12 Questions... please answer.
Dewi Morgan (D.Morgan@bradford.ac.uk)
Wed, 2 Aug 1995 19:45:39 GMT
In a correspondence with a literal biblical creationist, several questions
have cropped up. Since these questions cover several fields, none of
which are within my own field of expertise (electronics!), I thought I
had better ask on the net. Please note crosposting. If you do not wish to
send articles to all these groups, please email me, and I will post a
summary of replies.
[literal biblical creationism: the world was created in 6 days, about
6000-4000 bc]
1) What is the accuracy of the forms of dating used? He maintains that no
dating is accurate after 6-8 kya. I maintain that though it is
inaccurate, it is accurate enough to say that a remain is more than 1mya
or so.
2) Is there any sharp difference between remains RELIABLY dated at 4kya
and those at 10kya? ie those definitely within the creationist timeframe
and those outside?
That is, it is possible to say there are two sets of remains, those
created before, and those deposited afterwards (to within the accuracy
of the ? If not, then it must be
argued that if there is a God, then He must have made some very fresh
(geologically speaking) remains, for them to be dated at just before
creation.
3) Are there any races with a written record that goes back to before the
time of the biblical Creation?
4) Is there any evidence to support the Great Flood. In particular, a
severe change of climate from a globally temperate climate (the whole
world surrounded by water) to one of polar icecaps and equatorial deserts,
about 5kya, coupled with a simultaneous flooding. Evidence that would go
against this: Ice on icecaps of greater than 3000 bc, animals that would have
died in climates even slightly different from those they have now.
5) Given a perfectly built human 6000 years ago, and given that evolution
is all codswallop, exactly how serious could our situation have been that
our bodies are so crap now? (Rhetorical question: our actual makeup is
from those muscles and bones required for quadrupedality, pressed into
service under new functions for bipedality. To be that badly designed we
actually need several million years, and NOT starting from a perfect
being, either.)
6) To quote him (no, not Him!):
> to my knowledge, carbon dating is done by comparing the fossil with the
> layer of earth it came from to get it's age. Parts of the earths crust are
> said to be upside down, such as portions of the Grand Canyon!?!
How is dating carried out in these circumstances?
7) I have heard that we only use 7-10% of our brains. I have also heard
that this is untrue, and that we use all of it, but just not all at once.
Which is the truth? Is there any part of the brain which is never used?
8)What is the oldest artefact with writing or symbols that has been
dated by the author (And no, I do not count anything that says 'made in
8000 B.C.'!)
9) The Flood is supposed to explain why "so many predicted rock formations
are out of whack, and in improper order", for instance sections of the
Grand Canyon being upside down. Can this not be explained by 'simple'
geological forces?
10) The Flood is also used to explain fossils: "The extreme amount
of natural disruptions on the earth pushed creatures deep into the
earth". I am skeptical about this one: Surely such events would have
caused geological rifts in the strata that would have been obvious.
11) The Flood would have caused a permanent rise in sea level. Surely
there are places where, due to shellfish and other evidence, it can be
seen that the water level has not changed for a much longer time than the
biblical timescale?
12) Assuming that all the animals in the Ark were in suspended animation
so they needed no air, food or water, exactly how big would it have to
be? What about if Noah needed to have all the plants as well? And the
Aquatic creatures (no, not including Man, he was too busy supervising and
stuff)?
I am envisioning something the size of the UK. Am I right, or am I way out?
--
- D. http://www.brad.ac.uk/~dmorgan/
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