How do Young Earth Creationists reconcile decades of geologic research?

Question

Arguably, the last century's economic and technological growth rests on the exploitation of coal and oil. The science of geology has been fueled primarily by that industry, along with major engineering projects like dams and tunnels. Companies that pay billions for research demand functional theory and accurate knowledge. Bad information could cost a company millions of dollars in drilling. With volcanoes or structures, lives could be at stake.

So I wonder if or how young-earth creationists see modern geology as some sort of mass delusion. Geologists assert unequivocally that the earth is around 4.6 billion y.o., yet young earthers wave off a globe of stratigraphic research with the "Great Deluge." If a flood could explain global complex stratigraphy better than libraries of funded research, one would think that Exxon, Mobile, and GE would be employing creationists instead.

Best answer will be granted to a well-thought-out creationist response, although anyone may answer.

While I value the feedback from fellow scientific subscribers, I don't seem to be getting any answers from the true believers. I don't think they come over to the Earth Sciences & Geology section very much. Perhaps I'll post this same question in the religion category and see what happens.

Answer 1

There are too many people who insist on an "either-or" interpretation of reality. Evolution is the natural progression of living and non-living matter according to the laws of nature. Of course, there was and is a Supreme Being who made those laws. Creation is the result of the interference of that Supreme Being in that natural progression, so as to bypass eons of natural evolution and make significant changes for whatever reason He/She/It has.

Assuming the Supreme Being had and still has abilities and powers we do not yet understand, his/her/its interference in natural progression through the ages can account for all the upsets and anomalies that have occurred, including the origins of the human race. (It was most likely a "divine" modification to the DNA of the ape branch of primates.)

I strongly believe in science and the scientific method, and I go with the conclusions of the geologists regarding the age of the earth. I also believe that many of the "miraculous" events in the Bible and other religious tomes could have occurred more or less as stated, with the intervention of the Supreme Being. We have to remember that the men who wrote the Bible and other books like it - with or without "divine inspiration" - were, after all, just humans, and had to base their descriptions of events and phenomena in the light of their limited understanding and knowledge.

If we have any purpose here on Earth, it is to seek understanding of ourselves, our environment, our universe, and our gods, and not blindly accept the pronouncements of evangelists.

Answer 2

The belief that the Earth was created by God within the last ten thousand years, literally as described in Genesis, within the approximate timeframe of biblical genealogies (detailed for example in the Ussher chronology). It rejects not only radiometric and isochron dating of the age of the Earth, arguing that they are based on debatable assumptions, but also approaches such as ice core dating and dendrochronology. Instead, it interprets the geologic record largely as a result of a global flood.

Because Young Earth creationists believe in the literal truth of the description in Genesis of divine creation of every "kind" of plant and creature about 6,000 years ago, they dispute the biological theory of evolution (specifically universal common descent), which describes all species developing from a common ancestor, independent of divine intervention, by gene mutation and natural selection over a long period of time.

Young Earth creationists may or may not believe that the Universe has the same age as the Earth. Creationist cosmologies are attempts by some creationist thinkers to give the universe an age consistent with the Ussher chronology.

This view is held by many Protestant Christians in the USA, and by many Haredi Jews. It is also estimated that 47% of Americans hold this view, and a little under 10% of Christian colleges teach it. For Christian groups promoting this view, see the Institute for Creation Research (ICR), El Cajon, California, USA, and the Creation Research Society (CRS), Saint Joseph, Missouri, USA. Answers in Genesis (AIG) Ministries based in the Greater Cincinnati area is currently constructing the first Creation Museum.

Answer 3

Creationists feel so devoted to a book and the stories that are held within it, written for people to whom the world was a mystery that any way of trying to alter that viewpoint must be wrong. Although the idea of the earth only being 6000 years worked fine until people actually took the time to look into the rocks, that (story) book says against it. And that story book must be believed. Geology simply opens up another hole in the story (really the story is more like a colander) thus it must be suppressed.


(btw I hate creationists)

Answer 4

Your missing the point. Science is about trying to disprove theories ad looking at all the evidence to reach that end. Creationists take a different point. It is not science therefore does not need to follow the same logical construct. It is a belief system. Therefore it can follow that god put the coal, oil, dinosaurs bones just to test faith.

It is only due to the western civilizations recent , more recent to the industrial revolution, embrace and quasi deification of science that make our society insist on using scientific methodologies to deafend everything.

Economics can't hold to that standard, nor literature, nor religion. Creationism is religion therefore does not need to defend itself scientific logic. God could create us whenever he/she wanted .

In fact to prove the point I will say he created you three min from now (now being when you read it) you do not exist yet you just think you do (don't say you think therefore you are since you can't prove you are thinking as you don't know what thinking is this thinking isn't that kind, because I said so, it is my belief structure :)

see creationism isn't science therefore it doesn't need to be proved just believed.

Answer 5

The belief in Creationism precludes the necessity of observing facts: the Bible said it is so and the Bible can't be wrong. Any attempts to reconcile them to a challenge of their beliefs is met with stonewall responses. They choose to be stubborn and we must respect them for their bullheadedness.

Answer 6

Creationists have abandoned reason, so don't need to reconcile anything. They think their beliefs are right no matter what, and anyone who disagrees with them is just wrong.