the existance of God.

Intelligent design is not my bag, I am a beleiver in the Bibles account.

I better back out now as I don't have the qualifications for this one.

CoteDAzur · 29/12/2008 20:27

Err... all machines are man made. Like calculators. That doesn't mean they are not accurate.

I think it is fairly obvious that you are not "the best person" to explain the scientific side of things, but my question was a personal one - why do you think God would create the Earth only a few thousand years ago but put million year old fossils in it?

KayHarker · 29/12/2008 20:27

ID is a bit of a wriggle-room label for creationism, isn't it? I mean, does anyone seriously put ID forward who doesn't believe in creation (generally biblical creation, though possibly quranic, I'm not sure)?

CoteDAzur · 29/12/2008 20:29

I don't know any Muslims who have even thought of ID. Possibly because they don't even try to intellectually justify their beliefs.

KayHarker · 29/12/2008 20:33

Oh, I've seen some Muslim creation documentaries, but yes, they don't tend to couch it in 'ID' terms, they just go straight from the Quran.

AnitaBlake · 29/12/2008 20:35

Actually a very good point, I'm not sure how to vebalise this one without looking like I'm picking on just one belief system, but there are three religions that share the same creation story.....

KayHarker · 29/12/2008 20:50

AnitaB, tbh, it's hard to avoid, really. I'm a Christian, and I believe the bible account, just to be upfront (did anyone really not know this about me ) and even I get a little weary of the over-weening need to be 'accepted' eg. the people who really pitch for 'ID in schools' etc.

I know there are Muslims who believe in creation-by-God, obviously, and teach it thus in their schools and so on, but they don't make it a giant plank upon which to reach those who don't share their views (and, um, good on them, I say, I have no idea why some Christians seem to think that the gospel is tied up in paleontology (sp?))

CoteDAzur · 29/12/2008 20:52

Oh yes, of course, Islam's creation story is very similar to that of Christianity. Unsurprisingly, since they claim that the same God sent down both books/religions/prophets.

I meant Muslims I know don't try so hard to scientifically justify their beliefs as to go into ID etc.

I grew up in a Muslim country and suffered religion classes as part of the curriculum. All of it was "this is how it is because Quran says so" and not "this has to be how it is, scientifically, because it's all so complicated".

AMumInScotland · 30/12/2008 12:51

I've never been able to see how anyone could combine the scientific evidence with a literal interpretation of the biblical account without having to twist one or other (or quite possibly both) to breaking point . You either have to say "the science is all wrong" or "the creation story in the bible is an allegory" or be able to believe two incompatible things at the same time. Anything else just seems like twisting to me...

I don't personally understand how people like Kay can believe in the literal truth of the creation story, but I respect their right to believe it in spite of the evidence. I'm less happy with people twisting the evidence, or discrediting scientific method, to make it seem "sensible". Because, frankly, it ain't!

KayHarker · 30/12/2008 13:51

See, it's never much bothered me - it's the same category for me as the virgin birth or the bodily resurrection or ascension of Christ. The bible teaches that it happened supernaturally. You either believe that, or you don't.

I don't see Christians twisting themselves into pretzels trying to convince everyone that the virgin conception or resurrection from the dead of Jesus was a completely rational, scientific event, so I'm always a little confused by those same Christians trying to do it about creation.

But I'm a very wierd evangelical, so you don't want to listen to me...

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