Posted on 04/29/2014 9:11:43 AM PDT by fishtank
New Genetic-Clock Research Challenges Millions of Years
by Nathaniel T. Jeanson, Ph.D. *
Does a 6,000-year-old earth match the findings of modern science? Secular scientists have answered forcefully in the negative for generations. However, their arguments rest on the assumption of constant natural processes and constant rates, and new discoveries from ICR’s geneticists present a strong challenge to these claims.
Genetic “Clocks”
Ticking within every species is a “clock” of sorts that measures the length of time that a species has existed on the earth. Since DNA is passed on imperfectly from parent to offspring, each generation grows more genetically distant from prior generations. Consequently, with each successive generation reproductively isolated groups within species grow more and more genetically distant from each other.
...more at link
(Excerpt) Read more at icr.org ...
Figures adapted with permission from Answers Research Journal * Dr. Jeanson is Deputy Director for Life Sciences Research at the Institute for Creation Research and received his Ph.D. in cell and developmental biology from Harvard University.
Cite this article: Nathaniel T. Jeanson, Ph.D. 2014. New Genetic-Clock Research Challenges Millions of Years. Acts & Facts. 43 (4).
The Bible seems to support man being around for 6000 years, with a total repopulation after the second world-wide flood with Noah 5000 years ago. But I don’t see the Bible supporting the idea that the earth itself is 6000 years old. Who knows who long the earth was around before the first recorded world-wide flood in Genesis 1:2?
James Ussher did a seminal work on this and came to the 6,000 year conclusion.
A running theory of mine is the duration of time in Eden is what is in question. I believe the dating of Adam's age came after the fall and that he and Eve had many, many children during their time in Eden. This is evidenced by Cain marrying in the land of Nod, east of Eden where there were presumably a good many people (offspring of Adam and Eve) where Cain built a city. Time, IMHO began after the fall and is thus recorded.
That's interesting. Could be. But all of this and (re)creation happened AFTER the first recorded world-wide flood in Genesis 1:2. Who knows how long the earth was around before Genesis 1:2?
That was the point of my theory. All of this was relative to the fall and did not document the time spent in Eden. Seth was born long after Cain and Abel. To relative time frame is given for Cain's marriage and the birth of "other sons and daughters" leaving room for the possibility of children during their time in Eden.
That was one of the salient points that Ussher made and that the Bible does document.
"But 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."2 Peter 3:8
And like a thousand years could be like a million years.
Careful now, evolutionary creationism is to be ridiculed by both sides, as the Creationist KNOW the history of the Word of God and the Evolutionists KNOW their theory is fact.
Re-read your post. Excellent question. The word Moses used for 'day' was and is recognized as a 24-hour period, so the presumption was that of a standard Earth day for each 'day' of creation.
Very true, but the Almighty does not NEED a million years, nor a thousand, to bring something into being.
No, no, no. Gotta pay attention here. Creation as we know it began in Genesis 1:3 after the first recorded world-wide flood in vs 1:2. Creation, not evolution.
My point is, who knows how long the earth was around before Genesis 1:2 (ie. earth before the first world-wide flood in vs 1:2 and creation beginning in vs 1:3)?
You’re viewing Gen. 1:1 as an overview. I see that as the first creative acts on Day One. God had to first create space, and then He could hang earth in it.
How do explain Gen 1:1 followed by 1:2?
Very true. But Scripture says a day is not necessarily 24 hours. Time is a created thing. God is outside of time.
FWIW, only last week I heard an interview with an ancient language scholar (Dr. Michael Heiser) say that he knows of no serious linguist who takes the gap theory seriously because it’s not supported by the Hebrew. I am unsure what program I was listening to now, but I found a blog post on his website on the topic.
Genesis 1:2 and the “Gap Theory”
http://drmsh.com/2010/09/28/genesis-12-and-the-gap-theory/
How many more thousand years do we have left before our DNA degrades to the point of being unable to reproduce?
to all: fyi I don’t personally know Charles Clough, but if you read his bio, he is qualified to have an opinion on the Gap Theory (he doesn’t believe in it.)
http://www.bibleframework.com/about/clough/
Charles Clough was born in Brooklyn, NY and grew up on Long Island. Upon graduation from high school, Charlie received a scholarship to Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It was during his first semester at MIT that Charlie was led to Christ by a Campus Crusade for Christ staff member. Charlie met Carol while in college and they later married. Charlie completed his BS in Math and also did graduate work in atmospheric science at MIT.
After four years of active duty as a weather officer supporting Air Force operations, he entered Dallas Theological Seminary. Charlie earned the Th.M. in Old Testament Hebrew while at Dallas, graduating in 1968. His master’s thesis was entitled A Calm Appraisal of The Genesis Flood, which was a review and analysis of all the reviews and analyses of John Whitcomb and Henry Morris’ classic work The Genesis Flood.
By this time in his life, he had examined the philosophical foundations—rarely mentioned in contemporary education—underlying the extension of the scientific method for forensics (study of past events not reproducible in laboratory conditions). He concluded that no conflict exists between actual data and the Bible’s historical narratives. The oft-cited “conflicts” between forensically applied science and the Bible arise solely due to the philosophical speculations required to generate interpretive theories, not due to any actually observed data. While involved in Christian ministry to university students, he utilized this insight to present biblical truths as forming a basic framework for all of knowledge.
Continuing his work with the Air Force as a Reservist in the early 1980s, Charlie earned the M.S. in Atmospheric Science from Texas Tech University. From 1982 through 2006, he served as a staff meteorologist with the Department of the Army in charge of atmospheric measurements, modeling, and environmental applications to support weapons testing at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. He retired from the position as Chief of the Atmospheric Effects Team.
Starting in the fall of 1995 Charlie began teaching a Thursday evening class at Fellowship Chapel in Jarrettsville, Maryland on his Basic Framework for Christian Doctrine. This series was completed in the Spring of 2002. All of the 224 MP3 lessons, class handouts, lecture transcriptions, and miscellanea are available for downloading from this website.
A well-respected Bible scholar, with a scientific background, Charlie is a much sought-after conference speaker and teacher. He is on the Board of Advisors and serves as a member of the Adjunct Faculty of Chafer Theological Seminary.
Charlie and Carol reside in Bel Air, Maryland. They are parents of four grown sons.
Dunno, but I think “How long was the earth around before Gen 1:2?” is a good question.
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