Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Reasons for Old Earth/Young Earth

What are the arguments for saying that the Earth is old and what are the arguments that the Earth is young? Below is a list of some that I have heard on both sides. I doubt that anyone will read this and go away having changed their mind on the position they hold. I do, however, think that if someone wishes to argue their position they will need to address the reasons that are given on the other side.







Reasons for Young EarthReasons for Old Earth
The Bible says creation took six days.The word used for "day" could be translated as "period."
The Bible says that Adam was "in the beginning."The word "day" is used multiple ways in Genesis 1.
The great flood would have removed evidence of anything prior to it.Hebrews 3 implies that we are still in the seventh "day."
The geniologies have enough people to cover about 6,000 years.Genesis 1:12 declares that "the Earth brought forth," implying that it took some time for the plants to grow.
Young Earth best accounts for a world in which no death occurred.Adam was allowed to name the animals before Eve was formed. It likely would have taken more than one day name the animals.
The existence of fossils is evidence that the layers of rock were formed much more quickly (such as by a global flood) than would be implied by rock layers forming over millions of years.The amount of time required for light to travel from the stars to us is more than 6000 years./td>
Radiometric data cannot be shown to prove millions of years.The Bible doesn't say that the animals didn't die, or anything, other than those who had access to the Tree of Life.
The Bible doesn't make a direct statement about the age of the Universe or of the Earth.