How old is the Earth?

[Too Few Lions]

Blasphemy, Gawen. Blasphemy. You can expect to have an inquisitor knock on your door on Friday.

And the chiropractor too!

[Gawen]

Yesterday there was a knock at the door. The ole lady answers. I hera, "Can't you read the sign on the door?!"....then a big sigh....and then, "Honey, there's a blues brother at the door except he's wearing black".

I yell out loud, "Tell him he's got 5 seconds to reach minimum safe distance before a very localised WWIII begins"

That's all it takes at my house...*wicked evil grin*

Oh....I almost forgt. The Chiropractor saw the agent leave in a hurry and I reckon thought better to knock on my door.

Either that or he heard me rack my 12ga.

[Ecurb Noselrub]

The most recent estimate for the age of the earth that I see is about 4.54 billion years.  I see no reason to reject the scientific approach to determining the age of the earth, even though I am a Christian.  Genesis 1 and 2 are clearly metaphorical, not literal, in my view. They were meant to give a theistic view of the world, to affirm that God was behind all creation, and not to be taken literally in their details.

Again, whether or not the universe is 13.7 billion years old and the earth 4.54 billion years old, that issue has nothing to do with whether or not there was a creator God responsible for the original conditions, or whether the claims about the life, death and resurrection of Jesus are historical.  If Jesus lived, died and rose from the dead, it doesn't matter if the earth is billions of years old or only a few thousand.  These are separate issues, and Christians just create problems for themselves in pressing for a young earth model.

[Too Few Lions]

The most recent estimate for the age of the earth that I see is about 4.54 billion years.  I see no reason to reject the scientific approach to determining the age of the earth, even though I am a Christian.  Genesis 1 and 2 are clearly metaphorical, not literal, in my view. They were meant to give a theistic view of the world, to affirm that God was behind all creation, and not to be taken literally in their details.

Again, whether or not the universe is 13.7 billion years old and the earth 4.54 billion years old, that issue has nothing to do with whether or not there was a creator God responsible for the original conditions, or whether the claims about the life, death and resurrection of Jesus are historical.  If Jesus lived, died and rose from the dead, it doesn't matter if the earth is billions of years old or only a few thousand.  These are separate issues, and Christians just create problems for themselves in pressing for a young earth model.

Young Earthers in the modern age are are clearly pretty stupid, but on the other hand I guess they're consistent in wanting to interpret all of the Bible literally as the truth and word of their god. You do seem to be picking and choosing which parts of your holy book you want to see as metaphorical and which you want to see as historical, based on what science, geology and history has shown to be wrong.

Personally I would read the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus as being as metaphorical and mythological as the Book of Genesis account of Creation. In my book, things like virgin births, miracles and resurrections aren't things of reality. But you're clearly being sensible in choosing to metaphorically interpret the mythical account of creation in Genesis.

[Ecurb Noselrub]

You do seem to be picking and choosing which parts of your holy book you want to see as metaphorical and which you want to see as historical, based on what science, geology and history has shown to be wrong.

In interpreting the Bible, I try to look more to the genre of literature, the style of writing, the vocabulary, etc., in determining whether the author intended it to be interpreted literally or metaphorically.  It seems pretty clear to me that Genesis 1 & 2 are metaphorical, while passages such as those describing the fall of Jerusalem are intended to be understood literally.  The style of writing is different.

Similarly, it seems that the narratives about Jesus in the gospels are generally intended to be understood literally, while Revelation is almost 100% metaphorical.  It's a matter of grammar and literary style.

[Tank]

Can we keep on topic please and start other topics to discuss side issues please 

[Too Few Lions]

ok Tank, sorry. Dunno if you fancy starting a thread on what parts of the Bible you think should be read literally and which allegorically Bruce? As a more liberal and open minded Christian, It'd be interesting to see which parts of the OT and NT you consider mythological and which historically accurate.

[Ecurb Noselrub]

ok Tank, sorry. Dunno if you fancy starting a thread on what parts of the Bible you think should be read literally and which allegorically Bruce? As a more liberal and open minded Christian, It'd be interesting to see which parts of the OT and NT you consider mythological and which historically accurate.

OK. I'm sorry about derailing this thread. My apologies.

[bandit4god]

So if we have any YECs here, I would really like to know if the AiG page is a reasonable representation of the foundation of the YEC world view?

You won't love this answer, but YEC is not a worldview.  Christianity is a worldview, and happens to be mine, regardless of whether the earth is young or old (though evidence seems to suggest that it is old).

[Tank]

So if we have any YECs here, I would really like to know if the AiG page is a reasonable representation of the foundation of the YEC world view?

You won't love this answer, but YEC is not a worldview.  Christianity is a worldview, and happens to be mine, regardless of whether the earth is young or old (though evidence seems to suggest that it is old).

You won't love this answer but YEC can be considered a world view, if you don't like that, tough luck.

[bandit4god]

Worldview:
1. The overall perspective from which one sees and interprets the world.
2. A collection of beliefs about life and the universe held by an individual or a group.

YEC is probably a component of the worldview held by some, but hardly the full monty.  Maybe that's why you haven't had any takers?

[Tank]

Worldview:
1. The overall perspective from which one sees and interprets the world.
2. A collection of beliefs about life and the universe held by an individual or a group.

YEC is probably a component of the worldview held by some, but hardly the full monty.  Maybe that's why you haven't had any takers?

Did you not read the thread?

[Troll god]

Stand to NASA, it is 4,4 billions yo.

NASA: Jack hills, Australia(Scroll down with the mouse.)

[Norfolk And Chance]

The most recent estimate for the age of the earth that I see is about 4.54 billion years.  I see no reason to reject the scientific approach to determining the age of the earth, even though I am a Christian.  Genesis 1 and 2 are clearly metaphorical, not literal, in my view. They were meant to give a theistic view of the world, to affirm that God was behind all creation, and not to be taken literally in their details.

Again, whether or not the universe is 13.7 billion years old and the earth 4.54 billion years old, that issue has nothing to do with whether or not there was a creator God responsible for the original conditions, or whether the claims about the life, death and resurrection of Jesus are historical.  If Jesus lived, died and rose from the dead, it doesn't matter if the earth is billions of years old or only a few thousand.  These are separate issues, and Christians just create problems for themselves in pressing for a young earth model.

The thing is, man has only been around c 2million years and homo sapiens c50,000 years.

If god created the Earth 4.54 billion years ago, he's took 4.52 billion years to create humans and come up with his stupid sin shit, and make the rule that his own son has to die to fix it etc etc. I mean really? It never ceases to amaze me how many people are cool with the timescales/ vastness of the universe and still think godditit.

[Ecurb Noselrub]

The thing is, man has only been around c 2million years and homo sapiens c50,000 years.

If god created the Earth 4.54 billion years ago, he's took 4.52 billion years to create humans and come up with his stupid sin shit, and make the rule that his own son has to die to fix it etc etc. I mean really? It never ceases to amaze me how many people are cool with the timescales/ vastness of the universe and still think godditit.

But time means nothing to God, as he is outside of it (I'm speaking of my concept of God).  If God is eternal and timeless, then everything he does would be "now" to him, and he wouldn't take 4.54 billion years to create humans and come up with his stupid sin shit (I'm speaking of your concept of God now).  You know - a day to the Lord is a thousand years, etc.