Creation vs. Evolution. Look at the painting. Who is older?

Question

http://www.abcgallery.com/G/ghirlandao/ghirlandaio8.html

When you look at the painting of course the natural instinct is to say the man on the left is older, but the truth is they are in fact the same age. The painting was created at the same time and therefore even the the man on the left appears older, he was in fact "created" at the same time as the young boy.

This is the argument with creation.

Although I tend to believe that evolution played a role (though there are admittedly faults with some of the science) I do not outright reject creationism. I still believe God created the universe, I'm just not sure he only did it 6,000 years ago. Is it not possible that God created some things in this world to appear older?

OK. Let the bashing begin.

Ryan S:
I was offering the painting as an example of something created at one time, but aspects appear to be older. It's just a possiblity.

I agree with you however, I don't think creationism and evolution have to be mutually exclusive.

I must agree with you about Rev. Albert Einstein as well.

Answer 1

Thats interesting,,,, seriously, I never thought of it that way.

Answer 2

As a creationist who openly accepts evolution as well, I don't quite get the argument for creationism as far as the picture goes. I mean it's a painting, how does it offer evidence for anything? And why does two men of the same age who look man years apart, even if they were standing infront of us here today, have anything to do with supporting creation vs evolution.

With that said, I have a bone to pick with Rev. Albert Einstein. Evolution is not mentioned in the Bible. But the Bible says nothing that rejects evolution. Why could God not have created male and female by way of evolution? And for the Psalm referance, was David alive during creation? Did he see with his own two eyes exactly how God chose to form life? No. David was writing very poetically just like the rest of the Psalms. Even the first couple chapters of Genisis had to be written in a poetic format because whomever it was that wrote Genesis could not have been alive during the time of creation and therefore did not see the universe created firsthand. The more that christains press the issue of evolution being ani-scripture the more ridiculous we look to the rest of the world. Although there are lots of legitimate refutes against evolution, there is A LOT of evidence that supports it. If evolution becomes a proven fact, which many already claim it is, does your faith then crumble? Or can you allow God to be God and know that if he chose to use evolution as a means to creation and not specifically address evolution in the Bible, all would not be lost for christains - in fact nothing would be lost for christains. Although the Bible was guided by God, it was written by man. There are stories that are eye-witness testimony that need be taken literally, and other parts of the Bible were written very poetically and need be looked at from a poetic perspective.

As a christain, it's a very dangerous ground you're walking on to say evolution is anti-scripture.

Answer 3

I dont think a picture should be able to illustrate such a huge issue. Alot of people either believe in god and creation or they believe in the BIG BANG theory. I believe in creation and although after reading alot of the answers people wrote I too dont see the point in debating this.

Once someone has made up their mind about something who is able to tell them otherwise......only in a long time can they be told and even then they still mightn't be interested.

So I see where you are coming from and all art work has a story or meaning but to match it up with something that has been painted by someone with this belief of them being the same age........it goes back to me saying people all have their own opinions and ideas of life.

So to answer your question, a painting shouldnt be used to answer such a question, god did create the earth and if he made things more mature then so be it, but he only made adam and eve who I believe were sort of around the same age, they had children......so why are u saying the child is the same age.......it only makes sense when you refer to the earth as the child and then the man and earth are the same age if you get what im saying.

Answer 4

You make the statement but cannot back it up. The painting did not appear fully formed. Do you know that Ghirlandaio did not paint the old man first?

Your point about appearance is taken. Scientists do not go on superficial appearances alone. They use every modality they can and test and retest to confirm ages. What would you say if you found this comment in Ghirlandaio's notebook: "...need to paint the boy into the picture. My patron is tired of waiting." Looking at multiple independent measures is telling.

How can you tell there is a world and it is not all a simulation? Don't confuse faith and fact.

Answer 5

Oh god... you're saying that the world just looks older because it was created to look it?

If a forensics specialist looked at the two paintings they would be able to tell they were created at the same time, the same thing is true with geolgist experts and rocks, paleontologists and fossils and biologists and living creatures. Saying that God put all this evidence there to make it look old when it isn't is pretty much the same as calling him a lier.

Answer 6

That's a very good point, and of course God did create things to be older. For example, Adam and Eve where created as adults, some of the trees in the garden appeared to be older, when in fact they were created in a day. So yes, your point is quite valid and reasonable.

God bless

Answer 7

I am pretty sure two real people actually sat for this painting.
One was older than the other.
Are you trying to say god made a young-earth representation of the original earth? For what reason, to hang in his kitchen above the sink? (why should god have made the earth appear older than it is, any reason?)
And how do you know if you live on the copy or the original?

Answer 8

Genesis 1-3

Answer 9

Yes.

God made Adam mature correct? He made the trees mature otherwise Adam could not have ate from them. He made the animals mature otherwise some would have still been in eggs.

When reading the Bible, I do find that God seemed to make everything mature, and it is my opinion that likewise God made the universe mature... I do believe in the 6-10,ooo year old creation and have no problem with that...

Answer 10

yes, and technically you could argue that a fairy in my television set created TV shows. But as soon as you leave the realm of science and start to make beliefs around faith and religion, you lose me. I like to stick to science for things that it can answer, and hold out on things it can't (which is very small). You might be able to make science fit in with you beliefs, but that doesn't mean you beliefs mean anything.