How can the earth be 6000 years old?

Question

I honestly want to know what Fundamentalist Christians think about this topic, and how they justify it. I believe in evolution, though not necessarily that humans evolved that way, though that’s not the issue here. Looking at evidence of civilizations over 10-15000 years old, and when you factor in that there are stars more than 6000 light-years away that we see in our own sky. How do you justify the belief that the earth is only 6000 years old?

I cant help but notice that the only supporter of young earth creationism to address my question was Ronald, and while he didn’t feel compelled to ANSWER any of the issues raised question, he had no problem picking apart my question instead. Contrary to fundamentalist belief there are more ways of dating an object than carbon 14, which is among other things painfully inaccurate. Additionally there have been RECORDS found older than 6000-7000 years. Not dated with chemical testing, but traced through the dynasties of that civilization. I won’t waste my time providing proof, though I might to anyone who messages me in a respectful manner. I posed this question politely, and the one person who responded was rude in his response, and could provide no response but that God plays with the speed of light to apparently trick the masses. What are we doubters left with but to believe maybe science is on to something, and that maybe the Bible is metaphorical.

Answer 1

Isn't it amazing? "Well, even though glue came before Earth, it's in the book so it must be true".

What?

Like I said before, Canada man. Canada.

Answer 2

I will skip the textual argument proving the literal six day creation using the original Hebrew language, because it very complex and long and doesn't really relate to your question.

"Looking at evidence of civilisations over 10-15000 years old"
Straw man argument. Using these dates which are amused dates using an evolutionary time scale. Creationist (Young Earth Creationists) would disagree with their dates and proved a more accurate time-line.

"when you factor in that there are stars more than 6000 light-years away that we see in our own sky"
Keep in mind a few things. First how far away are the stars? we don't know. We only make guesses and because they go unchallenged they are amused to be fact. You also assume the light has a constant speed. Does it? Not necessarily, we have been able to speed it up and slow it down greatly. If we could do it can't the God that created everything do it.

"How do you justify the belief that the earth is only 6000 years old?" The questions you asked are nothing new these question have been answer hundreds of times over the years and the inability of the Evolutionist to come up with new questions speaks volumes about the foundations on which they stand.

Keep in mind that when you ask a question and only want a naturalistic answer then you should not even ask that question. When you ask a question about God then say he has to fit into your paradigm then you are not honestly seeking the truth.

Answer 3

Because these people (I believe it's young earth creationists you're referring to) take the bible literally and are very stubborn on the 'day' mentioned in Genesis being our present 24 hours. Other christians, who are the Old earth creationists, have suggested that there probably are errors in translation and the 'day' might have meant a lot more than just 24 hours. They use the verse below as a possible supporting proof saying that a 'day' to God is different than that of a 'day' to us, that God might have waited millions of years before creating humans. 2 Peter 3:8 8But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. Personally I think it's rather flimsy evidence for a young earth. But ultimately does it even matter how many years you think the earth is? I mean it's not THAT serious of an issue that people would take up arms and fight against each other because they disagree on the issue of the earth's age, or so I think.

Answer 4

The earth is not 6000 years old!....The Bible does not specify exactly how old the earth is, but it does explain the creation of a livable condition suitable for life.Several Bible versions, including the New International Version, the Scofield Reference Bible and the Companion Bible, note that the phrase "the earth was without form and void" (verse 2) can be rightly translated "the earth became without form and void." The Hebrew word hayah, translated "was," means "to become, occur, come to pass, be" (Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, 1985, "To Be").

In other words, God created the earth, but the original Hebrew can just as easily indicate that it later became "without form, and void." It can indicate that something spoiled the original creation described in Genesis 1:1 and caused God to restore order out of chaos—which would have happened during six days of restoration followed by a Sabbath rest day.
Suffice it to say here that God does not create by first creating chaos (Isaiah 45:18; 1 Corinthians 14:33). God told the powerful angelic being Lucifer, "You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity [lawlessness] was found in you" (Ezekiel 28:15). God is a being of perfection, order and beauty. Chaos and disorder result from rejection of or rebellion against Him. Scripture reveals that angels already existed before earth's creation (Job 38:4-7). Angelic beings were the first to introduce disharmony and confusion into God's perfect creation.

Other scriptures indicate that an original, earlier creation (Genesis 1:1) preceded the earth being "without form, and void" (Hebrew tohu and bohu, meaning a condition of chaotic disorder and confusion) in verse 2. Isaiah 45:18 tells us specifically that God "did not create it [the earth] in vain [tohu]." The chaotic condition described in Genesis 1:2 came later.

This chaos apparently resulted from a rebellion against God by Satan and a third of the angels (Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:12-17; Revelation 12:4). Later, after an unspecified interval, during six days followed by the seventh-day Sabbath, God could have accomplished a full restoration of what had become chaotic (Genesis 1; Exodus 20:11).

In other words, a time gap seems to be indicated between the original creation described in Genesis 1:1 and earth's restoration in verse 2. This unspecified period could have encompassed billions of years, accounting for the "deep time" that geologists and other scientists seem to have discovered in the last two centuries.

Therefore the Bible itself, when correctly understood, offers a logical solution to this supposed creation enigma and has no inherent conflict with the possibility that the universe may be 15 billion years old. The Bible itself simply doesn't say how old the universe, or earth, is. But it does plainly say: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."

Answer 5

A common misconception is that the earth was created in 6 days. If you look at Gen.1:2, you will see that the earth was already in existence BEFORE the first creative day started.

The 6 days of creation had nothing to do with the creation of the planet. Instead, they were huge time periods in which Jehovah prepared the already-existing earth for animal and human habitation.

The earth is millions or billions of years

Answer 6

the claim that a "day" is many thousands of years is wrong. The story says "and the morning and the evening were the first day". It also says the sun was created on the fourth day, but does not explain how a 3 days passed with no sun.

Answer 7

The bottom line is if you believe the earth is 6000 years old you belong in a padded cell. Stop being so polite to these people. In western Europe they are dismissed as the nutters that they are but their insanity seems to be tolerated in the US.

Answer 8

I believe, though I am not sure, that I am a Fundamentalist Christian and I believe the earth has been proven by scientists to be many of thousands of years old. I not sure where you got your information, but I believe it is incorrect.

Answer 9

It is a great shame that this number is so popular.

It is UNBIBLICAL, FALSE and easily proved by the Bible to be false.

See this page for proof:
http://bythebible.page.tl/Creation.htm

Each creative day has AT LEAST TO BE 7000 years long!

Each creative day may be 700 millions years long or more.

Answer 10

It is very easy to believe this for people who hate both math and science. Without these two, show me any evidence against it.