Freakzilla wrote: In Genesis 1:1, the earth and "heaven" are created together "in the beginning," whereas according to current estimates, the earth and universe are about 4.6 and 13.7 billion years old, respectively.
First of all Gen 1:1 does not say that the Earth and everything else was formed at the same time. It merely states that they were created. In fact verse 2 goes on to say that “Now the earth proved to be formless and waste...” So the earth was not created immediately but in a continual process, something that is highlighted throughout the account. Something to remember is that the verb translated create after Genesis 1:1 is in most if not all cases in the imperfect state, suggesting continuous action i.e. some translations ignore this because of the difficulty in reading it correctly in English e.g. “and light proceeded to come to be...”
Freakzilla wrote: In Genesis, the earth is created (1:1) before light (1:3), sun and stars (1:16); birds and whales (1:21) before reptiles and insects (1:24); and flowering plants (1:11) before any animals (1:20). The order of events known from science is in each case just the opposite.
As to the earth being created before light, this again relies on the premise of the first argument, that the earth and everything else were created instantaneously. But as I said, verse 2 indicates a formless earth at this time. So light first occurs because the cloud of hydrogen etc, that is to form the Sun condenses, heats up and gives out light (really simple version
). Thus light actually comes into being before the earth is ‘formed’ as predicted by science.
As for earth being created before the sun and stars, you must go to the original language (see, some of us do try Sandchigger
). You will find that when light is created the Hebrew word used for light is ‘ohr which indicates light in a general sense or not specifically from a source. In verse 14 the word changes to ma.’ohr which indicates a source (ma. is the definite article in Hebrew). The word for “create” (ba.ra) changes to the word for “make” (a.sah) in verse 16. So it would seem that for awhile the light could not be seen as directly coming from the Sun (and the Moon). But when they could be seen, they were not
created at that point but presumably were in existence and simply were not observable as such. This ties in with photosynthetic life coming into being before the luminaries are seen and before animal life. As far as I know, originally it is required that photosynthetic life comes before solely aerobic respirating life due to an abundance of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. But I am a little foggy on the science of OOL. But because carbon dioxide is prevalent and is white, it is logical that the luminaries cannot be seen until this is removed.
When you say whales I take it you refer to “great sea monsters” which in a footnote is also translated “great reptiles”. I don’t really know what else to say about that one.
In terms of birds before reptiles the common conception of birds descending from reptiles has been challenged recently:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 092055.htm
As to flowering plants coming before animals I haven’t thought about that yet, but I simply do not know enough of the science behind it yet.
Personally I do not rule out evolution below the level of phylum, although I grow less sceptical as you go down the scale. It could be that the basic phyla could be created (not at the same time) and allowed to diversify, I don’t know.
Freakzilla wrote: (1:3-5, 14-19) "Let there be light"
God creates light and separates light from darkness, and day from night, on the first day. Yet he didn't make the light producing objects (the sun and the stars) until the fourth day (1:14-19). And how could there be "the evening and the morning" on the first day if there was no sun to mark them?
I think I answered some of this above. Separating of light and darkness is achieved as we know by the rotation of the earth on its axis, something that would be occurring right from the start of the formation of the earth due to conservation of angular momentum.
Because the word day in Hebrew does not literally indicate 24 hours it is not possible to be dogmatic about the length of the creative days. For instance in the verse mentioned Jehovah calls the light Day and the darkness Night, yet these do not last 24 hours. Similar examples can be found throughout the Bible and indeed in English today e.g. in my father’s day. Especially considering the seventh day has not ended. Evening and morning are indicative of the purpose of that “day” being completed.
Phew! That was longer than expected. I don’t expect people to agree with me etc, I just wanted to make a point. Oh well, I should back off now I guess.
[Also, I say all this in friendly debate, in case I come off as attacking or anything
]
