To Charles and SDC,
LEt me make several quick points. First, my background is liberal arts and theology.
And I have a problem with this statement because it sets people up to see the bible as false - since there ARE some apparent inconsistencies. Like John said - there just ARE places in the bible where things appear to conflict. Our wanting them not to be so doesn't make them go away!
I agree. I have no problem saying taht there are apparent inconsistencies and apparent conflicts. BUt I would emphasize the word apparent. Since we are not omniscient, we should assume that we simply do not know enough. If we had all the facts, there would be no contradictions or inconsistencies. But again, we cannot assume our knowledge is that big.
I can't tell you how many times I've seen good Christian teens go off to college armed (they thought) with a solid Sunday school education only to have their faith dashed by some hippy-like professor who seems to have an explanation for everything - explanations that they did not even know exist. Like the first time he/she hears about Gilgamesh and the fact that it is thought to antedate the bible.
But again, their faith was destroyed, not because of the knowledge of the other side, but becuase of their own ignorance.
I can tell you with certainty that the earth is older than 6,000 years.
I don't konw many young earth creationists that would dispute that. There is a dark side of us that use Ussher's misguided chronology to affirm a 6000 year old date, but few do and most of us cringe when someone says that.
I could point to a million proofs (and I mean that literally) that the earth is billions of years old.
But when the presuppositions that support those "proofs" are removed, the evidence falls flat. The YEC and the OEC have the same evidence. They interpret it differently becuase they bring a different set of presuppositions to the table.
After all, the Church for millenia held that the sun rotated around the earth (geocentric theory)rather than what exists - the earth rotates around the sun (heliocentric theory). They based that belief in their misunderstanding of the Bible.
Absolutely, but the scientific also has held different views over the years that have proven to be false, such as just happened last week with the galaxies and their expectation.
There is great reason and logic behind the science of biblical creationism and those who believe the Bible literally have no need to take a back seat to others.
I have read Ross before, for the first time almost 10 years ago when it first came out. I have studied the material from that side of the argument. I simply cannot share their presuppositions. Ross's book was absolutely loaded with problems, and too many people dove in headfirst becuase he attempted to assuage the scientific consciences while using theology. (BTW, I would dispute that Ross can truly believe in inerrancy, in any orthodox sense.)
IMO, we have to take more seriously the underpinnings of the philosophy that leads to the presuppositions. When we ignore the presuppositions, we run the risk of arriving at well spoken positions, albeit ones that have no solid foundation.
I have yet to see one solid reason to abandon the normal reading of the Bible. There are, on the other hand, many reasons, both scientific and theological, not to. There is simply no actual scientific reason to not believe the biblical account of a young earth creation.
I do not mean to insult anyone here, or to imply a lack of respect towards you or anyone of your persuasion. I do believe, however, that we have given way too much ground to people who have no foundations themselves. We have sold ourselves down the river of academic respect while failing to acknowledge that the academics themselves are floating on a sea with no moorings.
Second, there are numberous well credentialed PhDs who are young earth creationists and with good reason.
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